One Hour By The Concrete Lake - Pain Of Salvation

I found out about this band the same way I found out about Fates Warning. That's the band I reviewed yesterday. Theses guys are also a progressive metal band from Sweden. They formed in 1984, a year after Fates Warning. When I saw the album cover to this album I thought that it was pretty cool and good. As I said I would review FZ's St Patrick's Day boot today, I am also reviewing this. Since I am a little short on time and super busy today, have to finish recording by 10pm and leaving to go somewhere at 7pm. I can only listen to this once. So sorry if this isn't exactly what you want it to be.

1. Spirit Of The Land: This is the beginning of the album. It has a type of atmospheric 90's electronic feel. I don't really know how to explain my self with this. It doesn't sound like it's good quality keys or whatever. It does serve its purpose thought and this flows good.
2. Inside: That electronic sound is continued and a drum tap comes in and is sick. After the keys or what ever end a piano riff comes in and is awesome. Then the song sky rockets. It is a strong feel. This whole entire song reminds me of a Symphony X album. The singer ever kinda sounds like Russel. The singer doesn't reach that same "fuck you up" vocal of Allen. The backing vocals even sound like Symphony. I could see this having like a supergroup and being keys Michael Pinnella and maybe drums being Thomas Miller. None the less this song leaves me with a good impression and hopes of this continuation. The ending of this song has this type of part where the vocals have this back and forth that remind me of Serj from almost any System Of A Down song. {8.3/10}
3. The Big Machine: This song sounds like it would possibly be on Paradise Lost or The Divine Wings of Tragedy. This song has a guitar part that kind of reminds me of the part in Save Me where it has that cowboy guitar part. Not western but like "dahn dahn dahn, dahn dahn, dahn". Just listen to it you'll know. It's only during a certain part in the song though, like the middle. This song didn't really keep my attention that much. It was ok but still. 
4. New Years Eve: This song starts with a bass riff that reminds me of___. The vocals on this song are kind of sincere sounding. This is a kind of boring song, in the way that it sound like Symphony. I don't really think that this song is that mind blowing.
5. Handful of Nothing: The beginning of this song, the riff and the drums and guitar lead, remind more in a way, of the 1986 Master of Puppets album by Metallica. That is over as soon as the vocals come in. The instrumentation still kind of does, but the vocals take it ways. The pre-chorus still has that type of sound that reminds me of Metallica. Just not the vocals. I mean this isn't that similar, it just slightly reminds me of it. This is an exciting song, it just doesn't excite me. I think that some other people might really like this song a lot, but its too familiar for me.
6. Water: This song still reminds me of that classic Symphony-esque sound. There is a part in this song where it reminds me of when they talk in the middle of Frodo Don't Wear The Ring by the New Zeland comedy duo Flight of The Conchords.
7. Home: This song starts out very promising. And is exciting, it grabed my attention better than almost all the tracks thus far. Until the singing comes in. The instrumental break and solo on this are cool. I don't dig the solo as much as the backing instrumentation to the solo.
8. Black Hills: This is a heavy song. The electric acoustic guitar on this album kills it for me. You have no idea. I serisly am considering turning this off. The vocals are also kind of terrible on this song. I'm not kidding. This song isn't very good. And it is really boring, for me. It doesn't help that it's 6:35 either. There is a lame attempt at this middle eastern thing.... just let this be over. Please
9. Pilgrim: FUCK! This song starts out with that damn acoustic guitar that really hurts this album for me. I feel like he is trying to do a Mike Patton impersonation from I can't think of it right now but I know it's a song of 1995's King For A Day... Fool For A Lifetime.
10. Shore Serenity: Yeah no. This song is kind of boring. What's there more to say. I don't really think that I can go on and elaborate the boring ness of this song for myself.
11. Inside Out: At over 12 minutes this is the longest song on the album. This song isn't terrible. This song reminds me of a good Symphony song. This actually reminds me of the song Iconoclast's title track. The piano in this reminds me of the piano ballad soft part in The Oddesy's title track. I fucking love those two albums and songs. This has so far given me a good feeling. This almost lets me forget the acoustic guitar solo at this part that is going in one ear and out the other. This song is probably the best song on this album. Honestly this is good enought to carry the wieght of the rest of the album. I am really digging this song. I am still going to give it this score below, but it's a little higher than before because of this song. At the like 7 minute mark the guitar solos fade out and then an interly new song fades in, it has wind chimes and stuff and is I guess a hidden track and it is just 4 minutes of atmostpheric sounds. After that the last like minute a song fades in after the vocals come in. It sounds like a train and off the tracks and chaos. And is ended with over powering strings.

Overall I would have to give this album a 3.5/10. I could seriously see this having guest appearance by Michael Pinnella, but what ever. There weren't that amazing solos, if any in the songs. This album pretty much reminded me of a  boring version of a Symphony X album from the 90's. I don't know, it was good, you might like it more than I did, just like that Brain Salad Surgery. That album was good, it's just that I've heard that too much and it made me bored. I don't know, maybe this will also grow on me. There are also parts in this where it reminds me of Metallica's more, well.... better stuff. Their more classic stuff, so before Load. I do like thought how this could kind of relate to the theme or concept of the album. I do suggest this though it you like Symphony X sounding bands, and hey it might be something new, you never know till you try it. I am going to give these guys other albums a chance to and review them some time in the future. FYI hopefully I'll review all of the Fates Warning albums.