Pain of Salvation
Interview
Asking the
questions: Gareth Long
Bathtub Of Adventures: http://www.bathtub-of-adventures.com (UK)
Answering the questions: Daniel Gildenlow
Hi guys, thanks for your time. How's life and what are
you up to?
At the moment we are looking forward to headlining the Dream
Theater Fan Club Convention in May, Paris. Apart from that we are
trying to balance the increasingly busy life of Pain of Salvation
with the lives of our jobs, schools and families. A lot of time
is devoted to the forming of our official home page, The Kingdom
of Loss (www.painofsalvation.com). In short, everything is just
normal.
1 'The Perfect Element' blew me away (and most of the
people I've played it to). Do you think its your best work so far?
Why or why not?
If we hadn't considered it our best achievement so far, we wouldn't
have released it. Personally, I feel that it is the most balanced
album - we have the groove and open-mindedness of the first album
"Entropia" and the focus and detail of the second album
"One Hour by the Concrete Lake". Furthermore, apart
from its originality, it is very clear in its expression, very
full. It is a very "whole" album, in everything from
music, performance and lyrics to artwork and production.
2 How's the album doing? What's your best market?
We are receiving great reviews all around the world and
apparently it sold twice as many copies as our previous album
only in the first weeks in Europe. Apart from that, we don't know
much about the sales at this moment. Holland is one of our
strongholds, looking at the percentage of the population. But we
have also received great attention from USA and Canada. We don't
know what to expect from these territories since they are new for
this album. Big in Canada - why not?
3 Like 'Concrete Lake' and 'Entropia' the subject matter
seems pretty deep. What's it about and what was it inspired by?
First of all I want to thank you for calling the album "Concrete
Lake" - I so much prefer that to "One Hour…"
(an abbreviation that drains the title completely of its content).
To get to the question; I have always had the opinion that you should use your small corner of the global ether with something meaningful, and concepts really fit my needs as a lyric writer; they give you the possibilities of dealing with larger issues and interrelated topics, while still leaving a door open for individual lyrics (as Dedication for instance). I always consider Life to be my main source of inspiration. Perhaps it sounds a little obvious, but if you have a contemplative mind every day will add depth to your person. In this case, I have been inspired by my own life very much. It is a story about adolescence and growing up, about love and loss, about the relation and symbiosis between society and the individual. All with emphasis on those on the backside of our contemporary society. The outcasts. Dreaded, but entirely created, by that same society. The story has two main characters, as presented in the first two songs on the album. The male character has drugs and violence as his main channel of communication, while the female character has been sexually abused and is now introverted and self-destructive. When they meet in the third song, "Ashes", we see a collision between two broken worlds clinging to each other desperately. In "Morning on Earth" this develops into something deeper, forcing them both to connect with their emotions, shut down for a very long time. This triggers the second chapter of the album, where the male character runs down his roots, through the past that formed him. We go all the way back to his birth; as we are all in a way in debt to society from the moment we are born. Whether it is paid in money, success or pain is up to you or, as in this story, your surroundings. Finally, all the pain that the male character has "passed on" to others is coming back to him, and the album ends in a chaotic breakdown where we, as listeners, don't really know what happens.
The two main
characters are based on several different people that I have
known throughout my life, especially through my own adolescence.
Many of the lyrics are based on recent poems that I wrote about
these people and about other experiences. I must emphasise that
the parts about drugs and sexual abuse are not autobiographical
in any sense, but based on a few old friends. The most disturbing
thing about these topics is that none of the persons that I know
have been sexually abused as children have told any authorities
about it, so you have to wonder how large the dark numbers might
be…
4 As albums 'Concrete Lake', 'Entropia' and 'The Perfect
Element' all sound very different. Is this intentional?
I think every album has its own personality. Personally, when I
write music for an album, I try to let the music itself decide in
which directions to go. Every album has its own intentions and I
think those intentions are in fact what people see as the albums'
trademarks. Also, since all albums are conceptual, they get
characteristics from their specific story and emotional structure.
5 Talking of 'Entropia' I still see this as the most 'progressive'
of the three works. What do you think?
It depends on your notion of "Progressive". If by that
you mean "most like Dream Theater" I would have to
oppose. If you mean "most open-minded and experimental"
I might agree. But not completely, because I think that one of
the most prominent directions of Pain of Salvation is that the
tech and weirdness is becoming more subtle, more of an undertow
than a face, if you get my point. If you want to see the art and
naivety in the latest album you must seek deeper into the actual
core of its architecture to find it. I guess we have found a way
of eating the cake and saving it.
6 You are generally bracketed under the 'Progressive
Metal' umbrella. Are you comfortable with this - or any 'label'?
Why or why not?
Do you want to know the filthy truth? I hate to be a "progressive
band". Why? The term has turned into a label for music that
generally bores me to death. There are exceptions of course - a
few bands that are truly progressive. But you are more likely to
find them outside the inner realms of progressive metal. Yet, we
understand the need of terms, tags and labels and we abide.
Unfortunately it means that a lot of people will never even
listen to our music, even though they might love it. But such are
the rules.
7 What would your definition of 'progressive' music be?
The expression for me would have to carry some notion of
playfulness, a testing of the limits - not as a goal in itself
but as a result of following the nature of music, for it is in
many ways like a little child, or a natural disaster sometimes.
