Customer Reviews

Scarsick

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

So, I finally got ahold of my copy of this album, and I've been listening to it nonstop. Take my praise for what it's worth (which is perhaps nothing, considering I love this band so much), but this was definitely worth the wait. To be honest, I'm still kind of getting over the shock that "Scarsick" turned out to be "The Perfect Element 2" in disguise. I was really just expecting this to be a decent album to tide us over until the ultimate masterpiece was released on some magical day in the far distant future. So, when suddenly it's just here before I knew it, I was just completely thrown.

So, what do we have here? While I was pretty much expecting TPE2 to just level everything in music as we know it, I have to say that this isn't nearly THAT good, but then that just goes to show that expectations can be a bad thing. I don't think this album is ever going to quite rank up there with TPE1 or "Remedy Lane" (for all I know, that may be impossible), but it doesn't matter, because this album is still freaking great.

Lyrically, and musically, this album is ANGRY. It's dark, it's aggressive, it's caustic, it's vitriolic. Lyrics unabashedly rage against greed, materialism, conformity, hypocrisy, and of course, President Bush. You can tell that in writing this, Daniel Gildenlow was really blowing off some steam. I should clarify that "angriest album" doesn't necessarily mean "heaviest album", as it's more in just the overall feel and nature of the music. You have songs like "Spitfall" and the title track, which are powerfully heavy, and superbly utilize Daniel's rap vocals, which are only getting better ("Spitfall"...I mean WOW), and then there's "Mrs. Modern Mother Mary", with an offbeat grungy riff, and "Flame to the Moth", which features some almost hardcore/metalcore-type vocals (but only a little).

BUT, then you have stuff like "Disco Queen"! I believe PoS have, with this song, created a brand new genre: PROGRESSIVE DISCO!!! Ok, maybe Mr. Bungle got there first, but this song is just insane. An 8-minute prog epic, filled with pulsating disco rhythms, melded perfectly with the myriad time changes, and Daniel's ever-dynamic vocals. And amazingly, the lyrics don't deviate from the angriness of the concept, and yet still fit with the music. Yep, genius.

Elsewhere, there's plenty more greatness. "America" is surprisingly bouncy and catchy, despite its super-scathing lyrics (how funny would it be to see this song become a hit single???), "Cribcaged" is dark and melodic, and despite its repeated use of the f-word (that's another thing, this album narrowly escaped an "explicit lyrics" label), retains great beauty. "Kingdom of Loss" is a smooth broadway-esque ballad, and while it doesn't come near the heights of its predecessor, "King of Loss", it's stunning in its own right. "Idiocracy" was a bit slow to grow on me, but it's got some wicked cool time changes, and nice use of mandolin (excellent outro as well). The album ends with the HUGE "Enter Rain", which is minimally grandiose, and much like the closing track on TPE1, ends the album on a powerful note.

This is something I'll definitely be listening to for quite some time. Just a warning, this probably will alienate a lot of the more "prog-oriented" fans of the band, who may perhaps think disco, cursing, and rapping are evil and boorish, and send them running for the latest Shadow Gallery release. Not to mention this album contains only ONE guitar solo! *gasp, shudder, faint, monacle dropping into wine glass* But, if you love stuff like Tool, Deftones, Nine Inch Nails, Devin Townsend, Faith No More, etc, I think you'll have no complaints. As with any PoS album, come expecting something different, and something great. Again, take my praise for what it's worth, I know I'm sufficiently obsessed, but I promise you this is definitely worth hearing. I know I won't be getting sick of "Scarsick" any time soon.

(Oh, and the "Thanks to George W. Bush for all the inspiration" line in the liner notes is just freakin' gold.)

_Scarsick_, in it's entirety, will forever remind me of rainy early mornings, during one of the most ambiguous periods of my life. Does this fact alone mean it merits five stars? No. But I cannot help feeling that there is a ceratin deep sadness, some sort of intangible melancholy present here, that reviewers thus far haven't really touched on or grasped, and that ensures this album (and, indeed, _BE_ before it) deserve far more appreciation. Now, don't get me wrong. Musically, I do feel that this is pretty much the weakest POS album. It doesn't have the emotional depth, staggering complexity or consistency or _Remedy lane_. It doesn't tackle weighty themes in an interesting, unconventional and challenging way like TPE. It doesn't have the grandstading ecelecticism of _Entropia_. Some of the songwriting leaves a bit to be desired. 'America', while being great fun and catchy, is, let's be honest, just silly. I actually really like 'Diso Queen' but it isn't much of a stretch for me to understand why others certanly wouldn't. 'Mrs Modern Mother Mary' is somewhat repetetive. And so on.
Despite this, I have my doubts. None of their albums are entirely perfect (though RL comes close). 'Spitfall' is visceral, exciting, has a great chorus, and actually works spectacularly well as an ironic pastiche. 'Kingdom of Loss' is eerie, melancholy, and very affecting. 'Idiocracy' is a real highlight. 'Enter Rain' retains many elements of their classic sound, has an utterly gorgeous middle section, and Gildenlow's vocals just shine all over it. And so on.
Yet each time I hear the astounding ending to the title track, I am reminded of what I can't grasp anymore, and the combination of the music and the memory creates something no-one else can have. Perhaps my love for this album is filtered through nostalgia and distorted by comparison then. In places though, I find _Scarsick_ profound, enaging and utterly, utterly beautiful. Is that enough reaon to give it five stars? Well, yeah. Plus, my Mum really likes it (?).

In the CD packaging where most people will likely not look lies the answer to their question. Is Scarsick the conceptual follow-up to the band's The Perfect Element I released in 2000? The answer is yes. The faint title in the inlay, right inside the CD tray reads: The Perfect Element, Part II - "He". Divided into two main parts, simply called Side A and B, Scarsick presents both the newly found musical style of Pain of Salvation, and picks up exactly where the previous album left off.

For those who may have been put off by the two controversial songs "America" and "Disco Queen", it has to be pointed out that these tracks work a lot better in the context of the album. There is a reason why "America", a song which in no way is targeting the American people but rather their government's foreign policy, and "Disco Queen", whose curious style has previously been experimented by the likes of Mr Bungle, follow the deeply moving "Cribcaged", featuring in many ways Daniel Gildenlow's most touching vocal performance on this disc. Right from the beginning where you can hear a baby (Daniel's son?) laughing and some beautiful blues-tinged guitar tones ringing atop the guiding piano melody, Daniel sings in a tone that will make you melt. It's one of those Pain of Salvation songs that grows on and on until its terrific main chorus kicks, albeit slightly differently this time around given its repeated F-word lines, and Daniel just pours pure, sheer emotion into the piece, climaxing at around the 4:01 mark and cementing the opinion that he is still the best singer in this style, period. (Speaking of the F-word, if people are really that offended by it, maybe they should listen to Bon Jovi's "It's My Life". Now that's a great song, no?)

As with Be, there will no doubt be fans who will not like this album, but I seriously cannot think anyone won't shudder when they hear the sad vocals of "Cribcaged" or the superb vocal melody achieved at around 5:57 on "Spitfall", another cut that will divide the band's fanbase because of its rap-like vocals. Mind you, the vocals are very intentional as the purpose of this song is to criticise the rap/hiphop culture in the States along with parts of modern society at large. That said, the way Daniel delivers the lines "There's nothing like a broken childhood / There's nothing like a broken home" is so painful and honest any long-time fan is bound to feel the message.

"Disco Queen", which I now consider one of the best songs on the album, also holds an important place in the album in that it actually emphasizes the conceptual lyrical imagery presented in the first part. Unlike "In the Flesh", however, which was a song about physical abuse, "Disco Queen" is about sexual abuse with clever lyrical imageries portraying the prostitution of the soul. The ever-present dichotomies, shifting from light verses to the comical, hysterial disco beats in a split second are simply hilarious.

Side B seems less experimental, but it's actually equally bizarre. The looped, static key patch buried underneath the guitar riffs of "Mrs Modern Mother Mary" evoke Kevin Moore during his Chroma Key and film soundtrack phase, with futuristic soundscapes and acrobatic, unique vocals. "Kingdom of Loss" is the touching sequel to "King of Loss", and it seems they even assigned part of the lead work to the amazing solo heard at the end. Unfortunately, it is not credited in the booklet, but I feel this one is played by Daniel and the impact, given it enters the song after nice, soothing flute sounds, is phenomenal.

"Idiocracy" was one of those songs that just escaped me upon the first couple of times, but now after having spent over two weeks with Scarsick, it's become one of my favourites. The intro here is unbelievably huge and epic sounding, thanks to Fredrik Hermansson's keyboards, and Daniel's vocals are impossibly emotional. Littered with both electric and acoustic guitar sections, it is the finale of this song that is so uniquely haunting.

Drummer Johan Langell is arguably the most standout member behind Daniel Gildenlow on this album. His tone and widely eclectic playing style could be his best in his career yet. The Tool-like tribal drumming on the aggressive title track, resolving with weird harmonies, and the bone-crushing slam of "Flame to the Moth", the album's heaviest and meanest piece, are spectacular. The drum run is eerily evocative of Entropia, but when juxtaposed with the weird, metrical guitar riffery, the syncopation becomes simply monstrous, much like the material we hear on Lamb of God and Meshuggah songs. Add to this the maniacal screaming from Daniel and you have a winner. We never heard Daniel scream like this before.

Much like the previous albums, Scarsick ends with another epic: "Enter Rain", a song that is both challenging in its ten-plus-minute running time and compositional style. Lyrically, it hints at the main character's suicide where he stays on top of a building and says, "In two seconds I will hit the ground". But also worth reading into is the shared lyrical theme from Remedy Lane's "A Trace of Blood", which appears during the second part of the song, simply titled "Standing" (the others being "Running" and "Falling" - note the reference to TPE1). This is the part where his scars, wounds, pain and filth are washed away. It all ends on a dreary, cold note with deafening police and ambulance sirens.

There are numerous references made to the previous albums on Scarsick, both musically and lyrically. This certainly helps unify the messages Daniel Gildenlow tries to convey. While the first part of the album depicted the relation between the individual and society, and how it is actually the society itself that forms and shapes the individuals it is so quick to condemn as 'sick', we had insight into the minds and souls, or psychologies if you will, of those individuals on part one. Scarsick now takes the matter and explores it on a more sociological level, still referencing the characters' past, but mostly focusing on the evolution of He. As the booklet implies, the story is to be continued, and perhaps it will be the story of She that will be the more symphonically arranged and painstakingly composed album, as Daniel has revealed before.

Of course, many will write off Scarsick, claiming it fails to touch the brilliance of the band's prior efforts like The Perfect Element I and Remedy Lane, whilst it will also bring in new fans to the band. It is unfortunate that some will write it off as boring without really giving it its deserved time and spins, but that's the fate of many other prog albums.

Scarsick is best enjoyed if taken as a new album that stands on its own merits. Sure it goes all the way back touching upon everything Daniel has released, but in the end, it's still its own work. Keep that in mind.

_The Perfect Element II_ was so long-awaited that now that it is upon us, it is hard to even associate it with the earlier release from 2000. Sidenote: i cant believe its been so long! Much has happened between then, including two other concept albums, including the controversial _Be_. I think it is more than just a psychological lack of recency effect -- almost at a metaphysical level, _Scarsick_ seems very distinct from its predecessor. Whether this is attributable to my own listening, the songwriting, atmosphere, or production of the album itself, it would be vain to speculate. Musical presuppositions about what something ought to be inhibit one from grasping the concrete musical item before oneself. Even the concept, which screams for commentary (like the fact that Gildenlow decries virtually everything that concerns the high time-preference of Americans/people in general, when he accepts the basic foundation of statism which produces those very high time-preference social conditions he hates; his love of the system of coercive redistribution that is democracy; his socialist preconceptions and hatred of free markets, et cetera), seems to be more concerned with lambasting materialism and wealth than following up with the story of the previous episode, but it could be argued that this has little to do with the musical experience itself.

On that level, whether or not it works as a Perfect Element Part II for yourself, _Scarsick_ is a tremendous album that further distinguishes Pain of Salvation's unique contribution to prog-metal or prog-rock, or whatever one cares to call them (doesn't matter that much anyway). The production is a long way from TPE1, instead of muddy, low, and grimy (much like the story portrayed), it is clean and sharp, the many textures separated more nicely and individual voices being far clearer. This is the main reason the album sounds little like TPE1, in my view. TPE1 was an album with rather counterintuitive production quality, although that garbled sound was imperative to making TPE1 the awesome emotional experience that it is. Considering the production and the general characteristics of the songwriting (although speaking of "general characteristics" with POS is always a little tricky), it seems to evoke _Entropia_ more than TPE1. Also, the lack of strings or orchestration is notable because the first episode featured them, and there was much talk about TPE2 using a full orchestra. In my opinion, the lack thereof can be considered a positive thing. Additionally, the album is at about the same level of haviness, with a similar emphasis on primitive, pounding kind of riffing as TPE1.

The album begins as if it is coming through strain, the title track having muttered verses, sort-of-but-not-quite rapped, and a chorus that seems to foreshadow the cathartic release towards the end of the album, with its `tribal' beats, and African-style backing vox. The awesome "Spitfall" is probably my favorite on the album, where Gildenlow's anger unfolds in a series of long, rapping verses over a polyrhythmic surge of drums and guitar crunch, with a recurring three-note descending piano figure. Their ever impressive ability to merge violent, churning spasms of heaviness with a perfect, major-key brilliance is reassured on the chorus. "Cribcaged" is an angry power-ballad, starting innocently enough with samples of laughing infants and bluesy guitars but by the end has Gildenlow roaring against materialistic pretense. "America" is seriously like a driving pop-punk anthem, except 50 times tighter and with pianos bounding along with the guitars, with Gildenlow sounding like all the pop-punk nerds and their phony british accents, histrionics included. Very good and catchy, probably the closest they would ever get to mainstream sounding. "Disco Queen" is a wild dichotomy of bouncy beats and wacky vocals throughout, but sharing its space with eerie theremin-like sounds, creepy growling bass, and sinister lyrics about abuse. Dancing to prog-metal never seemed so inviting, seriously (good things guys don't dance). Weird. The nice ballad "Kingdom of Loss" (no apparent lyrical or musical references to TPE1's "King of Loss") holds down the middle, condemning consumerism with a nice arrangement of synced guitar and synth, and spoken samples about lazy fat people who eat too much and never use the stairs. The next three cuts, "Modern Mother Mary", Ïdiocracy", "Flame to the Moth", have a similar aura about them, though they go from relatively straightforward to weird to raging, and they seem very _Entropia_-like with the classic POS schizoid lashes between styles and arrangements. The finale is the mighty closer, "Enter Rain" a lonely, angry, nocturnal episode in which slow verses of low-sung vocals with weeping guitar bends and austere arrangements build to impassioned bursts crunchy over an awesome chorus (Gildenlow's voice is awesome here). A serene, minimal interlude for solo guitar bridges the second chorus to third verse. A great POS closer, not quite "Plains of Dawn" but better than "Beyond the Pale", and pretty much on par with TPE1's title track. Nice. Then...to be continued?

Perhaps there will be a TPE3, although one should not become too caught up in such things. Looking at the POS discography as a whole, there is persistent theme becoming clearer even over diverse, seemingly unrelated conceptual works. And for music the theme's value is not the theme itself, but the results produced by those inspired by it. There is a fire present here not heard from _Be_, which was in my view less impressive than their first four masterpieces. _Scarsick_ is intense and emotional and very much Pain of Salvation awesomeness, with no lags. Also superior in regards to _Be_ is a far more absorbing degree of unpredictability. Pain of Salvation is more easily seen outside prog-metal than inside it. Every release of theirs has the power to surprise, an appreciated ability few artists are capable of with experienced listeners. They are nowhere close to losing their dominion.

There are basically two types of progressive rock bands. The ones that are progressive because they sound like Yes or King Crimson, and the ones that are genuinely doing something new. Pain of Salvation falls into the second of these two catagories, and Scarsick in a stunning example of just what they're capable of. Though fitting neatly into the POS catalog it is greatly influenced by modern heavy metal, rap and even disco. It both draws upon American music and society for it's inspiration and levels harsh criticism on both. It is the heaviest album they have done in a while, but is strikingly beautiful in many of its melodies. Gildenlow in a superb vocalist, one of my favorites. Whether he's rapping, screaming, or singing in a soft falsetto he is capable of doing things with his voice that few singers can. The entire band is superb. As I have said with other bands, their virtuosity never overwhelms their musicianship. In the end this is a band that is constantly trying to cover new ground. It may take a few listens to get accustomed to the new territory. But once you get familiar you'll be glad you made the trip.

I've only been listening to Pain of Salvation for a few years, but apparently that was long enough for me to witness the ship sink. They definitely have had a good run with several good albums and yes, a couple great ones as well. But now, it seems with this album (as with the previous one) they are content with releasing material rife with prog-garbage and inane glorification of their own personal agendas, that only fanboys/girls in denial can appreciate.

It seems that Scarsick is actually sequel to The Perfect Element, though I seem to be unclear as to whether this applies to the whole album, or just the second side, for it seems that only the second side continues on (if only somewhat) in TPE tradition. Addressing this latter portion of the album first, I'd say that it contains the majority--if not all--of the good moments Scarsick has to offer, and is really the only part that I find even remotely memorable. "Kingdom of Loss" and "Idiocracy" are definite album highlights, and the remaining songs in the second half do have musical and conceptual high points, despite being a bit bland and not very memorable in the end. I almost wish this portion of the album had been released as an EP, because it could be that it really is better than the impression I have received from it, due to the horrendous songs that precede it blinding/deafening my judgment. Returning to this first side of the album, the songs are just too distasteful and pannoying to be enjoyed on any level. (Pannoying = prog-annoying, a word I just created.) Don't get me wrong, I understand what they're trying to do, namely, a seemingly tounge-in-cheek lashing-out at certain aspects of modern life, etc., etc. But no, it just doesn't work. Not for this band, and not in this way. The overuse of spoken word/rapping/cussing, prevalent mostly in "Spitfall," is really awful. "Cribcaged" is all right at first, until it turns into a weak and blatant rip-off of Tool's "Aenima." (**** your own lack of originality, Gildenlow.) then the pitiful America-bashing song: probably one of the band's worst to date. Apparently Danny boy is still disgruntled over the fingerprint incident. "Disco Queen." No. Just...no. There are no two ways about it: the song is terrible and wrong in every way. So overall it seems that Gildenlow, once a bold and imaginative lyricist, has reverted into a spiteful and juvenille creature, even more pretentious than before. I can deal with pretension, but there's a threshold of tolerance, and he has definitely surpassed it.

In short, I feel this is a very weak album overall, infused with but a few strong points, and that--in conjunction with the incredibly terrible BE--it may be safe to assert that the days of consistently good song-writing are over for this once-exceptional band. A generous 4/10 for Scarsick, with the points mainly going toward the second half of the album.

Pain of Salvation is a band that has a tendency to shock some people. From the incredible ability of the band's singer, Daniel Gildenlow, to go from guttural barking to saccharine-sweet operatic vocals--to the unusual influences showing where you would least expect them, especially in one of progressive metal's best known bands--PoS can always be counted on to mess with your expectations.

Scarsick is no exception to this rule, but what makes it stand out from the rest of this remarkable band's catalog is that it goes further than any would have imagined possible. From a band that embodies change, this is the hugest leap they've ever taken. It's disturbing, shocking, and as always, keenly insightful.

On first listen, this album was the biggest disappointment of my life. I hated it like I've never hated an album before. I called all my friends and told them how much I hated it. And I realized, if I was that irritated with it, something had to be wrong. So I listened to it again. And again. And I came to the conclusion... that it's brilliant.

For those who are uninformed: this album IS The Perfect Element Part II. It is only one half of the second part, however, following the story of the male main character from the first TPE as he descends into insanity. The gist of it is that "he" (the only name given for the character) blames society at large for his problems. This certainly gives Gildenlow a chance to vent, which he does like he's never done before. At first glance the lyrical content may remind some of System of a Down or even the dreaded Green Day-- but there's much more to it. I'll leave the ultimate surprise up to listeners to figure out, but let me just say it's far more similar thematically to Operation: Mindcrime or 2112 than it is to American Idiot. Remember above all that Gildenlow is a vocal actor, and that he's telling stories from the perspective of his characters.

The music is where this album really shines. It took quite a few spins to get used to PoS's new style, and to be perfectly honest, my first reaction was anger. The band takes influences from places they've never drawn from before in order to continue to evolve their style, but they also go places never gone before by any band. Not a single note on this album is stale-- from the seemingly out-of-place disco beat woven seamlessly into "Disco Queen" to the haunting, atmospheric but still bone-crushing "Enter Rain".

For the open-minded listener, Scarsick will challenge your expectations, it will break your heart, and ultimately it will take you on one of the best musical journeys of 2007. Don't miss it.

During the first spin of this disk, I sat in my living room, head-in-hands, trying as hard as I could to figure out exactly what I was hearing. I was angry. I was upset. I hated Scarsick. Spitfall was annoying, and Cribcaged was an absolute disaster.

Before you condemn me as a traitor, hold on. By the end of Enter Rain...I must admit, I had "gotten it." This doesn't _sound_ like TPE1, eventhough it is the sequel to that much beloved album (look on the CD inlay for those of you that say this isn't TPE2). This is a completely new Pain of Salvation. And frankly, _Scarsick_ is amazing.

It's _not_ what you expect. You WILL be shocked when you hear it. You may even hate it, as I did, until you give it time to sink in. Disco Queen will make quite a few of the less rabid PoS fans run screaming for the door. Idiocracy will bring back fond memories of TPE1, and Enter Rain will absolutely floor the astute listener.

Bottom line? This is an amazing album, and the next step for Pain of Salvation. This band embodies "progressive" in every sense of the word. _Scarsick_ is angry, it is cold, it is beautiful, but above all, it pushes the boundaries of what progressive music is, and it does it unlike anything I have heard since Images and Words.

Highly and enthusiastically recommended.

When I first listened to Scarsick, I enjoyed it, but it didn't really sink in or have quite as much of an effect on me as previous albums from Pain of Salvation. I didn't quite get the story at first, and I couldn't understand what this had to do with The Perfect Element. All that is there, but it's hidden beneath the surface of the songs.

The album details the background of the "he" character from The Perfect Element. It is less of a narrative and more of a description of the environment which shaped the person. The whole first half of the album is about materialism, greed, using women as object. When you start thinking of the character that played out in the Perfect Element, the songs fit him perfectly. You begin to understand his motivations in the story that unfolds in the previous album.

Musically, the songs are much more simple and straightfoward than most of Pain of Salvation's previous works. To me, this was purposeful. My understanding of the album is that it is not only a description of the environment for the "he" character, but also commentary on the world right now. What better way to make this kind of comment than by parodying the popular culture of the times? Additionally, the themes present throughout The Perfect Element are repeated (albeit with extreme changes in the sound) throughout Scarsick. To get the full effect of the album, listen to it immediately following a listen to The Perfect Element. You'll be surprised how much is hidden in a song as simple sounding as Cribcaged.

One thing I have always admired was how honest Pain of Salvation are with their lyrical content, and how they speak their mind, unashamed of who they might offend. This album seems to take that characteristic to a new extreme. It is lyrically, perhaps their most cynical, mordant, and scornful album yet, and also their most brutally honest work to date. At the same time, it is their most eye-opening album to the world around us, scrutinizing mankind's ongoing troubles, habits, greediness, and overall foolishness.

The first two songs, "Scarsick" and "Spitfall" feature Gildenlow's "rap" vocals, which definitely aren't anything new, I just personally don't think it's the most terribly appealing way to start the album off, but they certainly don't ruin the song or anything. Both of these songs feature a great chorus to balance out the overall melody and rhythm of the song.

If someone unfamiliar with the band were to look at the lyrics to "Cribcaged" they might see the string of "F-bombs" as immature garbage, however this song's lyrics couldn't be more meaningful; describing how we are obsessed with celebrities' lives, perhaps more than our own children's lives (although that seems like a bit of a stretch) and that celebrities are "just people".

"America" is perhaps the most offensive song they have ever written. Being an American, I didn't like this idea at first, but after reading the lyrics I really don't blame them at all for some of the controversies and criticisms explained here, rolled into nifty, disdainful little Metaphors. The song is extremely catchy, and honestly, I can't get enough of it.

"Kingdom of Loss" is another one of my favorites. They talk about how everything is "on sale", from "War" to "Fear" to "Sex" to "Self-Confidence" and the ironic chain of events of buying things such as buying fast food, getting fat, and then buying a Stairmaster machine to lose the weight from the fast food, etc. Some of the spoken parts might seem a little corny, but I think they put it together great and the music is quite dramatic and composed very well.

"Flame to the Moth" is quite perhaps one of the most adrenaline-pumping songs I have ever heard. This may sound contradictory considering I own a lot of straight death and black metal that is overall heavier, faster and contains 100% harsh vocals, but the way Pain of Salvation construct this song and build up to that spine-shattering chorus is one-of-a-kind. The music also matches the honest lyrics describing being an innocent child, and as we grow up we see the cold, money-hungry world full of lies we live in. This is another classic for these brilliant musicians that I will always admire.

The album ends with "Enter Rain," a 10-minute epic, emotional song that seems to be most people's favorite, perhaps because it is so traditional in structure, it sounds like something from "Perfect Element I" or perhaps "Remedy Lane."

Like any other Pain of Salvation album I have ever bought, this album has rapidly and immensely grown on me from the first few listens. I find it incredible how that always seems to happen with their albums. I think that means the songs are deeper and take more time to sink in than if I liked every song instantly. It may seem like my respect for the band is maxed out, but every album makes it grow stronger.