Trademarks include concept albums focusing on social, environmental, philosophical, and emotional issues as well as songs that incorporate complex rhythms and time changes but retain flowing melodies.
The band was formed by Gildenlöw in 1984 under the name Reality. The band used to participate in many music contests in their homeland of Sweden. The first EP, Hereafter, was recorded in 1996 under the monicker Pain of Salvation, which has been the name of the band since 1991. The Lineup of the band was the same for their first official full length album, Entropia(1997).
After the departure of Daniel Magdic for continuing disagreements with the others over committing to the increasing demands of the band, the band recorded One Hour By The Concrete Lake(1999), a concept album about the issues of nuclear power/waste, disposition of indigenous peoples,industry and human discovery. The band began to receive more attention from critics and magazines all around the world. In 1999 they also played at the famous ProgPower festival in The Netherlands.
Their third and most famous album, The Perfect Element I was released in 2000 and received a great response from the crowd and critics, making them the second most famous Progressive Metal band over the world: a success confirmed by their fourth album, Remedy Lane (2002), a semi-autobiographical album written by Daniel Gildenlöw about loss, love, and life.
2004 saw the release of two different albums, an acoustic live show recorded at Eskilstuna called 12:5 where the band played most of their old famous songs rearranged, and the epic concept album about the origin of humanity and God called BE: It was the first album to divide the fan base in opinion, due to its musically experimental and philosophical nature; and perhaps also its lack of cohesive progressive metal pieces.
BE album was also released in a special DVD edition called BE: The Original Stage Production (2005). With a live CD recorded during the 2003 presentation of the album and a DVD rappresentation from the same dates.
On 21 February 2006, Kristoffer Gildenlöw was asked to leave the band due to him not being able to attend rehearsals, since he lived in Holland and the band lived in Sweden. Kristoffer has a solo album planned for the future, as well as a side project called Dial.
The new album, Scarsick, was released on January 22, 2007. It is more band oriented than BE, with Daniel Gildenlöw playing bass in the studio. Recent interviews with Daniel have revealed that Scarsick is, in fact, the second part of The Perfect Element, confirming the speculation of many fans.
A European tour to support the new album has been announced (it started February 17, 2007). The band will be playing with Simon Andersson, a new replacement bassist on this tour. On the 10th of March, after the Copenhagen show, Simon Andersson was welcomed into Pain of Salvation as a full member. The band issued this message on their website:
He (Simon Andersson) did an outstanding job on the tour and we are looking forward to the coming years with great anticipation. Since his girlfriend is a huge Pain of Salvation fan, we happily expect to see this decision put a little silver lining on their sex life as well, since she can now all of a sudden go to bed with a member of the band :-) Congratulations Simon, and welcome to the family!
In May 2007 it was announced that drummer Johan Langell had decided to leave the band to spend more time with his family.
For Progressive Nation 2009 Tour the band took a new bass guitar player - Per Schelander.
According to their website, there is a new EP "Linoleum" due in November 2009, while a double album "Road Salt", consisting of two parts (Ivory and Ebony) is recorded and to be released in 2010, 2011.
Current lineup:
Daniel Gildenlöw – vocals, guitar
Johan Hallgren – lead guitar, backing vocals
Léo Margarit - drums
Gustaf Hielm - bass guitar, double bass, vocals (1992–1994, 2011–present)
Daniel "D2" Karlsson – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
Former members:
Daniel Magdic – guitar, backing vocals
Kristoffer Gildenlöw – bass guitar, double bass, backing vocals
Johan Langell – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Magnus Johansson - bass guitar (1990)
Joakim Strandberg - bass guitar (1984–1990)
Mikael Pettersson - drums (1984–1990)
Fredrik Hermansson – keyboards
Simon Andersson - bass guitar, backing vocals (2007-2008)
Per Schelander - bass guitar, backing vocals
Ragnar Zolberg - guitar, vocals, mandolin
Flame to the Moth
Pain of Salvation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I long for the sun, gently touching my face
I'll open my eyes, let it burn every splinter
Unleash desert storms on its way to my heart
And I had this coming every day of my life
This is where I stop fighting, eyes open wide
And in one blow laid bare your neck
Where did we go wrong?
I once had blue eyes, hungry and wise
Now they are black from this dark age of lies
We're all privatized, industrialized
We capitalize on the beams in our eyes
It's all in the eyes
Eyes, tearing with sorrow
Burning with anger and passion and lust
The swift wind of thought
Of wildness and laughter
The soil of defiance
The firm ground of trust
(We had this coming, every day of our lives)
(We should start fighting for eyes open wide)
But I am put here, in this world gone insane
Where everything's for sale
From nature, over stars down to DNA
Then I can gladly say
That I'd be the first to break that norm
Any day, any way
And the last to join the ranks
To hunt down the Daily Threat
Or any other brand of prey
You took this blade and cut a wreck
And in one blow laid bare your neck
Where did we go wrong?
We once had blue eyes, probing the skies
Now they are blackened from this modern life
All privatized, industrialized, a failure
Offensive and sore to the eye
One small step for man
Maybe this time I'll fly
And if I hit the ground, it's the way we all die
We are wrecks of the cut
Soups of the season
With dollar sign scars
From this dark age of treason
We all know how to cry
Then we learn how to smile
How to smile
We're all telling the truth
Tell us the truth!
Then we learn how to lie
And oh, how we lie
Now we lie
When you bow your heads tomorrow
At the world we build today
I want you to remember
That I stood my ground and said no (say no)
I said no,
Say no!
