Customer Reviews

12:5

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I didn't really think this album was too big a deal until I actually heard it. As it turns out, Pain of Salvation's music lends itself very well to this style of arrangement, but the band takes things farther than merely stripping the music down. Acoustic guitars and keyboards (grand piano and harpsichord) are the primary tools here, so that in itself is a change. But Gildenlow has rearranged the music dramatically in most cases, making for a funky-fresh new spin on old songs.

A lot of people probably look at tracklisting and think "wtf" so I will explain it. The album is divided into three "books":

Genesis - A medley of "Leaving Entropia", "This Heart of Mine", "Song for the Innocent", and the chanting from the end of "Her Voices".

Genesister - Full songs this time, includes "Winning a War", "Reconciliation", "Dryad of the Woods", "Oblivion Ocean", "Undertow" and "Chain Sling".

Genesinister - Back to a big medley of the intro to "Idioglossia", the middle instrumental section of "Her Voices", then the complete "Second Love", "Ashes", and finally a joyous, kinetic instrumental jam.

Sonically and performance-wise, the album is beautiful. Daniel Gildenlow's vocals are incredibly powerful, and the band's vocal harmonies are by far the best in metal. One of the most interesting aspects of the album is how songs retain their original mood despite the altered arrangements, like the ghostly rendition of "Undertow" or the full-band format of "Leaving Entropia". "Oblivion Ocean", rearranged with harpsichord, creates a different atmosphere entirely. Unplugged "Chain Sling" abandons its heaviness but maintains its aggrieved power. "Song of the Innocent" is funkified and still gorgoeus. Entirely different, tho', is "Ashes", which is turned from a dark, harrowing song about two broken souls coming together into a major-key ballad and the effect is very weird. Hearing the bleak metaphorical lines like "Licking the layers of soot from your skin" rendered all happy-like is almost _more_ unsettling. It's almost funny actually (especially with Gildenlow's campy Patton-esque histrionics at the end). Other songs are modified only slightly ("Second Love", with piano solo rather than guitar solo; "This Heart of Mine" cuts the middle section, adds more vocal harmonies, and extends the second verse), or not at all ("Dryad of the Woods").

A few complaints: "This Heart of Mine" is missing its crucial middle section, which is the anchor of the whole song. _One Hour by the Concrete Lake_ is not represented, unfortunately. A more general remark: while the music is beautiful and exceptionally well-performed, the format divorces the songs from their original context which diminishes their power. Pain of Salvation's songs are parts of bigger stories which have an important dramatic curve. Then again, perhaps it is a mistake on my part as a listener to look at the music from that perspective. The music in and of itself is gorgeous and is beautifully enjoyable independent of any reference to the original albums.

But meh. My nitpicking is irrelevant and this is an outstanding release. While this album does nothing to further strengthen their position as one of progressive metal's leading bands, it does reinforce my awareness of their obscene talent and the tremendous beauty they are capable of. And if for whatever reason you're NOT a Pain of Salvation fan and you're looking at these reviews, I encourage you to check it out.

Perfects perfection that is.

For the purposes of this album review, please keep in mind that Daniel Gildenlöw is a better singer than God starting here. If I fail to mention that his singing is Divine in any section, take it as a given. Flawless performance. Vocal harmonies are angelic beginning here and not ending until the album ends.

The tracks are labeled differently on the cd listing, but I am posting the actual song titles as they are on PoS' studio albums.

Book I: Genesis or Brickwork Pt. 1 - A Medley of:

1. Leaving Entropia - Excellent reworking of this song. The guitar/piano interplay is lovely in this. A better version than the original.

2. This Heart Of Mine - The intro alone had me in near tears. Then the Gildenlöw (still God) falsetto and others harmonizing could make a rock cry. The song that I didn't think could be any more beautiful is.

3. Song For The Innocent - An album highlight. Gildenlöw shows no signs of mortality. The whole piece isn't performed, but what they do with this song is something very special, different, and altogether better than it was on The Perfect Element Pt 1.

4. Her Voices - The end section: very Gregorian Chant-like. An excellent rendition.

5. Instrumental/Vocal Improv - A forty second jamming segue.

Book II: Genesister - Entire Songs:

6. Winning A War - Mideastern instrumental intro and flourishes throughout. Gildenlöw (still upping God) sings this song as if he lived it and wants you to feel his pain. Great use of the clavier in the bridge. Another HUGE album highlight.

7. Reconciliation - This one was a shocker. I didn't think it would go over well acoustically, but you know what? They got all the dynamics in the song, and I was totally wrong. The second best pleasant surprise of the album. Hilarious little "Darth Vader Theme" bit in the middle to lighten the tone of the song. Apparently, they are Star Wars fans. Gildenlöw doesn't hit the extreme high note at the end. I'm certain he can do it easily, but it's an acoustic version. Imagining it there, it does seem out of place. Very nice rendition.

8. Dryad of the Woods - Not changed drastically from the studio version (it's an acoustic song to begin with; what are you going to change?) but for the use of a clavier which is gorgeous again although mixed a little higher than I would have. The coolest additions are the piano flourishes at the end.

9. Oblivion Ocean - Bass and clavier do the spooky intro. Gilden-God is back from the instrumental break. He hams it up a little in this song. Even for Gildenlöw, it's melodramatic, but it does the emotional lyrics justice. The "The gods are close at hand...oh God if you save them..." section is exquisite.

10. Undertow - Guitar plays a new ostinato part and piano takes the intro we all know over it. The ostinato is great for a song that builds like this one does. Excellent addition. Mandolin accompanies the piano playing the "This Heart Of Mine" reprise, vocal harmonies grow out of this, Gildenlöw goes from harmonizing to screaming to falsetto. This part never grows stale. Chills every time I hear it.

11. Chain Sling - Another band member takes some of the leads on this. He's not as good as Gildenlöw, but he's easily up to the task. The cool thing is that this frees Daniel up to do some high note flourishes over the choruses.

Book III: Genesinister or Brickwork Pt. 2 - A medley of:

12. Idioglossia - Instrumental intro. THE highlight of the album for me. This is my official "Holy $hit Moment" of the album. I didn't think it would go over acoustically with the right-hand tapping runs at the beginning and heavy rhythms. Just listen to it and say "Holy $hit."

13. Her Voices - Instrumental section. One of the many great musical climaxes on TPE1 needs no exposition.

14. Second Love - The full song from Remedy Lane minus the M.A.S.H. theme intro but with with piano, mandolin, guitar. Gorgeous version with some excellent piano work in place of the guitar solo (which was one of DG's best IMO) toward the end. I loved the solo, but the piano works better for this format I'm sure.

15. Ashes - Full song. Minor key intro, but changes to major key for the rest of the song. Depending on how seriously you take music, this will either make you laugh your ass off or completely turn you off. It's damn hilarious to me, and one of the most truly Pattonesque moments I've heard from PoS. DG really gets that Mike Patton feel and humor in this. A highlight for me, but possibly a total clunker for someone else.

16. Instrumental/vocal Improv Jam - Jammin' out to end the set; great instrumental work here.

Finally:

A MUST HAVE for PoS fans. Those who were turned off by the band's production quality and guitar sounds on the studio albums (which are often lacking), will love this. If you don't like Daniel Gildenlöw's emotionally charged, dramatic, at times ham-it-up style, and PoS' vocal harmony self-indulgence, avoid like the plague. Everything, however, is executed perfectly...as one would expect from Daniel Gildenlöw and Company. An 11 out of 10 live performance. Right up there with Alice In Chains' Jar Of Flies as best unplugged album ever. I'd give it all the stars in the sky if I could.

The thought of a Progressive Metal band doing a completely unplugged album would make most people cringe. But if you were like me, you realized this band has the talent to do anything. Their musical palette is already wide, but this just puts them over the top.

The album opens up with an interesting choice: the conclusion of their "Entropia" album. To start this album with the ending of another shows that they aren't scared to change around and add upon already recorded music. Not only does it open up the album, but sets the musical tone for the whole recording. With its combination of complicated song structure and huge amount of vocal harmonies, its sound is varied yet focused throughout the album.

Knowing that it was recorded live gives you a huge appreciation for the vocal harmonies that "Leaving Entropia" starts off with and is prevelent throughout the whole thing. They are extremely impressive, holding a certain Eagles meets Gentle Giant quality. Though they aren't perfect knowing that they were achieved live with little editing leads you to believe they are highly trained, very practiced musicians. The only problem with the harmonies is that they are so plentiful that it might seem overpowering. For those who love Daniel's voice (as I am one of you), you might feel it isn't shown enough. If you were uneducated in the PoS sound you would think that they are showing off how well they play together.

Flaunting their talent to sound like the most accomplished band in the world is something that is not unheard of with them, but they seem to always do it with an heir of craftsmanship. Daniel's unsurpassed songwriting talents are shown once again. With the additions of harpsicords and cellos, the sound has never been fuller. Granted they are playing previously recorded material only strikes you the first or second listen. Soon after you realize that the album brings so many new elements to their sound that this mine as well be new material. Even though the grand piano and harpiscord are the only instruments played by Frederik Hermansson, it just seems like the songs were built for that sound. The keyboard he has proven to master almost seems obsolete after hearing his mastering of a re-worked version of "Dryad of the Woods". To the longtime fan, you will love the harpsicord sound because it seems to fit into the environment and mood that PoS is so great at conveying. That mood has never been fuller, expecially with the acoustic version of the intro to "Idioglossia". The acoustic bass Kristoffer Gildenlow masters in the song couldn't sound fuller. At one point the strings are flapping against the neck so hard it sounds like the instrument is cracking. All of this adds so much to the already full sound conveyed.

The little things make this album one of the best acoustic performances I've ever heard. The acoustic soloing is EXTREMELY impressive, though they are scarce. The singing is top notch, yet it overpowers the acoustic music that is so beautiful. That is the only problem I see with this album other than it not having new material. But like I said, the versions are so new and innovative that they don't even seem like previous pieces. This is a nearly flawless album that is proof that there is a whole lot more that Pain of Salvation has to offer. Giving their work more time and patience will only bring you delight and satisfaction.

When I heard that Pain of Salvation was putting out a live album I could not have been more excited. When I heard that it was to be an all acoustic CD I was a little sceptical. However, less then a minute into the disc I realized that I was truly in for a musical experience. This is not simply a random collection of songs altered to fit the "acustic" format. This is a completely original aural expreience, I guess that should be expected from a band of such immense talent. The disc is broken into three sections 1.Genesis,2.Genesister,and 3.Genesinister. Each section is comprised of material from the albums Entropia,The perfect Element Pt.1, and Remedy Lane(There is no music from One hour by the Concrete Lake). The songs have been modified slightly to fit in with the overall concept of this album and work exceptionally well as a unit. Daniel gildenlow's AMAZING voice soars over a thick tapestry of sound created by a variety of acustic instruments including cello and Harpsichord. The vocal harmonies (which sometimes get lost in the bombast of their electric albums)truly are some of the finest I've ever heard. There are several little suprises thrown in for fun, such as the Darth Vader theme, and a version of Ashes played in a major key. Overall, This is one of the finest albums I've heard all year, and belive that even those not familiar with the music of POS will agree. It's close to a religous experience!!!I

This was my first venture into POS, it won't be my last. I have NEVER felt the need to write a review on Amazon before, but after listening to 12:5 well.....
This is the most Beautiful "metal" cd I have ever heard, Ashes and second Love being my favorites of this CD. Another reviewer likened it to a religious experience, close! It pulls you in and doesn't let go, after the last song you wish it would keep going. I just bought Remedy Lane and The Perfect Element, I can't wait for them to arrive. I'm 44 and not some kid that is easily impressed (no disrespect to the youth out there) this CD is just plain GREAT. Amazon needs to have a 10 star rating for this one.

Blessings to all

Pain of Salvation is one of those rare groups that seems to turn everything they touch into gold for their fans. 12:5 is perhaps the biggest nugget.

The album is a live acoustic set recorded in early 2003 to a private audience. The songs are two extended medleys and an assortment of stand-alone favorites. There is no new material.

Despite the lack of new songs, Gildenlow has shown his prolific composing abilities in enchanting rearrangments of songs. "Leaving Entropia" benefits the most from this (along with its reprise), and other examples are the mid-eastern sounding "Winning a War," the gorgeous intro to "Undertow" and "Ashes" done in a major tonality. The group spices things up with an eclectic blues jam at the end; by this point it is blatantly evident how much fun the band is having on stage.

As with any Pain of Salvation album, accolades must go to Daniel Gildenlow for his masterful writing and vocals. Amazingly--and unsurprisingly--Gildenlow's vocals are just as magnificent and controlled live as they are in the studio. Yet, the eyebrow-raiser is how stellar the band's back-up vocals are. I was aware that 2-3 of the other band members also sang, but they are all good enough to lead their own bands! The 3 and 4 part harmonies hardly waver, and the lead trading during "Chain Sling" is a highlight of the album.

Also, the fact that the band has left mistakes in the final recording lends itself to the authenticity and simple laid-back joy involved in its making.

This is truly a privilege to hear. It's albums like these that come around every couple months that remind you why you listen to music. Any fan of rock or acoustic rock would enjoy this, and it is a must-have for prog and Pain of Salvation fans. Possibly the best Acoustic set I have ever heard.

I've been listening to lots of Pain of Salvation these days (all their albums are great), but this one here is just magical. It's a live album, but it consists of original compositions (well, kind of, they're reworked older songs) played acoustically. The guitar playing is awesome, and Daniel's singing can't be beat.

Highlights: Both Brickworks, "Undertow", and "Winning a War".

You have to get this. You just have to. Seriously, do it. Now.

"12:5", Pain of Salvation's much-anticipated live release, is nothing short of amazing. Sure, there are a lot of great live albums out there, but many of them are just basically studio releases with an audience thrown in. Musically, they might be great, but no big deal. "12:5", however, is something different. PoS has done something with a live album like nothing I've ever heard before. Not only is it all acoustic, but the songs have been reworked and re-arranged, to where they almost sound like completely new and original songs. And the way everything is brought together is just breath-taking. As far as live albums go, this is definitely something special.

Musically, the band is just stunning. This album has some of the finest acoustic guitar work you're likely to hear, and the use of the harpsichord in addition to the regular piano is very well done. And Gildenlow. I have come to the conclusion that he is the best singer I have ever heard in any kind of music (and I know that's a bold statement, but it's true), and this is proof that live he's the real deal. He sort of experiments with his voice a bit, and is even more "acrobatic" than usual. He's got tremendous range, and he does wondrous things with it here. For instance, "Oblivion Ocean" is sung in a much higher octave than the original, and shows him using a much wider range. And, while I love the simple and stripped down arrangement of the original, this more elaborate iteration is killer as well.

As I mentioned before, the band really experiments with their sound here, making some of their songs nearly unrecognizable from the originals. "Leaving Entropia", originally a short song with only acoustic guitar, is extended to a full band effort, with some really cool vocal improvisations, and a more sweeping and ambient feel. "Oblivion Ocean" is also extended to a full band effort, with the aforementioned reworked vocals, and a scintillating harpsichord melody. But the biggest change of all comes with "Ashes". Originally a very dark and foreboding track, here it is played in a major key, making it sound eerily happy and cheerful. To hear lines like "I taste your sorrow, you taste my pain" sung in a happy and uplifting manner is oddly paradoxical, and it's pretty darn cool.

