Pain Of Salvation - Be (DVD)

Year of Release: 2005
Label: InsideOut Music
Catalog Number: SPV563 / 40907
Format: CD
Total Time: 69:32:00

Be is so much more than just a very good, very ambitious record by a gifted group of musicians. I made my opinion of Pain Of Salvation's extremely ambitious new album Be very clear in my review, posted on these hallowed pages in September 2004 - so what could the DVD possibly offer that the CD didn't?

Well after staring at the TV screen mesmerized for an hour, and playing it again and again, I have to confess that I now have a better far appreciation of the music. In addition a friend from Turkey has been waxing lyrical about Pain of Salvation for several weeks, which caused me to revisit the band's back catalog. You educated me, Murat, and this DVD has me sold.

The DVD was recorded over two performances in a series of live shows played on a purpose-built stage at Lokomotivet, an industry hall in Eskilstuna, Sweden. And what a stage it is - clutter-free but for acoustic guitars fixed in stands, huge, tiered and shaped, with a big pool of water in an arrow-shaped pond. Elements of the nine piece "Orchestra of Eternity" were dispersed in various locations, and the band members were spread apart for a clean and dramatic look. I wish the videographers had recorded more footage of the whole stage, properly lit, to provide an appreciation of its scale. Interestingly, it's the same stage where the band played a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. The filming shows more close-ups of the musicians hands in the keyboards and fretboards than usual, but more would have been better - even if they were imbedded as alternate viewing angles. The DVD includes a copy of the audio CD and a 50-page booklet, and sounds excellent on 5.1 audio. (Look for the Easter eggs on the video!)

Be was the culmination of years of study of religion, philosophy, existentialism, theology, teleology (the exploration of all natural processes being directed toward an end or shaped by a purpose) and ontology (a branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being). Deep stuff indeed, and not a subject that lends itself naturally to music. So Pain Of Salvation's answer to that challenge was to introduce a huge variety of disparate elements to the music. Like the CD, the DVD starts with a philosophical vocal segment that sets the mood for the rest of the album. The live performance is close to the CD, though not exactly the same. The lyrics differ and some of the CD's skits are absent, but then, it was recorded before the studio release. It also has numerous vocal inserts that lend credence to the concept, but frankly get old after multiple viewings.

But Be is about the music - and what music it is! It ranges from a wonderful classically oriented piece in which the editors wisely focus on the pianist Frederik Hermannson's technique, to a folksy piece, to metal, to deep southern blues to huge soundscapes of orchestra-backed symphonic progressive rock. There's a big array of instruments, and in many parts it takes on the grandiose feel of a 1970s rock opera. Among the instruments is what looks like a mandola, but with a guitar's string and fret layout, apparently built by Daniel's grandfather. Rather than using a conductor, the shows were played over a click-track which also ran loops and kept the performers honest, with no possibility of re-takes.

There are constant costume changes and lighting color changes. There's a section in which band leader and key songwriter Daniel Gildenl?w kneels in the pool, dips his hair into the water, pulls on a wet jacket and makes a show of tying up his hair and donning a pair of sunglasses, and he starts singing the next ballad barefoot in the water. This is just one example of the showmanship on the video. The many symbolic actions like this look extremely pretentious on the surface, but don't write them off. There's clear purpose to these actions. I've watched the DVD several times, and still more viewings will be required to unearth the many facets of this video. It's that sort of a production, and Be is that sort of music.

Listen to the commentary track. It's the whole DVD played as normal, but with an overlay of Daniel and Frederik talking you through the production and the symbolism. Very enlightening.

Be is melodramatic and pretentious, and borders on brilliant - and the DVD works beautifully. By definition, being a live show, the DVD ought to be worse than the CD. Don't ask why, but I find that I far prefer the DVD. The CD seemed to lack cohesion but the clearer visual representation of the symbolism on the DVD pull the whole thing together. Be is so much more than just a very good, very ambitious record by a gifted group of musicians. It's flawed in parts, but on balance, it's a bloody masterpiece.

Tracklisting:
Deus Nova / Imago / Pluvius Aestivus / Lilium Cruentus / Nauticus / Dea Pecuniae / Vocari Dei / Diffidentia / Nihil Morari / Latertius Valette / Omni / Iter Impius / Matius/Nauticus II / Animae Partus II

Musicians:
Daniel Gildenlöw - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Frederik Hermannson - grand piano, harpsichord
Johan Langell - drums, percussion, vocals
Kristoffer Gildenlöw - acoustic basses, cello
Johan Hallgren - guitar, vocals

Discography:
Entropia (1998)
One Hour By The Concrete Lake (1999)
The Perfect Element (2000)
Remedy Lane (2002)
12:5 (2004)
Be (2004)
The Orchestration Of Eternity - Be (original stage production)
Scarsick (2007)
Linoleum (EP) (2009)
Ending Themes (On The Two Deaths Of Pain Of Salvation) (2009)
Road Salt One (2010)
Road Salt Two (2011)
Falling Home (2014)
The Passing Light Of Day (2016)

Be - Live DVD (DVD) (2005)
Ending Themes (On The Two Deaths Of Pain Of Salvation) (DVD) (2009)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin SE

Added: May 16th 2005
Reviewer: Duncan N Glenday
Score:
Artist website: www.painofsalvation.com
Hits: 3442
Language: english