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
Sisters
Pain of Salvation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I leave the party behind
To walk alone with my thoughts and this spinning mind
Through this cold night
But there she stands
And she walks like you
And she smiles almost like you
(Yes)
For a second, I think I get a glimpse
Of the real her behind
She's warm and fragile with smiles that reach to her eyes
For just this moment
A change so sublime
And if she'd looked me deep into my eyes and softly asked me to
I'd be in her bed and in her flesh and waste the life I knew
So I hold my breath and close my eyes and focus on the wine
Let this trembling moment pass us by, so I could say goodnight
But then, on impulse, I almost touch her face
Before I pull back my hand.
And we get nervous, we laugh and she spills her wine
Both so awkward
For what's on our mind
And she talks like you
And she smells almost like you
A child of the wild just like you
But she's not all you
Even strives not to be you
Just like every sister would do
And perhaps it's the wine
Or that you're in her eyes
But I want her this one single time
(just this one time)
And if she'd look me deep into my eyes and softly asked me to
I'd be in her bed and in her flesh and waste a life I knew
So I hold my breath and close my eyes and focus on the wine
Let this trembling moment pass us by, and then we'll say goodnight
And if I'd look into her eyes and softly asked her to
She would give herself and give her flesh, and waste the life she knew
So we hold our breaths and close our eyes and take a sip of wine
But this thirst has emptied every glass, and we should say goodnight
God, help me say goodnight
The song "Sisters" by Pain of Salvation speaks of a man who finds himself drawn to a woman he meets at a party. The woman reminds him of someone he knows and admires, possibly his sister or a close female friend. He is struck by how much they resemble each other and is momentarily tempted to act on his attraction to her. He is caught between his desire and his loyalty and restraint, wanting to remain true to his own life and not betray those whom he cares so much about. He recognizes the fleeting nature of the moment and how much it could cost him, and so he chooses to let it pass and say goodnight.
The song's lyrics speak to the complexity of human relationships, particularly those between men and women. The singer is torn between his attraction to this woman and his loyalty to those in his life who hold a similar place in his heart. He struggles with his own desire and the potential consequences of giving into it, highlighting the social pressure and moral codes that govern our behavior. The song asks important questions about the nature of love, loyalty, and sacrifice, showing how difficult it can be to reconcile our desires with our responsibilities.
Line by Line Meaning
When all are dizzy and happy from too much wine
It's a scene of everyone having a great time after having a lot of wine. Everyone is dizzy and happy except for the singer of the story who doesn't seem to enjoy the circumstances and decides to leave the party.
To walk alone with my thoughts and this spinning mind
The singer is not feeling well and feels like it's better to be alone to gather thoughts and reflect about things.
Through this cold night
It's a cold, lonely and dark night. The singer is walking in such an unpleasant environment.
But there she stands
Suddenly the artist encounters a woman in front of him.
And she walks like you
This woman reminds the artist of someone special he knows or knew in the past.
And she smiles almost like you
The way she smiles is almost identical to the person who was on his mind earlier.
A child of the wild just like you
The woman is described as a person who is free-spirited and has qualities of adventure and wildness, which reminds the singer of his past relationship.
(Yes)
It's an affirmative response to his observations of the woman, the artist is validating his feelings and thoughts.
For a second, I think I get a glimpse
The artist gets a brief moment to observe her closely and see her true self behind the exterior appearance.
Of the real her behind
He believes that he has seen her true self behind her smile and appearance.
She's warm and fragile with smiles that reach to her eyes
The woman is depicted as a warm and delicate person who has an admirable quality of sincere smile that reaches to her eyes.
For just this moment
This moment of clarity and realization is brief and will pass soon.
A change so sublime
The sudden realization about the woman's true self creates a change in the singer's emotions which is transformative and beautiful.
And if she'd looked me deep into my eyes and softly asked me to
The singer wishes that the woman would express her feelings and ask him to make love to her. He is almost certain that he will not be able to resist her if she does that.
I'd be in her bed and in her flesh and waste the life I knew
The singer knows that he would give in to his temptation and get intimate with her. This could be a significant foolish step that he will regret later in his life.
So I hold my breath and close my eyes and focus on the wine
To avoid these thoughts, the artist distracts himself by focussing on drinking wine and holding his breath.
Let this trembling moment pass us by, so I could say goodnight
The artist urges the woman to not act on their impulses and let this moment pass without making any decisions they both might regret. And then they can part ways by saying goodbyes.
But then, on impulse, I almost touch her face
The singer can't help himself and almost touches the woman's face due to his strong desires, but then he stops himself from doing so.
Before I pull back my hand
He does not want to act impulsively, abruptly stopping any action or thought he had been considering.
And we get nervous, we laugh and she spills her wine
They both feel anxious and awkward after the close encounter, so they laugh, and the woman spills her wine in the process.
Both so awkward
The atmosphere is considerably strained, and they both feel like they don't know what to do next.
And she talks like you
The artist realizes that the woman also talks like his past lover, reminding him of her even further.
And she smells almost like you
Not only does she talk like his past lover, but the woman also has a scent that is similar to hers, further triggering the singer's thoughts and emotions.
A child of the wild just like you
The similarity persists. The woman is a free spirit and has qualities of adventure and wildness, just like his past lover.
But she's not all you
The singer realizes that the woman is distinct and different from his past lover, which is a significant realization.
Even strives not to be you
The woman tries to be different from the singer's idea of his past lover, even though there are some similarities.
Just like every sister would do
This statement implies that the woman is like a sister to him, with qualities similar to his past lover but not identical.
And perhaps it's the wine
The artist is second-guessing his thoughts and feelings, wondering if it's influenced by the amount of alcohol he's consumed.
Or that you're in her eyes
Alternatively, he is wondering if it's because his past lover is still in his thoughts and not actually because the woman embodies the same qualities.
But I want her this one single time
Regardless of the reason, the singer wants to be with this woman, even if it's just a one-time thing.
(just this one time)
This is an emphasis on the preceding sentence, highlighting that it's only going to be a one-time thing, and nothing more.
And if she'd look me deep into my eyes and softly asked me to
The artist is daydreaming about the woman expressing her feelings and asking him to have sex with her again.
I'd be in her bed and in her flesh and waste a life I knew
The artist knows that he won't be able to resist her if she were to ask him again, and this could lead him down a path of regret and so-called wasted life.
So I hold my breath and close my eyes and focus on the wine
Similar to before, he tries to distract himself by drinking more wine and closing his eyes to avoid any fleeting thoughts.
Let this trembling moment pass us by, and then we'll say goodnight
The singer urges the woman yet again to ignore their temptations and just part amicably without making any regretful decisions.
And if I'd look into her eyes and softly asked her to
The artist imagines himself in her position, wondering if she would want to be with him as well if he approached her about it.
She would give herself and give her flesh, and waste the life she knew
The woman also seems attracted to the singer, and he knows that if he were to ask her, she would give herself completely and regret it for the rest of her life.
So we hold our breaths and close our eyes and take a sip of wine
Both of them try to mask their thoughts by drinking wine and taking deep breaths.
But this thirst has emptied every glass, and we should say goodnight
Their minds are clouded, and the wine seems to be doing nothing to fill the thirst within them. They realize that they must leave the party and say good night before anything regretful occurs.
God, help me say goodnight
The artist is hoping that he can find the strength to resist the temptation and avoid making any regretful decisions with the woman, knowing that he will regret it in the longer run.
Contributed by Mason N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yarmazanashviliilia
When all are dizzy and happy from too much wine
I leave the party behind
To be alone with my thoughts and this spinning mind
Through this cold night
But there she stands
And she walks like you
And she smiles almost like you
A child of the wild just like you
Yes.
For a second I think I get a glimpse
Of the real her, behind
She's warm and fragile
With smiles that reach to her eyes
But just this moment,
A change so sublime
If she looked me deep into my eyes
And softly asked me too
I'd be in her bed and in her flesh
And waste a life I knew
So I hold my breath and close my eyes
And focus on the wine
Let this trembling moment pass us by
So I could say goodnight
But then, an impulse
I almost touched her face
Before I pulled back my hand
And we get nervous
We laugh and she spills her wine
Both so awkward, for what's on our mind
And she talks like you
And she smells almost like you
A child of the wild just like you
But she's not all you
Even strives not to be you
Just like every sister would do
And perhaps it's the want
Of you in her eyes
But I want her this one single time
...Just this one time
If she looked me deep into my eyes
And softly asked me too
I'd be in her bed and in her flesh
And waste a life I knew
So I hold my breath and close my eyes
And focus on the wine
Let this trembling moment pass us by
So I could say goodnight
If I'd looked into her eyes
And softly asked her too
She would give herself and give her flesh
And waste a life she knew
So we hold our breath, and close our eyes
And take a sip of wine
But this thirst has emptied every glass
And we should say goodnight
...God, help me say goodnight.
@Holedweller4202
God:Makes Human
Human:Makes this song
God:now that’s what I’am talking about
@bridaselysium
ülkenin progressive metal e ayrı bir sevgisi var çözebilmiş değilim
@marples8453
Aga 200bin dinlenmiş. Şu şarkı.... Acı
@leylayim
yok ya diğer pos şarkılarının altında bu kadar gaza gelinmemiş Türkler tarafından, tahminim bir yerlerde duyup gelmiş çoğunluk.
Bir de yani, ballad gibi şarkı ya, daha yaygın bir kitleye ulaşması normal duygusal falan. second love, this heart of mine falan bunlar çoğunluk tarafından sevilebilecek şarkılar, şahsi fikrim.
@sarsebboy1869
Üstte de de bahsedildiği gibi, ilgi çoğunlukla ballad benzeri şarkılara yönelik. Sigaranın yanında iyi gidiyolar. Dinleyenlerin bazılarının "progresif" kelimesini bir kere bile duymadığından eminim.
@aryadursun3778
i never liked this song that much, but you liked it.
i loved u so much. so i loved the song.
thanks for leaving me alone with this song. now i am crying to this song.
@user-xd9ks4ik9s
you're welcome!
@ouchydoom
A really profound interpretation I heard for this song is that it represents a seperated couple, possibly divorced for a long time after a turbulent relationship. It could also represent a couple who is on the verge of seperation. There are hints at this throughout the song. The protagonist sees his ex wife outside a party they both happened to attend. The word "sisters" is used as a metaphor. He sees her as both the girl he fell in love with and the woman she became after years of mutual unhappiness. The song references that she "is warm, and fragile, with a smile that meets her eyes." Aspects of her he likely hadn't seen since early in their relationship. That spark reignites for both of them when they see each other again in a mutual moment of vulnerability aided by the wine. At the same time they both realize that they can't be together because they've both began new lives and relationships. They are seperated by an impassible line that would destroy both of them if crossed. The saddest part is that both of them are willing to cross that line if the other would only reach out, but neither does. "This thirst has emptied every glass." This is an achingly beautiful and sad story.
@ouchydoom
@My Thoughts Well, I did say "interpretation" not, " this is what the guy meant by the song." I'm sure that is what it means, but there is nothing wrong with inferring other meanings. It's music.
@ouchydoom
@My Thoughts Well yes, the lyrics are apart of the music. Interpretation in this context means to infer one's own meaning into something that makes you feel a certain way. The other parts of the song lyrics fit into my interpretation of the song. I think of the passage containing "sister" as a reference to a past self left behind. For example: Me 10 years ago is "not all me" I "strive not to be" that person in many aspects. Just as a sibling strives to surpass and distinguish themselves their counterpart. As far as the other points you make, I've addressed those in my first comment.
To be very clear, I am not saying you are wrong. You are likely right. If it is more emotionally impactful for you to take the song at it's literal meaning, then more power to you. I'm saying that I don't identify with the literal meaning. It ruins the emotional impact of the song for me to boil it down to the literal meaning of "a drunk guy wants to bang his wife's drunk sister, but he can't."