PAIN OF SALVATION – Remedy Lane

Geeez... what an album! A masterpiece! And hardly to put into words… PAIN OF SALVATION delivered here a piece of reference for future progressive metal generations getting matched with. Although the Swedes already attract overwhelming attention with their previous albums Remedy Lane marks the breakthrough, shooting the band on top of the international prog scene. Fans of The Perfect Element, Part 1 will probably need one or two runs more to get used to the band’s fourth effort since it is more complex, tricky and more progressive. But one won’t miss great melodies, sing-along refrains and powerful riffing ;)
Remedy Lane is again a concept album where once more the tragic of a fucked up love-relation is centered. Chronologically told and simply brutal dissected. The story is common, even banal, suiting everyone else and thus so haunting, creeping deep under your skin and unbiddenly opening doors to the own mental shadow side you better want to see locked for the rest of your life. The listener physically and mentally undergoes the entire width of emotions such a story has to offer: from the fragile moments of luck, hopelessness, half-heartedness up to deeply scaring fears, depressions and longing for assumed freedom found in death.
Remedy Lane gets introduced with Of Two Beginnings, followed be three chapters, equivalent to three phases of life. Introducing track and the first chapter’s kick-off Ending Theme already mill deep into your aural canals with its distinctive melodies. Heart of the album and my personal highlights are Undertow, Rope Ends, Chain Sling and Beyond The Pale. The booklet contains additional lyrics to complete the story.
PAIN OF SALVATION are of course unbelievably skilled but not displaying that selfishly. Despite of many breaks and sophisticated dexterity the band never lose themselves into endless progressive fretboard dodges or excessive solos work. The musical realization of this conceptual story with its highs and lows is what the band focuses on and that they can outstandingly. Remedy Lane is a must-have for all prog metal fans!