The Prog Rock Album Club

Big Ears · 02-11-2013, 05:49 AM

Well done, Electrophonic Tonic, I've heard the album a few times and written notes in my little book (while commuting), so I need to get on with this.

Big Ears · 02-13-2013, 01:48 PM

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

Attributed to Pain of Salvation are labels like progressive rock and progressive metal (an irritating and unhelpful label at the best of times), so I was interested to see into which camp they fell, but fearing the worst (so-called progressive metal). I found they were reassuringly progressive, with clear Genesis and Faith No More influences in the first two tracks.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

Opening track Of Two Beginnings, begins with bubbling instrumentation and vocals in the style of Fish imitating Genesis-era Peter Gabriel. It is a short track, but at the halfway point, transforms itself into a Faith No More-sounding passage. Two Beginnings' position in the tracklist, preceding 3 x four-part 'chapters' makes it seem like an overture. To the Faith No More and Marillion hybrid of the 'overture' are added spoken-word vocals, rather like Mike Portnoy with Dream Theater, for second track Ending Theme (which confusingly is the first part of Chapter I).

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

Track four, A Trace of Blood, has an excellent driving, melodic intro, which settles into an imaginative riff, where Gildenlöw uses his voice to create a percussive sound. A Trace of Blood is complex with heavy guitar and kick-drums, having elements of Dream Theatre and Flower Kings added to the aforementioned bands. The sprightly instrumentation of this track certainly made me sit up and listen. Fifth track, This Heart of Mine (I PLedge), closes Chapter I by taking us back to Fish-era Marillion territory and the superb solos are like Yes's Steve Howe on Relayer (Atlantic 1974).

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

Daniel Gildenlöw is a capable singer, but adds his own dimension in an angst-ridden delivery, which is not encouraging.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

No, Gildenlow is a competent singer, although the lyrics do not always work. He also has a devil may care attitude in employng other singers' techniques.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

It improved and I did warm to the album.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

The lyrics can be jarring with phrases like, 'Through roads of agony,' and 'Lost the will to live.' This Heart of Mine (I PLedge) has uncomfortable, melodramatic lyrical motifs, such as, 'I pledge to love you till I die,'

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

Chapter II finishes with Dryad of the Woods, an incongruous, but scintillating instrumental based around acoustic guitar and synthesizer. This is supremely melodic and the time change towards the end is marvellous. Chapter III opens with another dynamic, albeit short, synthesizer-led track, Remedy Lane. Johan Langell's drums have a big sound, like Nick Mason using drumsticks on bongos. Although the tracks span different 'chapters', this is the strongest and most coherent part of the album.

9. What did you think of the production?

Clear and sharp, but quite complex. The arrangements, however, lack a bit of 'oomph'.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

I had heard of them but not heard anything by them.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Progressive metal, although I do not know what constitutes 'progressive metal' and hate sub-genres. Today, I heard of one called 'power folk'!

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

Initially, I found the imagery uninviting and the music turgid, but, with repeated plays, liked it more and better understood the material. I eventually warmed to the album.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

The two instrumentals.

14. And the one you liked least?

Second Love is an unashamedly commercial close-harmony track, which at best could be a Patrick Swayze song, especially during, 'You came like the wind'. At worst it could be something by Nickelback, yet, strangely, the progressive elements are still here, including Genesis vocals, Mike Oldfield instrumentation and a Brian May guitar solo. Second Love represents a stroke of heroism and, in another age, may have given them a hit single.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

Pain of Salvation albums followed those by Marillion, Faith No more, Dream Theater and Queensryche, so I assume Gildenlow is copying those bands, but I'll be tidying my sock drawer before cross-checking exact dates of albums and live shows.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

Yes, I would listen to another album, but whether I could stay the course is another matter.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

No. I gather it is autobiographical, with pertinent locations and dates provided in the booklet. There is also a concept, but the overwhelmingly depressing nature of the material prevented me from delving that far.

