If you guys have any specific questions about the album, I'll be happy to answer them.
Thank you!!
1) Is there a story?
2) Most people say Restless Boy sounds more like a ambient interlude/concept album fragment, is it the most ambient piece on the album with the rest of the songs being more like solid songs, or are there more songs like that??
3) How would you rank it in their discography overall?
4) What are some moments in particular that stood out to you?
1. Not so sure if there's a linear story with each track following the previous one (like in The Perfect Element or BE) since i still haven't paid that much attention to the lyrics in details. But there is definitely a specific theme throughout the album (just like in Remedy Lane, Scarsick and Road Salt, I guess). I expected the lyrics to be way more straight-forward political based on the descriptions and the press release but they're really not. They're more focused on the themes of individuality and being an outsider in a world that tries to break down everything that's "different". Typical Gildenlow, you know, haha, but it's also very universal and relatable for many different groups of people. It's easy to tell this topic is very dear and personal to Daniel with one of his children living with Down syndrome, etc.
2. I wouldn't consider "Restless Boy" an interlude or something but it is the most ambient/electronic song in the album. And it's the shortest one there - the outro of the closing track "Icon" itself is as long as "Restless Boy". The rest of the songs are what you consider "solid songs", I bet. It's a weird choice for a single given the sound and structure of the rest but... you never know with Pain of Salvation
3. It's too early to talk about any rankings. Progressive metal/rock albums take time to grow and I'm still at the beginning of that 'journey'. It will probably become clearer in a month or two. But it's not their best, neither their worst, for sure.
4. My favorite moments in the album are the last two minutes of "Accelerator", the beautiful guitar, piano and vocals in "Wait", the interlude "Fur" segueing into the ballsy title track (many people will find it try-hard, I guess, but it sounds great to me) and the verses and chorus in "Icon" (another great PoS closing track, they really don't know how to make bad closers).