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
Through the Distance
Pain of Salvation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never dared to touch her, scared to break the spell
And now the years have passed us by
And all that could have been is left behind
'Cause I loved her
Safe from a distance
Every day a million people flow the street
They talk but do not ever meet
They all have important things to do
They all have things to watch on TV
'Cause they all watch life
Safe from a distance
They all touch love
Safe from a distance
But I want it
And I need it
Come and touch me
Come and reach me
Through the distance
'Cause we all live life
Safe from a distance
But my heart will bleed
Through all this distance
And my voice will cry
All through the distance
The lyrics of Pain of Salvation's song Through the Distance are about unrequited love, the fear of rejection and the emotional distance that we sometimes create to protect ourselves from vulnerability. The first verse describes a childhood crush that the singer never acted upon, probably due to shyness or the desire to maintain the innocence of the feeling. As time passes, the opportunity for a relationship is lost and the love remains unfulfilled. The chorus talks about how many people live their lives at a distance, never fully engaging with the world around them or the people they meet. Everyone has their own reasons for doing so, whether it's fear, self-preservation or simply apathy, but the outcome is the same - missed opportunities for connection and love.
The second verse uses the same theme to describe a more general sense of disconnection from the world. The "blank faces" of the crowds suggests a disinterest in human interaction or a reluctance to reveal themselves. Everyone is busy with their own concerns, and this leaves little room for intimacy or shared experiences. The lines "They all have important things to do / They all have things to watch on TV" are particularly poignant, as they suggest that even leisure time is dominated by technology and entertainment rather than personal interaction. The chorus repeats the idea that we all live our lives at a distance, but the bridge offers a glimmer of hope. The singer calls out for the listener to "come and touch me / Come and reach me / Through the distance," acknowledging the desire for connection and the willingness to take a risk, despite the potential for heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a child I saw her every day
As a child, I saw her, the object of my affection, on a daily basis.
I never dared to touch her, scared to break the spell
Despite my attraction towards her, I refrained from reaching out to avoid ruining the idealized image I had of her.
And now the years have passed us by
As time has progressed, we've both grown and lived our lives separately.
And all that could have been is left behind
The possibility of a romantic relationship between us now remains unfulfilled and rendered obsolete with the passage of time.
'Cause I loved her
Deep down, I harbored strong feelings for this person.
Safe from a distance
However, my affection was never acted upon, and instead remained dormant as I looked on from afar.
Every day a million people flow the street
In our bustling society, countless individuals crowd the streets on a daily basis.
Their faces blank
Despite their numbers, many of these people exude a cold, impersonal aura.
They talk but do not ever meet
While they may converse with one another, these fleeting encounters never amount to anything more significant.
They all have important things to do
Regardless of their reasons for being out in public, each person has their own individual goals and tasks to attend to.
They all have things to watch on TV
In their free time, many people find solace in the routine of watching television programs.
'Cause they all watch life
Despite the variety of their experiences, many individuals live vicariously through others by watching representations of various lifestyles on TV.
Safe from a distance
While they may engage with these portrayals of others' lives, they still remain separated from any real emotional investment.
They all touch love
Even though they remain emotionally distant, these individuals still express affection for others.
Safe from a distance
Despite these connections, true love remains at arm's length, kept separate from the rest of their lives.
But I want it
Despite my previous reluctance to pursue romance, I now desire a deeper connection with someone.
And I need it
This desire for a relationship has become as significant as any other basic need in my life.
Come and touch me
I yearn for the touch of someone who I can love fully and who can love me back in turn.
Come and reach me
I wish for someone to actively pursue me and attempt to build a relationship with me.
Through the distance
Despite the separations that exist between us, I still believe a relationship can be forged.
'Cause we all live life
Regardless of one's circumstances, every person lives their life in their own unique way.
Safe from a distance
Despite this individuality, many people keep themselves emotionally distant from others, perpetuating a sense of separation in everyday life.
But my heart will bleed
Despite my attempts to remain strong, my emotional vulnerability will inevitably come to the surface.
Through all this distance
Regardless of the various separations that exist between us, my emotional needs will persist and continue to influence me.
And my voice will cry
In expressing my emotional needs, my tone will reflect the gravity of my situation.
Contributed by Kylie L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.