18. Did the album end well?

The whole thing is hit and miss, including the ending. If Of Two Beginnings is an overture, Beyond the Pale is a finale. The band throw in everything but the kitchen sink, including all the influences, particularly Mike Patton's distinctive roar.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

The album is full of ideas and adept musicianship, but they are used seemingly at random. How I would add the 'missing spark' I am not sure. If I represented the record company, I would have fantasy artwork, with no dreary and off-putting photography. If I was the producer, I would send Gildenlow away and tell him to come back when he had written some more upbeat material.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

As above, the album is full of ideas and adept musicianship, but it needs a coherent shape and structure.

Overall Album Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

I have drafted a review for my journal.

TboneFrank · 02-13-2013, 04:38 PM

I never heard of this band. I got impatient about 5 minutes in because you mentioned Kansas. Ended up listening to Monolith instead...sorry.

But I do agree...I heard the Peter Gabriel influence right off the bat....and weirdly Brian Ferry.

Unknown Soldier · 02-15-2013, 03:44 PM

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

Starts off with the familar now Peter Gabriel era-Genesis vocal style before the opening song breaks into more mixed and often muddled sounding Pain of Salvation territory. Anybody listening will surely note how unique this band are. And as Big Ears states there is a Faith No More influence which I never noticed before, kind of obvious really.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

I actually think the opening tracks, act as a guide and enable us to understand the stronger tracks that come later. They're kind of like a blind man leading us into his world of darkness!

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

I think the album maintains its quality throughout the 70 minutes of album length and the best tracks pop up all over the place.

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

Daniel Gildenlow often goes unnoticed as a singer, but he has a diverse range and style. He has a style that ranges from Peter Gabriel, Fish to Geoff Tate. He might not be as accomplished as any of those singers, but none of those could probably cover the ground as he does.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

Most of what Pain of Salvation always appeals to me, that's not to say that it's all good, but the interest factor that I have for this band is always high.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

Like with most of the band's discography, repeated listens are essential. The exception to this trait may well be the first two albums, which I never found overly interesting.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

The lyrics as always are fairly downbeat.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

As with most Swedish progressive bands that I run across, the instrumental parts are consistently strong throughout and at times they're a delight to listen to.

9. What did you think of the production?

As has already been stated a bit more energy could've been put into the production, without losing the feel of the album.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

Already know most of the discography.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Progressive metal without a doubt, in fact they are one of the few bands that actually deserve this much flaunted so called trendy "sub-genre label"

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

Pain of Salvation are never a warm band but they engross the listener, once you break through all the murk on their albums.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

"Fandango" kind of captures the true essence of the band. The melodic pick-up vocal section of "A Trace of Blood" is quite magical and is probably what grabbed me to this album initially.

14. And the one you liked least?

"Waking Every God" a jaded sounding later album track.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

Pain of Salvation often toured with Dream Theater. People would turn up at the concerts mostly for Dream Theater and after listening to Pain of Salvation were usually left scratching their heads

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

Often get a craze to listen to their discography and so listen quite often.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

All their albums have a theme and this one is to do with freedom, not that the listener could work this out.

18. Did the album end well?

I think it ended reasonably well, there was nothing spectacular and the best hadn't been saved till last, but the finals tracks were ok.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

The most open-ended question here, how do you improve a Pain of Salvation album without actually detracting from what makes it unique? which of course is its great depth and often disjointed feel.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

The album is one of those coherent messes and that's the beauty of it.

Overall Album Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Unknown Soldier · 02-15-2013, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TboneFrank

I never heard of this band. I got impatient about 5 minutes in because you mentioned Kansas. Ended up listening to Monolith instead...sorry.

But I do agree...I heard the Peter Gabriel influence right off the bat....and weirdly Brian Ferry.

Hahaha that wasn't even the Kansas album that was selected but Monolith is still a very good album, their final great album from their golden period.

Big Ears · 02-16-2013, 11:33 AM

It's interesting that you did not write an uneqivocally favourable review, US, but I can tell you like them. Which Pain of Salvation album would you recommend after this one? Would it be The Perfect Element Pt1? A point I forgot to mention is that the drummer adds something special to the album and I understand he later left the group. Was his replacement as good?

Unknown Soldier · 02-16-2013, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Ears

It's interesting that you did not write an uneqivocally favourable review, US, but I can tell you like them. Which Pain of Salvation album would you recommend after this one? Would it be The Perfect Element Pt1? A point I forgot to mention is that the drummer adds something special to the album and I understand he later left the group. Was his replacement as good?