"Progressive" suggests (or demands) the element of
movement, of not finding a cemented form.
8 What do you think of the current prog metal scene?
Uninteresting. (I beg all of you interesting bands out there to
forgive me; this remark was not meant for you - it was a
generalisation)
9 What do you think of bands like Dream Theater, Symphony
X and Threshold?
I loved "Images and Words" when it came, it was truly
groundbreaking. Unfortunately, it resulted in thousands of bands
trying to recreate the magic. Baptised in cement. Threshold - we
toured with them on our first tour and they are really nice guys.
The "Clone" album has a few really good songs. Symphony
X - I have no relation to their music, but I have been told that
it has rather prominent neoclassical features…
10 What have you been listening to recently?
Mr Bungle's "California", Limp Bizkit's new album (give
me a break, apart from Rolling the album is great!), Red Hot
Chili Peppers' "Californication", Dead Sea Apple's
"Crush", Cardigans' "Grand Tourismo" and some
other albums from my shelves. Actually I don't listen very much
to music in general - I have my days.
11 What were your main musical influences growing up?
Kiss, Simon and Garfunkel, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Beatles
("Abbey Road" has more progressiveness in every bar of
music than most progressive bands today have in their total
discography - on the other hand it could just be that I am in a
"prog-metal-negativism" at the moment - after all,
objectiveness has never been a typical trademark for human beings),
Noice (Swedish punk band) and a lot of songs that I found on
cassettes, I have actually never really figured out who they were…
12 One of the most distinctive features of the PoS sound
is the extreme contrasts - dark to light, very heavy to very
melodic. What's the reasoning behind this?
It is all about contrasts and balance in life, isn't it? I love
to see opposites in perfect harmony, I love to see the clowns
weep, I love to be a bit thrown off and see the smallest thing in
a new light. The contrasts, the miracles, the hate and the
struggle - all is present every day around us, why not in music?
But again I must add that it should never be a goal in itself.
13 One of my main gripes with prog-metal is the regular
and over use of technical wizardry with little compositional
charm (something you avoid) What are you views on this?
I guess my previous answers may have given you a hint or two
about that already…? *laugh* Yes, I agree completely. We
actually do some of our most difficult stunts on the new album,
and I hope nobody will notice them. If you use an "in-your-face
trick" it must fill a lyrical or emotional purpose, that is
my opinion.
14 The use of operatic vocal styles is another case in
point (again something you avoid) What are your views on
vocalists/bands who use this styling?
If they are happy with one single expression throughout every
song, then good for them. As for myself, I cannot really stand it.
It is like hearing a guitarist playing in the same range with the
same technique all the time, in every song. Nobody would take
that, so why do they accept it with an instrument initially so
versatile as the voice? It beckons my mind…
15 Daniel, your vocal and stylistic range is incredible.
Where did you get a voice like that?!
I sold my soul to the Devil, but please don't tell anyone, I want
them to believe it's talent… Seriously, I have no idea - I
have always tried to find my own voice and expand it. I like to
be able to express whatever feeling I want to.
16 Did it take a lot of training?
It took a lot of singing, if that is what you mean. But I have
never done exercises. I sometimes think that my singing is almost
as much about being able to connect instantly to every emotion as
about having a trained voice.
17 Daniel, as writer and director of all music and lyrics
do you dictate to the band when realising your vision?
In many aspects, yes. But I still want Pain of Salvation to
function as a band. I write (and discard) music at a very high
pace, and since I play all instruments I arrange most of it in my
head, note by note, bar by bar, emotion by emotion. The final
outcome has been twisted and turned so many times it is hard to
bring a new angle or approach to it. Usually, regarding the whole
concept ideas, I present the ideas to the rest of the band during
some kind of meeting.
18 Myself and many of my progressive friends are craving
for the possibility for seeing the band live in the UK. Any plans
to tour this year?
Just tell us when and where. If you all come, we will come. We
have had some discussions about UK shows already, and I really
hope it can be sorted out.
19 What are your plans for 2001?
We have some planned tours in France, Holland, USA and Canada,
and we will probably do some smaller tours, perhaps Europe and
South America. Apart from that, we are in a project with a
Symphony Orchestra (no, we won't do a Metallica) and we will need
to start working on our next album soon.
20 Are there plans for any of the members to be involved
in side projects this year?
We'll see.
21 When can
we expect 'The Perfect Element' Part 2 - Will there be a part 3?
The original plan was to make one album, it very early became
clear that it would take two. I hope that plan will stand. Today,
we don't know what form that album will take and when it will be
recorded or released. The future will tell. That is what the
future does best.
22 A thing that a number of people are finding puzzling
why has Sweden become the modern home for 'Progressive' music?
It has? Why, we haven't noticed that here for sure. I thought you
had to be American to stand a chance in this genre.
23. Finally, the 'desert island' question. If you were
put on a desert island and could only take 5 albums with you what
would they be?
No matter what albums I would choose, I would have thrown them
all in the sea within a month I think. But I will give it a try.
The Beatles - Abbey Road
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Jesus Christ Superstar
Dive - Where the River Turns to Sea
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element, part I (sorry, I am only
being honest here)
Andersson /Rice/Ulvaeus - Chess
Thank you very much for finding the time to talk to us
It was a pleasure.
Gareth
Long March 2001
Copyright Bathtub of Adventures 2001
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