Pain of Salvation - Be

[wolfking]

Excuse me for making another POS thread, but I thought I'd leave the official thread for all the Road Salt discussion and give some appreciation to some older work as I am a new fan.

Being only a fan for about 4-6 weeks, I have discovered one of the most amazing bands I've ever heard.  Since my introduction to Scarsick (which I now freaking LOVE!!) I have acquired;

Ending Themes (2cd/2dvd): One of the greatest DVD concerts I've seen.  I haven't even got to the documentary yet.
12:5:  Very pleasant acoustic album, although I haven't really dived into it much yet.
Remedy Lane:  After about 8 listens this album is GODLIKE, Trace of Blood is one of the greatest things ever.

4 days ago I managed to find Be, and picked it up without hesitation and not hearing a note (except Diffidentia from the DVD).  This is one of the most ambitious, puzzling, thought provoking, moving, addictive albums I've ever heard.  This is a masterpiece.  Being familiar with Scarsick and Remedy and other older tracks from the DVD, the first listen to Be left me puzzled and basically saying WTF!  Although it stayed with me.  The next night after work I put this on again, it blew me away.  i went to bed still a little puzzled but amazed.

The next night it grabbed me even more.  From what I get from the story, the way Daniel and co. have structured this album is wonderful.  I would like to give you my thoughts song by song.

Animae Partus: Moody and sets the album from the get go, gets you thinking already

Deus Nova: Great buildup and when the 10,000BC - 1 million people part comes in over the prog rhythms, it is phenomenal!!

Imago: nice folk song, great part of the story, really gives you a tribal/ancient 'beginning of mankind' style image.  Perfectly executed.

Pulvius Aestivus: Beautiful piano piece, never gets boring, continually adding to the mood of the album.

Lilium Cruentus: A more classic POS song.  The quiet parts have a beautiful atmosphere, great song.

Nauticus: Oh, Lord.  This haunts me.  This is so mesmerizing, I am in love with it.

Dea Pecuniae:  The introduction to the next part of the story.  A great show like tune with great instrumentation and an amazing finale.  Very clever how such an arrogant style of person gets screwed over later in the album.  Classic style POS, I think.

Vocari Dei:  One of the most moving things I've heard in a long time.  Jaw dropping, no more to say.

Diffidentia:  A great song where man questions God, powerful and moving, nice fresh breath of metal here

Nihil Morari: A great pre apocalyptic style song.  The reprises of Deus Nova is so amazing it almost makes me cry.

Latericius Valete: Amazing instrumental giving great imagery of mankind destroying themselves, gives great imagery of ruins and a world getting torn down IMO.

Omni: This song easily represents mourning, and the hope of mankind relying on a machine to save them.

Iter Impius: What a song!!!! Daniel is on fire here, and a much welcome guitar solo adds to the song. The once cocky Mr Money, now a very different man, waking to destruction and a decline of society, excellent.  Amazing finale here, just a perfect song.

Martius/Nauticas II: Mankind spiraling in a desperate hope to save themselves, the reprise of Imago made me give a round of applause.  Mankind were so selfish and greedy, destroyed themselves and are back to where they started thousands of years ago.....brilliant.

Animae Partus II: Back full circle, genius.  (Don't quite understand the last quote at the four minute mark.)

Listening again and discovering more and more, I am loving this album.  I am desperately going to try and find the live DVD of this, that must be simply mindblowing.  POS went out on a limb here and it really paid off.  An awe-inspiring album, even though I've listened to it like 4 times, this is up there with the greatest concept albums of all time.

Gonna hunt down Perfect Element next!!!

 

[TheVoxyn]

Best album evah.

[sonatafanica]

It is a fantastic album. I posted a summary of the story and what happens in the Pain of Salvation thread if you're interested. I'm not sure exactly where it is, though. If you want I'll find it.

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

Although I'm not a Be fan, I have something to say after reading the OP.

Remedy Lane:  After about 8 listens this album is GODLIKE, Trace of Blood is one of the greatest things ever.

TRACE OF BLOOD IS THE BEST PAIN OF SALVATION SONG EVERRRR SCREW UNDERTOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Well Undertow is awesome too, but then Trace of Blood is kinda underrated while Undertow is easily the most overrated PoS song ever.

[Arcaeus]

It's more that Remedy Lane is just overrated as a whole.