I think the band are something of an enigma, they're a band I love but I can never really put my finger on why! The Perfect Element Pt1 is the place to start and much more accesible than Remedy Lane. I haven't listened to the most recent albums (they're somewhere on one of my endless lists to hear) but I know that he's French and is meant to be very good. I'm also a fan of the albums BE and Scarsick which didn't get very good reviews.

The below song is a great example that when it comes to prog, Pain of Salvation know no boundaries and even touch on disco, not many bands would be brave enough to attempt such a thing.

Big Ears · 02-16-2013, 04:03 PM

Thanks for the information, US, I'll look out for The Perfect Element.

Trollheart · 02-17-2013, 05:20 AM

Okay okay! I'm late again! YOU try running three journals at once!

That's it: I'm listening to this today no matter what. Expect my review later this afternoon.

Press PLAY now. Do it!

Trollheart · 02-17-2013, 09:30 AM

Can anyone tell me what happened here? According to my lyric sheet, both "Dryad of the woods" and the title track have lyrics but I got nothing but two instrumentals up until "Waking every god"?????

Anyway...

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

For me this only evoked one band: Marillion, particularly early Fish-era, around "Script" or "Fugazi". Got a lot more in the vein of progressive metal than rock fairly quickly though, and that initial impression was lost.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

The first two were a lot heavier than I expected, and the sudden onslaught of guitar took me more than a little by surprise. I wasn't quite sure what to think, given the rather gentle opening and what it set me up to expect.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

I sort of only became any way invested in the album when "A trace of blood" arrived; thought that was very well written and played, and evoked some disturbing images, but very true to life. Losing a child must be one of the most traumatic things anyone can go through, and if there's a better example of joy becoming sorrow in an instant I can't think of it. Great job there. I found a lot of Floyd's "Hey you" in the melody of "Undertow", (come on: it even has the multiple echo of the last word at the end!) and I must compliment Gildenlow's vocal performance on this: just superb, a highlight of the album. Got a little confused/frustrated with the title track and "Dryad of the wood", which both came across as instrumentals but it seems should not be....

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

Returning to my Marillion comparison, perhaps oddly though I mentioned early Marillion was the impression I got originally, I found the vocalist, again initially, more like Steve Hogarth than Fish, but fairly quickly I got the Gabriel comparison, especially in the more "angry" exchanges. Hogarth doesn't really do angry well, I feel. I wasn't crazy about the muttered, mumbled soliloquies though. I also think that it would have been hard to have made out many of the lyrics if I hadn't had a page in front of me with them printed on it. With that, I could follow the album better, but really, the singer should elucidate properly enough for me to be able to make out all the words he's singing, and I found I couldn't.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

I'd definitely categorise this more as progressive metal than rock; I think it has a much harder edge, tougher guitars and more forceful percussion that you generally don't get to hear in many prog rock bands. Very accomplished musicians though, of that there's no doubt.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

Much better; I really found myself warming to it. Though as I say my enjoyment/understanding of it was definitely enhanced by having the lyrics to refer to.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

I'd agree with ET that some of the lyrics are a little esoteric, with a lot of references that got prog rock bands tagged, perhaps fairly, as "snobbish" and "elitist" in the seventies. The depiction of a young woman's attempts at suicide in "Rope ends" is tremedous though, and the double-meaning of the song title is a stroke of genius. I love the line "Winnie is strong and would not let her fall", using the image of a well-loved children's character to link into a horrible act of self-harm. Chilling.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

Some of it was very good, though the guitars dominate a little too much I think. The piano in "Fandango" is interestingly sparse and bleak, almost single notes, which is something different. I think this track actually reminds me in places of Diablo Swing Orchestra, never a bad thing! However at times, particularly during the end part of "Thorn clown", the guitar got so frenzied and loud that it totally drowned out the vocals, which in my mind was a ridiculous thing to do. If it's a solo, fine, but the guy was singing and you couldn't make out a damn word he was saying! That said, great guitar solo and excellent piano in "Rope ends".

9. What did you think of the production?

As always, I can never comment on production, but I didn't think it was produced badly.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

Only through "One hour by the concrete lake", which I hated, though I listened to it a few times.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Progressive metal.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

N/a as only listened the once.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

"A trace of blood" tied closely with "Undertow". No wait: "Rope ends", definitely. And sure thrown in "Second love" too...

14. And the one you liked least?

"Thorn clown" followed by "Chain sling" then "Beyond the pale". Really didnt like that.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

Again, this question should be ignored if the album is NOT a debut, only. This isn't, so I'm passing over it.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

I'd be prepared to give them more of a chance than I was after "One hour", after which I had basically written them off as a band I would not like.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

Yes, the idea of a man starting his life as a child looking for love and then finding it, losing his child and continuing on through the pain (to try and find) salvation came through very well.

18. Did the album end well?

Kind of found it returned to a Marillion style on the last track, for the opening, then later it got all almost death metal, kind of swung between genres and for me got a little confused. Think maybe they were trying too hard to end the album well, and may have missed the mark. I think finishing with "Second love" would have been more appropriate and a better closer. "Beyond the pale" sounds just like that, something a little too over the top, forced and almost tacked on, as if PoS felt they had to have an epic to end on. Although it revisits themes from the first track I feel it's slightly incongruous with the rest of the album and doesn't fit in well with the rest of their work on this.

(That would be a no, then.)

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Tone down the guitars a little and let the keyboard through a bit more. Also, some more distinctive vocals would have helped in places. Also WTF was going on with those two instrumentals-that-shouldn't-have-been?

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

Very definitely held together well and got the concept across successfully.
Overall album rating: 7 out of 10

02-13-2013, 01:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Big Ears Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 434	1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in? Attributed to Pain of Salvation are labels like progressive rock and progressive metal (an irritating and unhelpful label at the best of times), so I was interested to see into which camp they fell, but fearing the worst (so-called progressive metal). I found they were reassuringly progressive, with clear Genesis and Faith No More influences in the first two tracks. 2. What did you think of the opening tracks? Opening track Of Two Beginnings, begins with bubbling instrumentation and vocals in the style of Fish imitating Genesis-era Peter Gabriel. It is a short track, but at the halfway point, transforms itself into a Faith No More-sounding passage. Two Beginnings' position in the tracklist, preceding 3 x four-part 'chapters' makes it seem like an overture. To the Faith No More and Marillion hybrid of the 'overture' are added spoken-word vocals, rather like Mike Portnoy with Dream Theater, for second track Ending Theme (which confusingly is the first part of Chapter I). 3. What did you think of the later tracks? Track four, A Trace of Blood, has an excellent driving, melodic intro, which settles into an imaginative riff, where Gildenlöw uses his voice to create a percussive sound. A Trace of Blood is complex with heavy guitar and kick-drums, having elements of Dream Theatre and Flower Kings added to the aforementioned bands. The sprightly instrumentation of this track certainly made me sit up and listen. Fifth track, This Heart of Mine (I PLedge), closes Chapter I by taking us back to Fish-era Marillion territory and the superb solos are like Yes's Steve Howe on Relayer (Atlantic 1974). 4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? Daniel Gildenlöw is a capable singer, but adds his own dimension in an angst-ridden delivery, which is not encouraging. 5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? No, Gildenlow is a competent singer, although the lyrics do not always work. He also has a devil may care attitude in employng other singers' techniques. 6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)? It improved and I did warm to the album. 7. What did you think of the lyrical content? The lyrics can be jarring with phrases like, 'Through roads of agony,' and 'Lost the will to live.' This Heart of Mine (I PLedge) has uncomfortable, melodramatic lyrical motifs, such as, 'I pledge to love you till I die,' 8. Did you like the instrumental parts? Chapter II finishes with Dryad of the Woods, an incongruous, but scintillating instrumental based around acoustic guitar and synthesizer. This is supremely melodic and the time change towards the end is marvellous. Chapter III opens with another dynamic, albeit short, synthesizer-led track, Remedy Lane. Johan Langell's drums have a big sound, like Nick Mason using drumsticks on bongos. Although the tracks span different 'chapters', this is the strongest and most coherent part of the album. 9. What did you think of the production? Clear and sharp, but quite complex. The arrangements, however, lack a bit of 'oomph'. 10. How well do you already know the band/artist? I had heard of them but not heard anything by them. 11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to? Progressive metal, although I do not know what constitutes 'progressive metal' and hate sub-genres. Today, I heard of one called 'power folk'! 12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less? Initially, I found the imagery uninviting and the music turgid, but, with repeated plays, liked it more and better understood the material. I eventually warmed to the album. 13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one? The two instrumentals. 14. And the one you liked least? Second Love is an unashamedly commercial close-harmony track, which at best could be a Patrick Swayze song, especially during, 'You came like the wind'. At worst it could be something by Nickelback, yet, strangely, the progressive elements are still here, including Genesis vocals, Mike Oldfield instrumentation and a Brian May guitar solo. Second Love represents a stroke of heroism and, in another age, may have given them a hit single. 15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated? Pain of Salvation albums followed those by Marillion, Faith No more, Dream Theater and Queensryche, so I assume Gildenlow is copying those bands, but I'll be tidying my sock drawer before cross-checking exact dates of albums and live shows. 16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist? Yes, I would listen to another album, but whether I could stay the course is another matter. 17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one? No. I gather it is autobiographical, with pertinent locations and dates provided in the booklet. There is also a concept, but the overwhelmingly depressing nature of the material prevented me from delving that far. 18. Did the album end well? The whole thing is hit and miss, including the ending. If Of Two Beginnings is an overture, Beyond the Pale is a finale. The band throw in everything but the kitchen sink, including all the influences, particularly Mike Patton's distinctive roar. 19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved? The album is full of ideas and adept musicianship, but they are used seemingly at random. How I would add the 'missing spark' I am not sure. If I represented the record company, I would have fantasy artwork, with no dreary and off-putting photography. If I was the producer, I would send Gildenlow away and tell him to come back when he had written some more upbeat material. 20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss? As above, the album is full of ideas and adept musicianship, but it needs a coherent shape and structure. Overall Album Rating: 7.5 out of 10. I have drafted a review for my journal. Last edited by Big Ears; 02-13-2013 at 02:00 PM.

