Pain of Salvation
Panther

Whoever thought that Pain of Salvation, once returning to their more characteristic sound, would finally stay there permanently, will have to think again. The return to prog-metal with “In the Passing Light of Day” had deluded and made everyone a bit happy, but Daniel Gildenlöw is a nomad of sound, loves to continuously move across different territories, and will probably never find a permanent home. Let's try to be a bit objective here: Pain of Salvation has never really been a metal band, they were never made to appeal to metalheads; the metal component has always been volatile, sporadic, not really solid, and it manifests more as "inserts". Perhaps only the first two albums could somehow appeal to some metalheads, but even then, the proposition is already too deep to be attractive to the typical pimply and immature teenager.

So forget the prog-metal, bid it farewell once again, and all this despite the return of guitarist Johan Hallgren, which could have raised hopes for something metallic and massive; in “Panther” they return to experimenting, and they do so with a certain degree of madness, without limits and without fear of the outcome, which can only have my approval. An album truly unclassifiable; it doesn't fit in any precise genre and there doesn't seem to be any explicit reference (or maybe one, whether voluntary or not), each track is different from all the others and presents truly unique and astonishing solutions. Even in their most atypical version, Pain of Salvation remains themselves and not really comparable to anyone. However, the evident differences between the tracks do not exclude the presence of elements that they have in common, such as a dark, futuristic, and post-industrial sound, and the choice of a raw, dirty, imperfect, scraping, almost lo-fi production, which has certainly been the scapegoat for many who did not appreciate this work; but judging a work by its production is not the right thing, who knows how many great albums do not enjoy excellent mixing, should we then throw the first Dream Theater album in the toilet (yes, I already know the anti-Dream Theater joker will say “only the first album?”)...

This time a track by track is necessary since each track is something in itself, and you can't really create groups of songs by type of approach. Already when "Accelerator" starts, everything seems "alien", industrial electronic flashes combined with an obsessive and unsettling rhythm and monotone and pounding guitars, a sequence of guitar strokes borrowed from metal but never sounding metal. “Unfuture” is still very industrial but in a different way and with a significantly darker and even somewhat tribal approach; very particular "scratches" of acoustic guitar and acoustic arpeggios on very low registers, some electronic ticking, some high-pitched choruses, and a couple slightly more driving guitars (the most driving of the album) in the manner of Tool. It might somehow remind one of "The Big Machine" for the rhythm and the alternation of softer, more anguished parts with harder, angrier ones; however, the sound is profoundly different. The dark mood continues with "Restless Boy," characterized by swaying, grey, and leaden keyboards with a vaguely trip-hop flavor alternated with hammered guitar surges, also in this case referable to metal but without actually sounding metal. Then comes the comfort zone track, the one that pleases everyone and lifts the favorable opinion of the detractors; “Wait” is the track closest to the group’s classic melodies, it is led by a moderately lively piano followed by equally energetic acoustic guitars, but Pain of Salvation doesn’t want it to seem like a "classic" track, and so they insert strange creaks halfway through and towards the end (it sounds like hearing a squeaking wheel, it reminded me of the old and rusty carousel that was in the playground near my house when I was little). "Keen to a Fault" is lively and sparkling, guided by quick intertwining of not too flashy synths and flamenco-like guitars in a vague mix halfway between Muse and Three. "Fur" is instead a brief interlude performed on the banjo.

However, here comes the title-track, and it is not just any track, so much so as to deserve a separate paragraph: it is the only track in the group's discography that explicitly resembles something of others; Pain of Salvation throughout their career have always been careful not to resemble anyone, to sound 100% original, but this time they have stumbled into an evident plagiarism; some at first listen immediately thought of Linkin Park, and those who deny it lie, those electronic splashes and the rap singing of Gildenlöw (who has always shown himself to be an excellent rapper too) cannot but recall the early days of the American band. Who would have expected all this 15 years ago? Who knows if this tribute is deliberate or not; the fact remains that managing to produce a faithful imitation is as difficult as being 100% original, so once again, congratulations to Pain of Salvation!

“Species” is probably the least surprising track, a good guitar-oriented track with a vaguely ethnic and oriental essence. "Icon," on the other hand, is yet another gem, 13 minutes of piano touches, keyboard rustles, and above all, reverbs and noises of screeching guitars with even a nod to noise.

What can I say, Pain of Salvation once again show themselves to be bold, audacious, and indifferent to criticism. Probably the album of the year 2020.