The song "Flame to the Moth" by Pain of Salvation is a commentary on the state of society today. The lyrics depict a longing for simplicity and nature, a desire to break free from the industrialized and commercialized world we live in. The singer mourns the loss of innocence and honesty in human interaction, as we are all consumed by the need to profit and succeed.
The first paragraph establishes the longing for nature and its simple pleasures. The singer is willing to let go of his own self-destructive tendencies (symbolized by the splinter) and embrace the heat of the sun. The second paragraph explores the acceptance of the truth that the current state of society is the result of our own actions. The blade that was used to cut a wreck represents the consequences of our own decisions.
The subsequent paragraphs in the song reflect on the transformation of humanity from innocent and curious to corrupted and materialistic. The lyrics question how we got to this point of relentless pursuit of wealth and power, and highlights the consequences of such a mindset. The singer recognizes the absurdity of modern society and decides to make a stand against the destructive system.
Overall, "Flame to the Moth" is a powerful critique of the current social and economic system, and a call to action for everyone to re-evaluate their values and strive for a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
I long for the summer
I yearn for a time of warmth, when the sun is shining and everything is in bloom
I long for the sun, gently touching my face
I crave the feeling of the sun's rays caressing my skin, giving me warmth and comfort
I'll open my eyes, let it burn every splinter
I will embrace the intensity of the sun's heat, allowing it to consume every last piece of pain and discomfort in my body
Unleash desert storms on its way to my heart
I am ready for the emotional chaos that comes with opening myself up completely to the powerful forces of nature
And I had this coming every day of my life
I acknowledge that my desire for intense experiences was ingrained in me from birth
This is where I stop fighting, eyes open wide
I am surrendering myself to the intensity of the moment, fully immersing myself in the experience with no resistance
You took this blade and cut a wreck
You have caused destruction and pain through your actions
And in one blow laid bare your neck
Your mistake has left you vulnerable and exposed
Where did we go wrong?
How did our relationship deteriorate to this point?
I once had blue eyes, hungry and wise
I was once full of curiosity and knowledge, eager to learn and explore
Now they are black from this dark age of lies
Now I am cynical and distrustful due to the prevalence of dishonesty in society
We're all privatized, industrialized
Society has become consumed with consumerism and commercialism, valuing profits over individuals
We capitalize on the beams in our eyes
We profit off of our own flaws and faults
It's all in the eyes
Our true emotions and intentions are visible in our eyes
Eyes, tearing with sorrow
My eyes are brimming with tears of sadness
Burning with anger and passion and lust
My eyes are also filled with fiery emotions such as rage, desire and lust
The swift wind of thought
My mind is racing with thoughts and ideas
Of wildness and laughter
These thoughts and ideas are wild and carefree, and make me want to laugh and experience joy
The soil of defiance
My inner spirit is one of resistance and rebellion
The firm ground of trust
But there are certain things I do trust, such as my own instincts and moral compass
(We had this coming, every day of our lives)
(The chaos and conflict in our lives has been inevitable)
(We should start fighting for eyes open wide)
(But we should not give up and continue to pursue truth, even if it is difficult to confront)
But I am put here, in this world gone insane
I have been thrown into a world that feels like it's lost its mind and is completely chaotic
Where everything's for sale
Everything in this world feels like it has a price tag on it, including human life and dignity
From nature, over stars down to DNA
Even the building blocks of our existence, from the natural world to the very essence of our bodies, are being exploited for profit
Then I can gladly say
But despite all this, I am still proud to declare
That I'd be the first to break that norm
That I would break free from the cycle of exploitation and commercialization, even if it means being an outsider
Any day, any way
No matter when or how I do it
And the last to join the ranks
I refuse to become one of the blind followers who have lost sight of the truth
To hunt down the Daily Threat
I will not participate in the fear-mongering and panic that is perpetuated by the media
Or any other brand of prey
I will not exploit or prey on anything or anyone for money or other personal gains
One small step for man
Even though the changes I make may seem insignificant on a grand scale
Maybe this time I'll fly
Perhaps this time, I'll be able to rise above it all and make real change happen
And if I hit the ground, it's the way we all die
But even if I fail, it's no different than the fate that awaits all of us
We are wrecks of the cut
Our lives are the result of the wounds and scars we've accumulated over time
Soups of the season
We are each a complex mixture of emotions and experiences, changing with the seasons of life
With dollar sign scars
Our wounds and scars are often intertwined with financial struggles and the costs of living in society
From this dark age of treason
All of this pain and destruction is a result of the widespread betrayal of values and morals in society
We all know how to cry
We are all capable of experiencing sadness and pain
Then we learn how to smile
But we also learn how to find joy and happiness even in the midst of sadness
How to smile
We learn how to put on a brave face and pretend everything is okay, even when it's not
We're all telling the truth
At first, we are all honest and willing to be vulnerable with others
Tell us the truth!
But then we start to realize that not everyone is as honest as they seem, and we demand transparency and honesty from others
Then we learn how to lie
As we get older, we find it necessary to conceal our true feelings and intentions to protect ourselves
And oh, how we lie
And we become very good at deceiving others, even to the point where we deceive ourselves
Now we lie
Nowadays, it feels like dishonesty and deception are the norm, and lying has become a way of life for many
When you bow your heads tomorrow
As you prepare to attend religious services in the morning
At the world we build today
Reflecting on the state of the world we've created for ourselves
I want you to remember
I hope that you will recall
That I stood my ground and said no (say no)
That I refused to conform to the corrupt and unethical ways of the world, and hope that others will follow my lead and do the same
Say no!
Come join me in defiance and resistance against those who are destroying the world
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DANIEL GILDENLOEW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind