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
Linoleum
Pain of Salvation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With walls built to stand come-what-may
And with that coldness on display they held until today
She would hold her own
Running all alone
Ridding her road of every grain to stay in control
But now she cries, alive
And the walls will support her no more
Cries her eyes out like never before
Onto this linoleum
The bottled up and stored
She's won every war
And when she's out that door
She will push ahead of you, frowning at the poor
She would move so fast
Not to end up last
Aiming for the finish line to smile at those she'd passed
But now she cries, alive
Suddenly she is down on all four
And the walls will support her no more
Cries her eyes out like never before
Onto this linoleum
The bottled up and stored
And sometimes, oh just sometimes
That's really all it takes
A hand on her shoulder, and then she breaks
Sometimes that's really all it takes
A word of kindness and she breaks
And then the sum of damage done spills out on stale linoleum
Sometimes that's really all it takes
A gentle touch and then she breaks
To see the sum of damage done stain this linoleum
Sometimes that's really all it takes
A word or touch and then we break
And all this world's linoleum can't hold the sum of damage done
She's becoming her last casualty
If she breaks then at last she'll be free
But she keeps it together once more
And runs another day to fight another war
Itsy bitsy spider, climbed the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Now she stays on the ground, so she'll never fall
See, she would rather drown than lose control
The song "Linoleum" by Pain of Salvation is a poignant introspection on the struggles of a woman who appears to have it all together but is actually battling inner demons. The first verse describes her as someone who keeps the world at bay with walls built to stand come-what-may. She is in control and runs her own race, ridding her road of every grain to stay on top. However, suddenly in the chorus, we see her break down and cry on the floor. The walls will no longer support her, and all the bottled-up emotions she has been storing spill out onto the linoleum.
The second verse portrays her as someone who has won every war and aims to beat everyone. She moves fast and works hard to make sure she is the first to cross the finish line. But again, in the chorus, we see her break down on the linoleum due to the sum of damage that has been done. The bridge of the song delves deeper into the matter and explores how a word of kindness and a gentle touch can make all the difference in breaking down the walls someone has built around themselves. The song ends on an eerily tragic note, portraying the woman as someone who would rather drown than lose control as she has become her last casualty.
Overall, "Linoleum" is an emotional journey that encapsulates the painful struggle of someone who has built walls around themselves. Despite the appearance of control and success, the woman is not immune to internal strife, and it takes just a word or gentle touch to break down her defenses.
Line by Line Meaning
She keeps the world at bay
She maintains emotional distance from the world around her
With walls built to stand come-what-may
She fortifies herself from anything that may hurt her
And with that coldness on display they held until today
She has shown a tough exterior until recently
She would hold her own
She used to be self-reliant
Running all alone
She doesn't seek help from others
Ridding her road of every grain to stay in control
She tries to control every situation to avoid vulnerability
But now she cries, alive
She is showing a more vulnerable side
Suddenly she is down on all four
She feels defeated
And the walls will support her no more
Her self-constructed defenses have failed her
Cries her eyes out like never before
She is experiencing deep emotional pain
Onto this linoleum
She is expressing her pain on the floor
The bottled up and stored
All the pain that she previously kept inside is now being released
And when she's out that door
Once she leaves, she won't look back
She will push ahead of you, frowning at the poor
She is unempathetic towards those who are vulnerable
Aiming for the finish line to smile at those she'd passed
She is focused on winning and being better than others
And sometimes, oh just sometimes
Occasionally
That's really all it takes
A minor action is all she needs
A hand on her shoulder, and then she breaks
A small gesture of kindness can make her emotional walls crumble
A word of kindness and she breaks
A kind word can cause her to show her vulnerability
The bottled up and stored
Her emotions that she bottled up inside
The sum of damage done spills out on stale linoleum
All of her pain is being expressed on the floor
To see the sum of damage done stain this linoleum
Her emotional pain is overwhelming
And all this world's linoleum can't hold the sum of damage done
Her emotional pain is too much to be contained
She's becoming her last casualty
She is hurting herself emotionally
If she breaks then at last she'll be free
She feels that if she lets go of her emotional walls, she will be free from her pain
And runs another day to fight another war
She continues to fight through her emotional pain day after day
Itsy bitsy spider, climbed the water spout
A childish reference to someone trying to escape their problems
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Life's problems make it difficult for one to escape their emotional pain
Now she stays on the ground, so she'll never fall
She chooses not to try and escape her pain because she fears further pain
See, she would rather drown than lose control
She'd rather be consumed by her pain than let her guard down
Contributed by Annabelle D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jessica Bedolla
She keeps the world at bay
With walls built to stand come-what-may
And with that coldness on display, they held until today
She would hold her own
Running all alone
Ridding her road of every grain
To stay in control
But now. She cries. Alive
Suddenly she is down on all four
And the walls will support her no more
Cries her eyes out like never before
Onto this linoleum
The bottled up and stored
She's won every war
And when she's out that door
She will push ahead of you, frowning at the poor
She would move so fast not to end up last
Aiming for the finish line
To smile at those she'd passed
But now. She cries. Alive
Suddenly she is down on all four
And the walls will support her no more
Cries her eyes out like never before
Onto this linoleum
The bottled up. And stored --
And sometimes
Oh, just sometimes
That's really all it takes:
A hand on her shoulder
Then she breaks
Sometimes that's really all it takes:
(Yes then)
A word of kindness and she breaks
(She breaks)
And then the sum of damage done
(Well she breaks)
Spills out on stale linoleum
(She breaks)
Sometimes that's really all it takes:
(She breaks)
A gentle touch and then she breaks
(She breaks)
To see the sum of damage done
(She breaks)
Stain this linoleum
(Oh, she breaks)
Sometimes that's really all it takes:
(Oh, she breaks)
A word or touch and then we break
(Oh, she breaks)
And all this world's linoleum
(She breaks)
Can't hold the sum of damage done --
(She's becoming her last casualty)
Itsy bitsy Spider
Climbed the water spout
(If she breaks then at last she'll be free)
Down Came the Rain
And washed the spider out
(But she keeps it together once more)
Now she stays on the ground
So she'll never fall
(And runs another day to fight another war)
See she would rather drown
Than lose control
Bruno Antunes
This guy is a genius. I could hardly believe how he dared to compose this album. This is progressive: Daring! And gloriously so as to strike the beholder.
MrFighead
No matter which one of the P.O.S. albums I listen to I always hear something new and fresh. The greatest thing about them is that they obviously have many different influences but they really sound like no other band. Just keep on rocking, guys!
Adriano Lanna
The new album is really fucking awesome. I really don't understand how some people think that they should stay imprisoned in the past always doing the same, when they can always change and make something great and original, as only few bands are capable of doing nowadays. That's magnificent and that is Pain of Salvation in its best.
MCCrleone354
I am a fan of metal music and first was interested in this band because I heard that they were a "progressive metal" band. I soon found out that they are only partially a metal band, and mostly a prog rock band. I am proud of saying that I enjoy their music regardless of their genre to this day. This vid has some strange visuals, but this song really sticks with me.
Omair Sheikh
I love how Johan's vocal presence was more significant on the RS albums. He's got a really good voice as well.
13 Floors
Pain of Salvation's Road Salt is high art, reaches deep into the soul if you let it, because it is born of pain, the hero's journey of the soul; this music could not be created by people who had not lived this truth and come through the other side of it; it is truly authentic. Can reach past your emotional defenses if you let it; it is transformative and illuminating. Can't believe some people hear it and worry about what 'category it fits into!
N L
This album is just as creative as any album before them. I can't see how people expect them to write another album like The perfect element part 1, which is amazing of course, and not get tired of writing music. I'd sure get bored if I wrote the same kind music for ten years.
Chris Graham
This band is a very melodic progressive metal band. They are an absolute even of them all. I couldn't say they were more metal or anything else. They have the technicality of metal, melodies comparable to the opeth band, and the fluid transitions of a progressive band.
majitogal
Listening to the lyrics of this song you get that is not just any song, it has a deep strong meaning just like any other they have done their concepts are mindblowing and i personally beleive that Daniel is somewhat of a genius!!! Road salt is amazing!!
Adriana Jimenez-Willis
THIS IS MY FAVORTE SONG EVER WHENEVER ITS JUST ME AND MY DAD IN THE CAR WE TURN IT UP SUPER LOUD AND LITERALLY SCREAM THE LYRICS ❤️❤️❤️