But Be is one of my favorite albums of all time, yes. Pretentious and ridiculous in its scope, but still absolutely brilliant.

[faemir]

It's more that Remedy Lane is just overrated as a whole.

But Be is one of my favorite albums of all time, yes. Pretentious and ridiculous in its scope, but still absolutely brilliant.

[bodiesinflight]

It's more that Remedy Lane is just really good.

But Be is one of the most underwhelming albums of all time, yes. Pretentious and ridiculous in its scope, but still absolutely naff when it comes down to it.

 

[Arcaeus]

Arcaeus would never use British slang.

You bloody wanker.

[orcus116]

I couldn't make it passed the second track but I should give it another go. The whole talking thing was so off-putting.

[bodiesinflight]

Arcaeus would never use British slang.

You bloody wanker.

 


Btw, this may be a bit of a noobyish question but does anyone actually have a clue what 'Be' is about?

[orcus116]

Daniel Gildenlow's god complex.

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

I had no idea.

Then Entropia is probably the most underrated PoS album.

[Dr. SeaWolf]

I should probably listen to this album at some point.  I'm a pretty casual fan, and Remedy Lane really is an incredible album.

[Nick]

Easily their worst album.

[pogoowner]

Easily their worst album.

Yes.

[Crow]

Then Entropia is probably the most underrated PoS album.

THISTHISTHISTHIS Entropia is my 2nd favorite PoS album.

[ariich]

It's funny how much of a fanbase-splitter this album is. Seems to be considered either one of PoS's worst albums or one of the best albums ever, never in between.

I'm in the "one of the best ever" camp. Wonderful rich concept, great music in a wide variety of styles and emotions!

[Sigz]

IIII SEEE USSSS IN YOUU NAAAUUUUTICUS

[elyster]

I love this album.  I bought it having not heard any POS whatsover.   I just heard people on this forum ranking this album as being "pure genius" to "total crap" and with that much of a range of opinions I had to check it out.  First time through I was blown away by it and replayed it twice more back-to-back.

I think people's opinions are probably based on having heard TPE and RL first and getting to know POS that way rather than those of us who were POS-virgins until we heard "BE"

Maybe...I don't know.

[Sigz]

Nope, I heard TPE and RL before I listened to Be.

[sonatafanica]

It's funny how much of a fanbase-splitter this album is. Seems to be considered either one of PoS's worst albums or one of the best albums ever, never in between.

Well, it really boils down to two kinds of people, really. There are level-headed people with direction in life, those are the type that enjoy "BE".




Then there are the pants-on-head retarded types who enjoy nothing more than saying






"Someone used the word 'pretentious' seven times in a progarchives review of the album, so it's pretentious." and then they resume listening to Vanden Plas.

[Sigz]

 

[Arcaeus]

well, that settles it sonata, you're one of the most awesome people in existence

edit: btw, I love how Vanden Plas, no matter how obscure they may be, come up whenever the loser snobby prog-fan stereotype comes up.

[antigoon]

That is EXACTLY how I feel about this band

[sonatafanica]

@ u

[Arcaeus]

That is EXACTLY how I feel about Vanden Plas

[Ravenheart]

I hated this album the first time I listened to it. But I've grown to love it, and it's now tied with Remedy Lane as my second favorite PoS album. Our relationship has made leaps and bounds.

[Sigz]

*snip for sanity*

That is EXACTLY how I feel about this band

[antigoon]

Fuck Vanden Plas. Remember that guy that used to post here talking about how that CHRIST 0 album was the greatest thing in existence?

[Arcaeus]

Enjoying Vanden Plas is a sign you're listening to too much prog and need to get back to reality.

[Ravenheart]

I don't think Vanden Plas would be particularly fond of you guys, either.









What's a Vanden Plas?

[ariich]

Fuck Vanden Plas. Remember that guy that used to post here talking about how that CHRIST 0 album was the greatest thing in existence?

Yeah what was his name again? Something beginning with V...

[antigoon]

VALON!!!!!!

EDIT: And then after a few months didn't he say it was all an act and he was actually doing behavioral research or something?

[Arcaeus]

That sounds like something a Vanden Plas fan would say.




















...fuckin' Vanden Plas.

[ariich]

VALON!!!!!!

EDIT: And then after a few months didn't he say it was all an act and he was actually doing behavioral research or something?

That was it! Best excuse ever.

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