02-16-2013, 11:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
Big Ears Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 434	It's interesting that you did not write an uneqivocally favourable review, US, but I can tell you like them. Which Pain of Salvation album would you recommend after this one? Would it be The Perfect Element Pt1? A point I forgot to mention is that the drummer adds something special to the album and I understand he later left the group. Was his replacement as good? __________________ My Journal: Rabbiting On

02-16-2013, 04:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
Big Ears Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 434	Thanks for the information, US, I'll look out for The Perfect Element. __________________ My Journal: Rabbiting On

02-17-2013, 05:20 AM	#9 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Okay okay! I'm late again! YOU try running three journals at once! That's it: I'm listening to this today no matter what. Expect my review later this afternoon. Press PLAY now. Do it! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

02-17-2013, 09:30 AM	#10 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	*Can anyone tell me what happened here? According to my lyric sheet, both "Dryad of the woods" and the title track have lyrics but I got nothing but two instrumentals up until "Waking every god"?????* Anyway... 1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in? For me this only evoked one band: Marillion, particularly early Fish-era, around "Script" or "Fugazi". Got a lot more in the vein of progressive metal than rock fairly quickly though, and that initial impression was lost. 2. What did you think of the opening tracks? The first two were a lot heavier than I expected, and the sudden onslaught of guitar took me more than a little by surprise. I wasn't quite sure what to think, given the rather gentle opening and what it set me up to expect. 3. What did you think of the later tracks? I sort of only became any way invested in the album when "A trace of blood" arrived; thought that was very well written and played, and evoked some disturbing images, but very true to life. Losing a child must be one of the most traumatic things anyone can go through, and if there's a better example of joy becoming sorrow in an instant I can't think of it. Great job there. I found a lot of Floyd's "Hey you" in the melody of "Undertow", (come on: it even has the multiple echo of the last word at the end!) and I must compliment Gildenlow's vocal performance on this: just superb, a highlight of the album. Got a little confused/frustrated with the title track and "Dryad of the wood", which both came across as instrumentals but it seems should not be.... 4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? Returning to my Marillion comparison, perhaps oddly though I mentioned early Marillion was the impression I got originally, I found the vocalist, again initially, more like Steve Hogarth than Fish, but fairly quickly I got the Gabriel comparison, especially in the more "angry" exchanges. Hogarth doesn't really do angry well, I feel. I wasn't crazy about the muttered, mumbled soliloquies though. I also think that it would have been hard to have made out many of the lyrics if I hadn't had a page in front of me with them printed on it. With that, I could follow the album better, but really, the singer should elucidate properly enough for me to be able to make out all the words he's singing, and I found I couldn't. 5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? I'd definitely categorise this more as progressive metal than rock; I think it has a much harder edge, tougher guitars and more forceful percussion that you generally don't get to hear in many prog rock bands. Very accomplished musicians though, of that there's no doubt. 6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)? Much better; I really found myself warming to it. Though as I say my enjoyment/understanding of it was definitely enhanced by having the lyrics to refer to. 7. What did you think of the lyrical content? I'd agree with ET that some of the lyrics are a little esoteric, with a lot of references that got prog rock bands tagged, perhaps fairly, as "snobbish" and "elitist" in the seventies. The depiction of a young woman's attempts at suicide in "Rope ends" is tremedous though, and the double-meaning of the song title is a stroke of genius. I love the line "Winnie is strong and would not let her fall", using the image of a well-loved children's character to link into a horrible act of self-harm. Chilling. 8. Did you like the instrumental parts? Some of it was very good, though the guitars dominate a little too much I think. The piano in "Fandango" is interestingly sparse and bleak, almost single notes, which is something different. I think this track actually reminds me in places of Diablo Swing Orchestra, never a bad thing! However at times, particularly during the end part of "Thorn clown", the guitar got so frenzied and loud that it totally drowned out the vocals, which in my mind was a ridiculous thing to do. If it's a solo, fine, but the guy was singing and you couldn't make out a damn word he was saying! That said, great guitar solo and excellent piano in "Rope ends". 9. What did you think of the production? As always, I can never comment on production, but I didn't think it was produced badly. 10. How well do you already know the band/artist? Only through "One hour by the concrete lake", which I hated, though I listened to it a few times. 11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to? Progressive metal. 12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less? N/a as only listened the once. 13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one? "A trace of blood" tied closely with "Undertow". No wait: "Rope ends", definitely. And sure thrown in "Second love" too... 14. And the one you liked least? "Thorn clown" followed by "Chain sling" then "Beyond the pale". Really didnt like that. 15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated? Again, this question should be ignored if the album is NOT a debut, only. This isn't, so I'm passing over it. 16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist? I'd be prepared to give them more of a chance than I was after "One hour", after which I had basically written them off as a band I would not like. 17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one? Yes, the idea of a man starting his life as a child looking for love and then finding it, losing his child and continuing on through the pain (to try and find) salvation came through very well. 18. Did the album end well? Kind of found it returned to a Marillion style on the last track, for the opening, then later it got all almost death metal, kind of swung between genres and for me got a little confused. Think maybe they were trying too hard to end the album well, and may have missed the mark. I think finishing with "Second love" would have been more appropriate and a better closer. "Beyond the pale" sounds just like that, something a little too over the top, forced and almost tacked on, as if PoS felt they had to have an epic to end on. Although it revisits themes from the first track I feel it's slightly incongruous with the rest of the album and doesn't fit in well with the rest of their work on this. (That would be a no, then.) 19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved? Tone down the guitars a little and let the keyboard through a bit more. Also, some more distinctive vocals would have helped in places. Also WTF was going on with those two instrumentals-that-shouldn't-have-been? 20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss? Very definitely held together well and got the concept across successfully. Overall album rating: 7 out of 10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

02-11-2013, 05:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
Big Ears Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 434	Well done, Electrophonic Tonic, I've heard the album a few times and written notes in my little book (while commuting), so I need to get on with this.

02-13-2013, 04:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
TboneFrank Groupie Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: sacramento Posts: 50	I never heard of this band. I got impatient about 5 minutes in because you mentioned Kansas. Ended up listening to Monolith instead...sorry. But I do agree...I heard the Peter Gabriel influence right off the bat....and weirdly Brian Ferry.