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
Used
Pain of Salvation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The black drop at the bottom of your cup
You'd better drink or throw me up
'Cause I am on your lip and tongue
God
I'm not yours as much as you are mine
So let me in to be your lung
Just breathe me deep and take another sip
A taste so sweet but so bitter the kill
Still on your lip
You are so close
I'll let you come
Between my legs you are closer death than sun
And I'm not your daughter as much as you're my son
I'll let you come
In my mouth on your lip
So ready and thirsty for the next sip
You let me in, I let you come
I'd never let you down
You let me win, I let you drown!
Getting used to pain
I am crying unwept tears through this violence
I'll die trying to break this thick crust of silence
I am the greatest star
So bright that you all come forth and beg to taste my light
I can take you far but I'll burn you out before we get there
But hey! Who am I to stand in your way?
Go ahead; swallow me down!
I'll have no problems finding myself out
When you've gone down
When your all cracked and wound
Getting used to pain
I am crying unwept tears through this violence
I'll die trying to break this thick crust of silence
Trading pain is a bad deal
I've got more than my share
Too much to bear!
Every beat of the hammer
Every blood stricken street
A way to trade off heat
They will bleed till I'm empty
If I deserve to die I'll make it show
I will stain your affection, I will wear out your heart
You'll follow where I go
Blood stains
Cut veins
Filthy
Murder
Leave me
The Pain of Salvation's song "Used" is a dark and intense exploration of addiction and the power dynamics that perpetuate it. The lyrics are written from the perspective of the addiction itself, embodying it is a parasitic and all-consuming force that thrives on its victim's pain and craving. The opening lines, "I am the unclean/The black drop at the bottom of your cup," immediately set a tone of degradation and contamination. The addiction is an unwelcome presence, but one that the victim seems unable to escape.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become increasingly explicit in their eroticism, describing the addiction as a lover who demands to be constantly consumed: "You are so close/I'll let you come/Between my legs you are closer death than sun." The imagery is disturbing and unsettling, but it also speaks to the addictive cycle of pleasure and destruction that many people struggle with. The addiction promises ecstasy, but in reality, it is a force of slow, painful destruction.
Ultimately, "Used" is a powerful song about the dangers of addiction and the ways in which it can consume and destroy a person's life. The lyrics are poetic and haunting, and the music is similarly visceral and intense.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the unclean
I embody and represent all that is impure and unacceptable in your eyes.
The black drop at the bottom of your cup
I am the dirty and discarded substance that comes as a result of your actions and choices.
You'd better drink or throw me up
You can either accept and consume me despite my supposed impurities or reject me altogether.
'Cause I am on your lip and tongue
I am tantalizingly close to you and within your grasp, almost like a temptation you can't resist.
God
An exclamation indicating the power and intensity of the emotions and desires being expressed.
I'm not yours as much as you are mine
Although you may think you have control over me, I actually hold more sway over you and your actions.
So let me in to be your lung
Allow me to enter your very being and control your life.
Just breathe me deep and take another sip
Let me become a part of your life and existence, feeding your addiction to me in the process.
So still
A moment of silence, contemplation, or resignation in the face of a difficult situation.
A taste so sweet but so bitter the kill
The pleasure I bring is tempered by the negative consequences and repercussions of indulging in me.
Still on your lip
I remain a constant presence in your life and thoughts, almost like a stain or blemish that won't go away.
You are so close
You are tantalizingly close to achieving your goal or desire, but not quite there yet.
I'll let you come
I will allow you to have the pleasure or satisfaction you seek, but at a great cost to yourself.
Between my legs you are closer death than sun
The closer you get to me and my influence, the more dangerous and damaging it becomes to your life and wellbeing.
And I'm not your daughter as much as you're my son
Our roles and relationship are not as straightforward or simple as they appear on the surface; there is a complex power dynamic at play.
In my mouth on your lip
You are once again under my control and influence, indulging in me despite the risks and negative consequences.
