Daniel Gildenlow and Co. are back with their eleventh studio album (yes, eleven!), this one titled Panther, once again on InsideOut Music. Though Daniel recorded much of the album by himself, the current line-up of the band consists of:
Daniel Gildenlöw-lead vocals, guitars and more
Johan Hallgren- guitars, vocals
Léo Margarit- drums, vocals
Daniel Karlsson- keyboards, guitars, vocals
Gustaf Hielm- bass, vocals
With lyrical content that is all too relevant in today's world, Panther is a moody, often times bleak look at the societies that we all live in these days. The opening 1-2 punch of "Accelerator" and "Unfuture" are both dark, serious progressive metal fare with all the trademark PoS elements, the stop/start staccato riffing, moody atmosphere, the occasional dub-step, industrial synths and drumming, and Gildenlow's intoxicating array of vocal styles. "Wait" and even more so "Keen to a Fault" offer up dreamy soundscapes over which the vocals float in and out of the mix, proggy keyboards bubbling and bleeping with less of a guitar impact, but the results are no less alluring, but the real moment of surprise comes with the title track, "Panther". Here, Daniel drops in some hip-hop styled vocals over trippy electronica and techno/dub-step arrangements, which might be controversial for some, though this band has dabbled in this type of thing before, and the results come across pretty damn good, heavy at times, and tranquil at others. "Species" returns to darker progressive metal musical themes, the riffs elastic and the keyboards symphonic, while the 13+ minute closer "Icon" ends things in style, full of bombast and drama, with layers of vocals, tasty guitar passages, intricate drumming, and soothing keyboard textures.
Perhaps it's unfair to compare Panther to the band's 2017 masterpiece In the Passing Light of Day, but truth be told this latest from Pain of Salvation is another excellent release from them and another fine addition to what has become a highly noteworthy catalog.
Track Listing
1. ACCELERATOR
2. UNFUTURE
3. RESTLESS BOY
4. WAIT
5. KEEN TO A FAULT
6. FUR
7. PANTHER
8. SPECIES
9. ICON
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
