Thanks everyone, glad to see the thread is being followed by a fair audience. I'll check those two out definitely Molecules.
With this next review, we're going back to prog. territory...with a metal touch.
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane (2002)
Track Listing
1. Beginnings (2:26)
2. Ending Theme (4:59)
3. Fandango (5:51)
4. A Trace Of Blood (8:17)
5. This Heart Of Mine (4:01)
6. Undertow (4:47)
7. Rope Ends (7:02)
8. Chain Sling (3:58)
9. Dryad Of The Woods (4:55)
10. Remedy Lane (2:17)
11. Waking Every God (5:29)
12. Second Love (4:21)
13. Beyond The Pale (9:56)
Let me get my fanboyism out of the way before I start this review: Pain of Salvation is the ****ing bomb! Daniel Gildenlow is one of the more creative vocalists to emerge in ANY genre over the last two decades, and his guitar playing isn't plagued by the riff-wankery which you hear in every other goddamn "progressive" metal band like Dream Theater, Shadow Gallery, Redemption, Kamelot, etc. And yes, I hate most prog. metal with a passion. I despise the nearly exclusive emphasis on riffing and technical playing over the ability to compose and perform INTERESTING music which doesn't sound like somebody else. I hate talentless hacks like Jamie LaBrie and Michael Eriksen who crack on high notes and are otherwise impossible to decipher through their gibberish. And the fans of these bands who claim they're the God of Metal's ****ing gift to man....christ!!
Well, all that aside, Pain of Salvation have been among my favorite metal-influenced bands for several years now, and this particular album is my favorite of theirs because, honestly, it comes together better as a whole than any metal album I've had the pleasure of listening to, and hence stands out even amidst PoS's exceptional discography. The guitar, drums, base and keyboards all fall into place as expected, but the real strength here is the arrangement of these things in a way that feels distinct and fresh to ears jaded by the antics of bands both adventurous and boring.
Whether its the opening guitar movement on 'A Trace of Blood' (my favorite on the album; a song dealing with a miscarriage of all things!), the almost danceable keyboard waltzing on 'Fandango', that Bends-era Radiohead melancholy which pervades 'Second Love'...there is genuine sincerity here. And not just sincerity, but strength in the songs and sentiments alike: Daniel croons and cries and gutterally screams about a man's search for love and freedom in his lifetime, which is Remedy Lane's central thematic axis, and I find stuff like that rather easy to relate to.
In conclusion, I have only this to say: A prog. metal album in this day and age of this measure is, unfortunately, difficult to come by. Too many have forgotten what it means to create something that is more than serviceable, folks who switch time signatures and play dissonantly for the sake of nothing. Hence I recommend Pain of Salvation's
Remedy Lane without reservations. Go get this album NOW!
...and here's a Trace of Blood for everyone to preview:
Album Verdict: 5.6/7