So ready and thirsty for the next sip
You are addicted to me and my influence, craving more even though it is not good for you.
You let me in, I let you come
Our relationship is one of mutual exploitation and manipulation, with both of us using each other for our own purposes.
I'd never let you down
Despite the risks and negative consequences of indulging in me, I will always be there for you and never let you go completely.
You let me win, I let you drown!
If you continue to indulge in me, I will eventually lead to your downfall and destruction.
Getting used to pain
Despite the destructive consequences of indulging in me, you have become accustomed to and even reliant on the pain I bring.
I am crying unwept tears through this violence
I am suffering and causing suffering to those around me, despite the fact that no one seems to acknowledge or understand the full extent of my pain and suffering.
I'll die trying to break this thick crust of silence
I will continue to fight and struggle against the oppressive forces and structures that seek to silence and suppress me, even if it kills me in the process.
I am the greatest star
I am a powerful and influential force in my own right, whose light and influence draws others to me despite the risks and negative consequences.
So bright that you all come forth and beg to taste my light
My influence and appeal are so strong that others are willing to put themselves at risk to indulge in and experience them.
I can take you far but I'll burn you out before we get there
If you continue to follow and indulge in me, I will eventually lead to your downfall and destruction before you can achieve your goals.
But hey! Who am I to stand in your way?
Despite the risks and negative consequences, I know that others will continue to seek me out and indulge in me regardless of the consequences, so why should I resist?
Go ahead; swallow me down!
Indulge in me and my influence, no matter the risks or negative consequences, because you are addicted to me and cannot resist my lure.
I'll have no problems finding myself out
If you indulge in me and my influence, you will eventually become consumed by your addiction to me and lose yourself in the process.
When you've gone down
After you have indulged in me and suffered the negative consequences, I will still be here, waiting for you to come back and indulge in me again.
When your all cracked and wound
After I have caused you harm and damage, you will be even more vulnerable and susceptible to my influence and control.
Trading pain is a bad deal
Although I may offer you pleasure or satisfaction, the pain and negative consequences that come with indulging in me are not worth the tradeoff.
I've got more than my share
I have experienced and caused more pain and suffering than any one person should have to bear or inflict on others.
Too much to bear!
The pain and suffering I have experienced and caused are too much for any one person to handle or bear on their own.
Every beat of the hammer
Every action or decision we make, no matter how small or insignificant, has the potential to cause pain and suffering to ourselves and others.
Every blood stricken street
The world we live in is full of violence, suffering, and pain, with every street and neighborhood bearing the marks of that violence in some way.
A way to trade off heat
We often turn to violence or other destructive behaviors as a way to deal with or escape our own pain and suffering, even if it only leads to more pain and suffering in the end.
They will bleed till I'm empty
Those who have indulged in me and suffered the negative consequences will continue to do so until there is nothing left of me to offer or influence.
If I deserve to die I'll make it show
If my influence and control over others have led to their destruction or deaths, I will wear those outcomes as a badge of honor or pride, rather than remorse or regret.
I will stain your affection, I will wear out your heart
If you indulge in me and my influence, I will leave behind a trail of destruction and heartbreak that will take its toll on your emotional and mental wellbeing.
You'll follow where I go
Despite the risks and negative consequences, you will continue to follow and indulge in me, because you are addicted to me and cannot resist my lure.
Blood stains
The physical marks left behind after committing or experiencing violence and pain.
Cut veins
A metaphor for the physical and emotional damage caused by indulging in me and my influence.
Filthy
A descriptor for the impure, immoral, and unacceptable nature of me and my influence.
Murder
The ultimate expression of violence and destruction, caused by indulging in me and my influence.
Leave me
An acknowledgment of the negative consequences and destruction caused by indulging in me and my influence, and a plea for others to turn away from me and seek help and healing instead.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DANIEL GILDENLOEW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind