Perfect Element Part 1 [CD]

POS' third album, another masterful concept piece, deserves to elavate this Swedish band to much greater heights. Uncomfortably labelled 'prog/metal' each track has its own rich identity shifting from quiet, acoustic moments one minute - rippin' guitars the next all seamlessly blended with strings, piano and even the gentle sounds of a musical box! Despite its 70mins plus no track outstays its welcome and the melodic, soulful vocals of band guru Daniel Gildenlow complement the music perfectly. Don't be put off by the metal tag as it really doesn't suit. POS have achieved one of the hidden gems of the year - if you liked Dream Theatre's last opus Scenes from Metropolis then buy this album!!

Let's be honest, Pain of Salvation is a bit of a duff name and Perfect Element isn't a particularly well-recorded album. But if you don't mind tweaking your EQ, sitting down with the lyric booklet and giving it half a dozen listens, you'll discover this little-known band have delivered a genuine rock masterwork. In fact, after 35 years of listening to classic rock - everything from Pink Floyd to Dream Theater - this is quite simply one of those longed-for treasures of a musical lifetime.

Pain of Salvation may be classed as a progressive metal band, but don't let that put you off. Perfect Element is also of enormous interest to fans of classic rock bands such as Yes, Spocks Beard, Transatlantic and Dream Theater.

Firstly, let's cut to the chase... Perfect Element belongs to that much maligned genre, the prog rock concept album. It relentlessly explores a single theme and generally rubs your nose in it. In this case, the concept - that those who endure childhoods of abuse often face lives blighted by self-destruction - is emotive stuff. The lyrics are suitably poetic and thought-provoking - you'd never guess this band are from Sweden. Just as importantly, the musicianship is stunning from beginning to end, with enough complex signature changes and rapid arpeggios to keep every jaded prog metal fan happy. It doesn't have the soaring solos of Dream Theater, but the technical virtuosity is subtle and faultless. The band's main driving force, Daniel Gildenlow, is clearly a prodigious talent with a gobsmacking vocal range (although the vocals aren't brilliantly recorded).

However, the real key to Perfect Element is its stunning music and overwhelming emotion. A profusion of melodies, riffs and motifs relentlessly joins together to create a multi-layered jigsaw of staggering detail. In this passion-packed recording, vast extremes of emotion restlessly do battle - not merely from song to song, line to line or even from word to word - but within individual words as Gildenlow's tour-de-force performance fuses rage, pain, joy and anguish in soaring screams and whispered intimacies. Barely a minute passes by without some astonishing development in rhythm, texture or arrangement, while some of the vocal harmonies would leave Brian Wilson wide-eyed. The album is also spectacularly melodic.

Slowly, through the chaos, emerges the single, glorious theme that lies at the heart of this album, and from which every single note is radiating. Each perfect element is actually a brilliantly-disguised variation on this theme - a technique more akin to classical music than rock. It's almost like Mozart has come back and written a heavy metal record! The finale, during which moments of tender frailty wage war with violence and despair, builds relentlessly towards one of the most moving climaxes in modern rock. When Gildenlow cries "Now he is dressing this naked floor with his flesh and blood," it's truly heart-wrenching.

I believe I will be finding new depth to this extraordinary work for years to come, and you don't just have to take my word for it - take a look at the 30+ five star reviews on Amazon USA, many of which rightly consider this to be one of rock's great masterpieces.

Not so often do you find a band that has a very unique way of expressing themselves.

Daniel Gildenlow's(Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist) lyrics will leave you breathless, they are very compelling and full of emotion, you can relate to a lot of what he writes about in every day situations and remind us of what is really going on in this dirty money-oriented planet. Gildenlow's singing range is simply amazing; he can go from haunting deep to sky high.

This band is like none other that you have heard of and need more recognition. I went to see them last year (28th January) who were supporting Dream Theater,
I had never of them before and i am glad that i had found a band that was not overstruck with greed and all sold-out.

These guys remind us that music is not an art, not entertainment or an industry. Too many bands/artists forget this and are overcome with greed, some never even possess this knowledge. So i ask of you take a heed, these guys will amaze you!