But don't worry, not all of your PoS favorites have been revamped completely. Some were just given minor adjustments, to give it a slightly different feel, while still retaining the original feel of the song. Like "Winning a War" and "Song for the Innocent", for example, which have slightly busier guitar rhythms to spice them up a bit, but otherwise still more or less sound like the originals. Some of the songs were just barely changed, such as "Second Love", which replaces the guitar solo with piano, and "Undertow", which puts more emphasis on piano than guitar, to give it a cleaner, and more elegant feel to it. Then you have "Reconciliation", which is pretty much the same as the original, only acoustic, and "Dryad of the Woods", which is almost exactly the same, besides the addition of the harpsichord.

It should also be noted that not all of the songs are played in complete. The album is book ended by two huge medleys, in which the songs are seamlessly interwoven into one composition. "This Heart of Mine" forgoes the middle section and the "I believe this heart of mine" part to segue into "Song for the Innocent", which drops the guitar solo to segue into the "monk chant" outro from "Her Voices" (which is an amazing touch). These songs all flow together perfectly, and feel as though they were written for each other. The second medley features a bit more instrumental work, including the intro to "Idioglossia" (which sounds incredible acoustically), leading into the instrumental section from "Her Voices" (also amazing in acoustic form). The album ends with a foot-stomping improv jam, with some fiery guitar licks, and Patton-like vocal improv from Gildenlow.

Of course, for all the great stuff there, everyone is going to mourn the exclusion of something. While tying "This Heart of Mine" with "Song for the Innocent" was really cool, they in doing so dropped my favorite parts of both songs (the middle section and ending of "This Heart of Mine", and the solo in "Song for the Innocent"), and despite the end result, it still almost seems blasphemous. Also, it would have been really nice to hear "Morning on Earth" (linked with "Reconciliation" would have been sweet), "Her Voices" in its entirety, and at least something from "One Hour by the Concrete Lake". But oh well. That's really just being picky. Also, it's great to hear the band having a bit more fun with their sound than usual. They're usually a very dark and serious band, but here they are showing a bit of a humorous side. I mean, with the Elvis impersonation in "Ashes", and the "Star Wars" theme in "Reconciliation", any suspicions that they take themselves too seriously are surely unfounded.

Everyone who is reading this should buy this album, along with the rest of this band's catalog. PoS is a criminally underappreciated band, and this album is one of many examples of how amazing they are. Live music really doesn't get much better than this.

Pain of Salvation probably won't go down in history as the most genius progressive rock band to ever grace this earth. That's a shame. 30 years of "progressive" music has existed merely to build up to this band. The initial listen leaves me with just one question clear in my mind: HOW DO THEY DO IT?!?!

I like Devin Townsend as much as the next guy, but Daniel Gildenlow just stomps all competition in the songwriting and the technical ability department. While eschewing the flashy shred licks that many advanced guitarists enjoy, PoS displays a finesse and subtlety not often found in progressive bands; you could listen to this a thousand times and find something new and exciting on the thousand-and-first round. Beautiful packaging, heartfelt, relaxing, and emotionally stimulating acoustic music, with little "quirks" thrown in here and there to keep a sense of levity, all combine to make this an early major success of 2004. I dare anyone not to become hopelessly addicted to the harpsichord on "Dryad of the Woods," or the mindbending juxtaposition of dark lyrics over bright music on "Ashes in Major" or the wonderful new arrangements of "Undertow" and "Oblivion Ocean."

We've all got tracks we would have liked to hear on this (I would have loved Pilgrim or The Perfect Element) but what PoS have done, they have done beyond belief. This album leaves me shaking, knowing that this is an unmatched experience. Once more: How do they do it???

.....but you do have to die when you hear this cd!!!!! And I mean that in a swoony way.... ;-)

From the first track (an awesome new version of "Leaving Entropia") onward, I was almost in tears this album is so beautiful. I would give this many more stars if I could. Pain of Salvation is already a very moving band in their usual metal style, but the acoustic sound shows a lighter side and a stunning one at that. Daniel Gildenlow is my absolute favorite vocalist, and this album just further proves my point. His range is amazing and his voice is sensitive and seductive at times, crazy and theatrical at others. Here's to the band as well for singing AWESOME backup vocals and wonderful aucoustic instruments on this the best "unplugged" show ever! :-D