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
Oblivion Ocean
Pain of Salvation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreams are too painful
Truth is the bed of this ocean of lies.
Sinking through layers of untouched oblivion
Soaking from spirits but still far too dry.
Losing all barbed fences Lucid - no defenses
"Where is my mother?" the child asked the soldier.
The soldier was watching them both fade away.
"Dad tell me, will I be dead very long?"
Losing all I lived for. Losing all I fought for.
Oh God if you save them I swear I'll always hold them in my hand!
Oh God if you save them I'd take them west
We'd start again in the promised land.
When life is wearing thin we pray:
The gods are close at hand when man is astray.
But when it all is said and done
Is he to thank the gods for just taking his son?
Sleep is too quiet, dreams are too painful
Truth is the bed of this ocean of lies.
Words can create an oblivion ocean:
"Dad tell me, will I be dead very long?"
Losing all I lived for. Losing all I fought for.
Oh God if you save them I swear I'll always hold them in my hand.
Oh God if you save them I'd take them west
We'd start again (then) in the promised land.
In "Oblivion Ocean T5," Pain of Salvation explore the heavy themes of loss, grief, and the futility of war. The opening lyrics, "Sleep is too quiet, dreams are too painful, truth is the bed of this ocean of lies," suggest that the singer is grappling with a reality that is difficult to accept. They feel lost in a sea of lies, unable to come up for air. The following lines, "Sinking through layers of untouched oblivion, soaking from spirits but still far too dry," paint a vivid image of someone drowning in sorrow, seeking solace but unable to find it.
The song then takes a more political turn with the dialogue between the soldier and the child. The child asks about their mother, but the soldier has nothing to offer them except to watch them both fade away. The haunting nine-word phrase, "Dad tell me, will I be dead very long?" adds to the sense of despair and futility of war. The singer then comes to the realization that they have lost everything they have lived and fought for. The final plea to God to save their loved ones and start anew in a promised land is a poignant commentary on the interplay between religion and war, and the hope for a better future in the face of overwhelming grief.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep is too quiet
Sleep provides no respite from the turmoil of thoughts and emotions.
Dreams are too painful
Even in dreams, the mind is tormented by distressing memories and fears.
Truth is the bed of this ocean of lies.
Deception and falsehoods are the foundation of the overwhelming problems faced by the singer.
Sinking through layers of untouched oblivion
The artist is gradually losing touch with reality, sinking deeper into oblivion and despair.
Soaking from spirits but still far too dry.
Despite seeking solace in substances or spirituality, the artist feels emotionally empty and unsatisfied.
Losing all barbed fences Lucid - no defenses
The singer feels vulnerable and exposed, lacking any protection or defenses against their pain.
"Where is my mother?" the child asked the soldier.
The child in the war zone is left confused and traumatized after witnessing the chaos and destruction around them.
The soldier was watching them both fade away.
Even those who are supposed to be protecting others are being overcome by the darkness and hopelessness of the situation.
Nine words create an oblivion ocean:
Certain phrases or questions can trigger overwhelming emotions and despair for the artist.
"Dad tell me, will I be dead very long?"
The fear of losing one's life or loved ones creates a sense of hopelessness and despair.
Losing all I lived for. Losing all I fought for.
The singer is losing hope and meaning in their life, feeling like all their efforts have been in vain.
Oh God if you save them I swear I'll always hold them in my hand!
The artist pleads with a higher power to save their loved ones, willing to do anything to keep them safe.
Oh God if you save them I'd take them west.
If there is a chance for a better life somewhere else, the singer is willing to seek it out for their loved ones.
We'd start again in the promised land.
The singer envisions a new beginning and a brighter future, free from the pain and suffering of the present.
When life is wearing thin we pray:
In times of intense desperation and despair, people turn to religion or spirituality for comfort.
The gods are close at hand when man is astray.
In times of crisis, people feel more in need of divine intervention and guidance.
But when it all is said and done,
Once the dust has settled, and the crisis has passed, people may question why a higher power would allow such suffering to occur.
Is he to thank the gods for just taking his son?
In the face of immense tragedy, it can be difficult to reconcile faith with the reality of loss and pain.
Words can create an oblivion ocean:
The power of language is heightened in times of crisis, with certain words or phrases capable of causing immense emotional turmoil.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel Gildenloew
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind