Pain of Salvation
Be

Let's start by saying that I am a guy who writes reviews as a real writing exercise. That said, let's begin.

You have to approach this album exactly as you would admire a work of modern art. I admit it is a difficult album, far from being understood at the first listen; on the contrary, it requires numerous listens to be understood, but it is definitely worth it, it leaves you astonished. It is a concept about being, or the existence of God, and about the human species, and if that is already enough to send shivers down your spine, wait to listen to it to understand how complicated it can be.

The album opens with the powerful "I am" of "Animae Partus," a dialogue on ontological topics that I won't discuss here. The atmosphere changes and becomes more dark and sinister thanks to the orchestral arrangements, and then the riff of "Deus Nova" hits you in the face while a voice continues to pronounce dates and population numbers since the creation of man. The dialogue begins again after the creation of humanity, introducing "Imago," a memorable folk song of extraordinary effectiveness that introduces the theme of greed. Pay close attention to the theme because it will be revisited later. God watches the human world to learn, and this beautiful piece fades on orchestral notes. It is time for a piano and orchestra ballad "Pluvius Aestivus." Then "Lilium Cruentus" opens calmly before taking a decidedly energetic turn with a rap in odd times followed by a catchy chorus. Here man loses innocence, and indeed, the singers almost seem to break into desperation:

Life seems too small when Death takes its toll

I need something to blame for this pain.

"Nautical" introduces a new character: Mr. Money, a symbol of human greed, a figure that materializes in "Dea Pecunia," almost a small musical that starts and concludes on its own. The individualistic mentality that admits no other existence but its own, fueled by the thirst for power, becomes apparent. "Dei Vocari" consists of a series of messages to be delivered to God. "Diffidentia" thus represents the self-awareness of the destruction of one's own species, backed by a piece with a cadenced riff and an obsessive piano. Humanity turns to God with a desperate prayer for forgiveness with "Nihil Morari." The theme of "Deus Nova" is resumed, but this time the population decreases. Then men direct a prayer to Nauticus and Imago, which could have been avoided, but it nonetheless adds further anxiety to the human condition. "Iter Impius" is a masterpiece, gifting a series of emotions one after another. The crescendo parallels the growth of human awareness and is moving. At marching rhythm comes "Martius/Nauticus II," in which "Imago" is revisited, closed this time with driving tribal percussion. The album ends with "Deus Nova II," where the voice does nothing but repeat "I am."

Thus, the album closes, leaving many unresolved questions and bringing astonishment to the listener. The group's technique is exceedingly high, and they often enjoy playing with polyrhythms. Daniel Gildenlöw is a top-level performer, very moving, a bit too verbose, and could use some Latin lessons (it should be "Lilium Cruentum"). The work itself has the only flaw of being pretentious and very difficult. A great, truly memorable record.