Be by Pain Of Salvation

$31.99
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Be

Features

1. Animae Partus (I Am)

2. Deus Nova

3. Imago (Homines Partus)

4. Pulvius Aestivus

5. Lilium Cruentus (Deus Nova)

6. Nauticus (Drifting)

7. Dea Pecuniae: Mr. Money/Permanere/I Raise My Glass

8. Vocari Dei

9. Diffidentia (Breaching the Core)

10. Nihil Morari

11. Latericius Valete

12. Omni

13. Iter Impius

14. Martius/Nauticus II

15. Animae Partus II

Only few current bands cover such a broad spectrum of musical influences as the Swedish cult prog metal rockers, Pain of Salvation, who are lead by Daniel Gildenlöw, one of the most creative musicians of the Swedish music scene. The long expected Be album, which compositions were entirely performed live in a series of special multimedia concept concerts in Sweden, is now completely studio recorded and ready for release. Although the titles are in Latin, the album is in English. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Reader Reviews
Ok, I was planning to wait on reviewing this album for a while, until I'd come closer to unlocking all the secrets and such, but I really can't wait any longer. This was by far my most anticipated album of recent times, and now that I've gotten it and spun it several times, I gotta say something. And that something is wow. How do they do it? How DO they do it??? For those of you have been keeping up with my reviews, you might know that I initially was not bowled over by Pain of Salvation's music, but time, as it often does, has allowed me to see the error of my ways, and they have since become one of my favorite bands. Everything they have put out has been of extremely high quality, and "BE" is no exception. Somehow they manage to keep their music fresh, while still being consistently amazing. This kind of talent is really something special. So anyway, "BE". Geez, where do I even start? Like all of PoS's albums, this is a concept album, but this is something different from anything they've done before. Basically, it is a concept about the origin of God, and how he created man to try to get a better understanding of his own existence. Man, in turn, creates an artificial god of their own, to try to better understand their existence, and....well, I don't want to give too much away. If this sounds like a really cheesy concept, I can assure you it only appears to be such at face value. This is a very deep and profound story, one that I am still working on figuring out completely. (For those interested, a full list of sources Gildenlow used to research for this album can be found on the band's website). And, the music. The music is just fantastic. Stylistically, it is similar to "Remedy Lane", using a myriad of different musical styles, and bringing them all together tastefully and seamlessly. However, this is no rehash of that album by any means. They use a lot of different styles and sonic textures here that are vastly different from anything the band has done before. We saw them flirting with folk elements a bit on past albums, but here, they delve into the style even more with "Imago" and "Nauticus II". "Nauticus (Drifting)" is a mostly a cappella piece, with a very spiritual/gospel feel. The vocal harmonies on this one are stunning (if you're familiar with the Blind Boys of Alabama, it's kinda like that). The band also flirts with classical elements frequently throughout the album, including a string section, and some flute here and there. While classical elements in rock can often sound rather cheesy and cartoonish, PoS does an amazing job with it here. Fredrik shines like never before, contributing some beautiful classical piano work (particularly on the instrumental "Pluvius Aestivus"), and the strings are very subtle and tasteful. This has really gotten me excited to hear what they're going to do with a full orchestra on "The Perfect Element Part 2". There is so much greatness to be found on this album. "Lilium Cruentus" and "Diffidentia" are sort of rap-tinged progressive metal, with a great mix of heaviness and melody, "Nihil Morari" is a dark, Tool-like piece, with brutal riffage and some downright scary time changes. "Dea Pecuniae" is probably the biggest departure from the band's sound yet. This is a full-on epic piece, with a soaring, Broadway-ish delivery, and a sort of Pink Floyd type rhythm. Those who think PoS is sometimes too dramatic or depressing should really hear this, as it is the most fun and uplifting thing the band has ever done (and Gildenlow's skit at the beginning is hilarious). "Vocarei Dei" is a gentle instrumental piece, with spoken soundclips, which are real prayers submitted by fans of the band. For a song without actual lyrics, this is an extremely touching piece. And, the highlight of the album comes with "Iter Impius", an absolutely stunning ballad. It's a very simple and sparsely-arranged piece, consisting mostly of piano, but it's got a powerful and incredibly HUGE sound, with some bone-chilling melodies. This is one of Gildenlow's most powerful vocal performances to date, and that's saying a lot. And to top it all off, the guitar solo is magnificent. Just an overwhelmingly beautiful song. You really just have to hear it to believe it. Ok, this review is starting to get really long, so I'd better wrap it up. This album is an absolute masterpiece. Hands down the best album of this year, and one of the best albums to come out in a while. It may take a few (or even a lot of) spins to really sink in, but this is a magnificent work of art that is fully worth your time. Buy it now.

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