PoS Scarsick - impressions from a musical perspective

Nigel Tufnel

Nigel Tufnel

These all go to 11!
Feb 3, 2007
39
0
6
Warren, MI
1st time posting here, even though I check in from time to time to get updates on the festival. I'll finally be heading back to ProgPower, my last time was ironically the last time PoS headlined. Anyway, I just listened to The Perfect Element Part 1 and Scarsick back to back and wanted to get everyone's impressions from a musical perspective rather than a lyrical one, because to me at least, the music (the ice cream) is much more important than the lyrics (the chocolate syrup).

I thought it was a step above BE, which was my least favorite PoS disc (too many wasted tracks, I basically skip all the even numbered tracks when I listen to it), but I would put it in 6th place behind the acoustic 12:5. It always seems to take me a number of listens to really get it, but I have been through it 4 times already and I know what songs I like and what ones I'm not sure of. I keep reading all these reviews all over the web and even the PoS website, saying how great this disc, but compared to their previous releases, I don't see. I think my biggest problems are that sections in the songs are just drawn out and repeating, without the time changes and variety I'm used to. The rap sequences drag on just far to long. The leads seem nonexistent. Daniel seems more interested in spouting off than in writing consistent quality songs. That said, there is some good stuff on this disc, just it is not what I was expecting or hoping for after BE.
 
We already have quite a lengthy discussion on Scarisck (title topic: Thoughts on Scarsick) running already at more than 100 posts...
Click to expand...

Thanks, I saw that. It seemed like most of the discussion was focused on the lyrics and Daniel's political views about America. However, if the etiquette on the board is to keep everything to one thread, I can certainly do that.
 
I think it was a good idea to create a separate thread to discuss the music of the album. The other thread is already very focused, and one would have to wade through much of it to find the discussions on music.

I've given the album a listen but not enough yet to really contribute to a good discussion. But so far I like it better than Be, but not as much as the others. I'll post again after I've given it a better listen.
 
Love the album. Couple of things I like about the music in quick-point fashion:

-the music seems generally restrained, carefully controlled, not much excess with the playing. Smart decision IMO.
-guitars are more textural than riffy.
-every song is a full song, no transition/intro/interlude tracks.
-while not monotonous, many of the tracks bear enough resemblance to others to lend the album as a whole a very unified vibe, rather than a collection of unconnected songs.
 
I've listened to Scarsick several times since my original post. First, it is growing on my, which seems to happen for every PoS album.

What I like:
- No interlude tracks. With BE, sure the even number tracks were interesting every once in a while, but I usually just skip them
- They aren't afriad to try out new things, aka Disco Queen (I keep thinking of the song in the Wedding Singer, "You spin me right round, like a record baby, right round")
- Guitar sound, I've always liked that about PoS
- Flame to the Moth - my favorite track so far
- It's much better than anything when I turn on the radio

What I didn't like
- Far too mellow. I wish there was more of the variety and time changes throughout, not necessarily with every song, but with a couple more.
- Not enough leads. I know they are not a band to just solo for the heck of it, but I think a few of the songs would be even better with a few well placed leads
- The rapping/spoken word parts seem to drag on too long. I don't have a problem with them doing that, it just got tedious after awhile

After 10 listens, I'm sticking with the thought it is better than BE, but none of the other albums. Still much better than other tripe I hear on the radio.
 
I'll take the lazy way out and copy my thoughts on this CD from a post on another board:

Memo to Daniel Gildenlow: Just shut up and sing, please. This disc is very strong when the songs play to Pain of Salvation's strengths - powerful, memorable lyrics and melodies. The best song on the disc by far, Cribcaged, is an example of this. The chorus of Spitfall is great. Unfortunately, there are few of these songs. The rest seem more like interludes or mood pieces. "Side 2" has nothing that maintains my interest for an extended stretch. Flame to the Moth is OK, and Enter Rain has some good parts, but these aren't sustained. On too much of the disc, Gildenlow is either doing voiceovers, rapping, or singing in that silly high pitch that sounds more like a bird chirping. I hate to say it, but I wish they stuck to the basics - and for PoS, the "basics" can still be quite intricate and unusual, but this CD goes to the trough of the unusual too many times to be sustainably engaging. Looks like I'll have to stick with their original four CDs to be my essential Pain of Salvation. SADLY NOT RECOMMENDED.
 
Prof. Luther, I went to Valpo. In fact, one of my roommates was your former student, Matt Rink. Good to hear your comments. How are things in Valpo? My brother is a senior engineering student there right now. Maybe you had him in one of your classes. His name is Mark Wolka. If so, I hope he wasn't a pain:)
 
Yeah, where the hell have you been, Whisper? Your absence has been discussed at some of the highest levels, by top men.
(Who?)
(Top. Men.)

J-W, you know that X-Cops is basically GWAR, right? Just making sure. :)
 
finally Pain of Salvation will pay a visit to Egypt part of the Scarsick tour next week 6/4.
it'll be a dream come true for all of us. the first band to visit Egypt to be Pain of salvation is fuckin awesome.
and the latest album kicks ass
 
saboona said:
finally Pain of Salvation will pay a visit to Egypt part of the Scarsick tour next week 6/4.
it'll be a dream come true for all of us. the first band to visit Egypt to be Pain of salvation is fuckin awesome.
and the latest album kicks ass
Click to expand...

Err, wait. Surely other bands besides PoS have been to Egypt before, no?



BTW, it's cool that you're from 'Alexandria-by-Egypt.' I've been doing a lot of research lately into Alexander's travels and campaigns, and of course Alexandria figures prominently in all of it.
 
yeah well one band, Scorpions came last year, but it wasnt the metal we've all been waiting for, it was actually mostly acoustic.
but i guarantee no other band has been here
it really sucks living here
 
PoS are just a bunch of sellouts. Daniel even cut his hair, I bet this was all planned. Somehow his actions have shown a distate for everything American...


copyofimg2550zj5.jpg



daniel_thessaloniki070331.jpg
 
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