Pain of Salvation - What Album do I need?

[ZenKeys88]

Once again my knack for picking a really great album but a really bad first-album-from-a-band has reared its ugly head.

I cannot recall how I came across it, but the track Pluvius Aestivus fascinated me, and I picked up "Be" about a year and a half ago. Overall I thought it was good, but really hard to get into. I let Pluvius Aestivus play while my girlfriend at the time was over, and there is no way to describe just how awkward things got when the Gods Answering Machine thing came on in the middle of... Well, I digress.

What I usually ask people when they tell me about a band is "If I was only going to have one album from this band, EVER, what album should it be?"

So, I ask this forum that question about PoS, as I get the feeling they have quite a few fans here.

P.S. - If this thread survives long enough, I'll post a recording of me improvising on Pluvius Aestivus for a college application to see what you guys think. Studio time in a week and a half! Or I'll just make a new thread, w/e.

 

[zedowns]

This probaaably isnt the best place to ask this question. Tons of haters here.

But anyway, get The Perfect Element.

Set aside 74 minutes, grab the lyrics, pop the disc in and really let the album sink in. If you're not bawling by the end of the closing track, Pain of Salvation isn't for you.

 

[ZenKeys88]

Haters? Really? I won't ask why since I don't want to start a flame war, but I will ask where a better place to ask is. Man I hope that makes sense.

In the meantime, TO THE COMPACT DISC VENDOR.

 

[TribunalRecords]

dude, The Perfect Element I is the CD to own and if there are haters on here of PoS's The Perfect Element I then they really don't know good progressive metal when they hear it. some of the later PoS stuff has drifted into the oddity realms i will admit that, but TPE I is a classic by any standard, IMO.

 

[Kaosaur]

Remedy Lane

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

Why does it matter, they all work equally well as a coaster.

 

[mëtålspëd]

I LOVE the Perfect Element I and Remedy Lane. Both are stellar releases.

 

[mëtålspëd]

In fact, I think Im gonna queue up Element now in fact. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[BlindPanzer]

Most fans either say to start with The Perfect Element or Remedy Lane. It's not unusual to dislike BE; the fans are still divided over that one (and Scarsick for that matter). Even Glenn, the evil genius behind Progpower USA, hates BE and he had the band play 3 times in the festival.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Remedy Lane

Scarsick too!

 

[Troy the nomad]

Remedy Lane
Entropia
TPE
Concrete Lake

 

[Angrafan]

Yeah, you can't go wrong with Remedy Lane, probably my favorite.

I love The Perfect Element and Scarsick as well.

 

[sccaldwell]

What I usually ask people when they tell me about a band is "If I was only going to have one album from this band, EVER, what album should it be?"

So, I ask this forum that question about PoS, as I get the feeling they have quite a few fans here.

I'll add my vote for "The Perfect Element, Pt. 1," which is generally considered their best, though I still maintain that "One Hour By The Concrete Lake" is one of the best concept albums ever recorded, if not THE best.

For those who don't know, OHBTCL is based on actual events: Lake Karachay in the former Soviet Union was used for years as a dumping ground for nuclear waste from the Soviet uranium enrichment programs. After many years of this, the radioactivity level was so high at Karachay that merely standing by the shore of the small, shallow lake for one hour would leave you dead a week (or two?) later from radiation poisoning. Eventually they dumped tons and tons of hollow concrete blocks in it to try to absorb some of the radiation.

Thus, "One Hour By The Concrete Lake." Brilliant disc.

Craig

 

[AirGuitarLoonhouse]

+1 on TPE Pt1 and RE.

IMO One should only experiment with BE if:
1. They have heard enough other PoS stuff to appreciate PoS uniqueness, or
2. They are completely open to hearing different styles of music besides power, prog, metal, etc.

 

[nomisofsiman]

This is a band I love, even though I only have two of their studio releases. Just one of those bands I haven't managed to get their stuff. I will say though that I did pick up their live disc, "On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation" and after it I had way more respect for them and would probably say that's the easiest way of getting into them in my opinion. Ironically, the two I have, "Concrete Lake" and "Entropia" are the two least talked about ones on here but I think they're fantastic.

The fact is as far as PoS goes is they're one of those bands you either love or HATE. In fact, you could probably say that about each one of their albums as well. They're definitely not a band that's easy to get into.

 

[zedowns]

I'll add my vote for "The Perfect Element, Pt. 1," which is generally considered their best, though I still maintain that "One Hour By The Concrete Lake" is one of the best concept albums ever recorded, if not THE best.

For those who don't know, OHBTCL is based on actual events: Lake Karachay in the former Soviet Union was used for years as a dumping ground for nuclear waste from the Soviet uranium enrichment programs. After many years of this, the radioactivity level was so high at Karachay that merely standing by the shore of the small, shallow lake for one hour would leave you dead a week (or two?) later from radiation poisoning. Eventually they dumped tons and tons of hollow concrete blocks in it to try to absorb some of the radiation.

Thus, "One Hour By The Concrete Lake." Brilliant disc.

Craig

And the album is exactly 60 minutes long.

 

[Pellaz]

This probaaably isnt the best place to ask this question. Tons of haters here.

Surprisingly, only Brent has chimed in as a hater so far...which means that some people are restraining themselves, or he was just acting the jerk that much sooner....

But anyway, get The Perfect Element.

Set aside 74 minutes, grab the lyrics, pop the disc in and really let the album sink in. If you're not bawling by the end of the closing track, Pain of Salvation isn't for you.

Hmm, I'm not bawling at the end of it, but I'll agree that TPE is the best place to start. Here's my pantheon of their CDs:

1. The Perfect Element
2. One Hour By the Concrete Lake
3. Entropia
4. Remedy Lane

...the rest.

Not too much separates #2-4 in that list, but Entropia and One Hour will always have a special place in my heart because they were the only ones out when I saw PoS perform at the first ProgPower Europe back in 1999. Picked up One Hour there and finally managed to find a copy of Entropia several months later.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Don't want to disappoint, Paul!

Speaking as a hater, AND as someone who still owns One Hour By The Concrete Lake, I'd say their first 2 are the only ones worth owning.

if there are haters on here of PoS's The Perfect Element I then they really don't know good progressive metal when they hear it.

Yeah, typical response, I was really hoping to read a "You just don't get "it""....sorry, long standing joke around here.... I actually do know good progressive metal, and PoS just doesn't cut it for me. Sorry, but blanket statements like that just irritate the crap out of me.....no offense......
Like what you like, and I'll enjoy what I enjoy....it's all good.....

 

[jaimek]

TPE and Concrete Lake are the best ones to start with to get a feel for the music and the sociopolitical content. If you like those, Remedy Lane and Entropia. Only then would I risk going for Be and Scarsick, and that's coming from someone who LIKES Be and only about half of Scarsick.

12:5 (the live one) is good at any point; I think I actually play that more than any of the other discs.

 

[Braxil]

In order of personal preference:

Entropia
OHBtCL
TPE
Remedy Lane
BE
Scarsick

I'd say the most accessible album is Remedy Lane, most people's favorite is TPE. The first two albums have a similar sound and feel that is distinct from their later works, so don't be put off if you don't like one album, you may like another. Reading the lyrics with these guys is mandatory no matter what album you start with.