review  by Dimitris "Heartcollector83" Theodoropoulos____   

Yes, the long awaited album of –probably- the best European progressive metal band is finally here. The songs have been ready for a year now and last year some extremely lucky people had the privilege to witness a BE live show in Sweden. It took Daniel almost a year to finish the production and the various instrument recordings and let’s see if this new experiment by Pain Of Salvation is another masterpiece or not. I call their albums experiments because they always try new ways of expressing themselves in every album and I have never heard them repeating themselves though at the same time each album has that unique feeling and trademark on the band’s sound. Maybe it’s Daniel’s incredible voice, maybe his talent of writing songs about problems that matter all of us and the word ‘concept’ never had a better meaning. BE is the new concept album of Pain Of Salvation and the concept is described on it’s title. Lyric wise it’s excellent but what matters the most is always the music so a separate song analysis will follow right now.

1. Animae Partus – A speech intro of a man and a woman. No music at all in this track, works as a prologue for the album.

‘I will call myself ‘God’ and I will spend the rest of forever trying to figure out who I am’

2. Deus Nova – A not so interesting track music wise and the lyrics are narrated and not sung. Lyrics refer to mankind’s population and how extremely it has grown the last 500 years from 425 million people in 1.500 A.D. to 6 billion people in 2.000 A.D.

3. Imago – Probably the theme melody of the album, an overwhelming song, an incredible melody, an excellent song! No, this song is NOT a heavy metal song but I don’t really care much. This tune rules. It has a medieval melody played on acoustic guitar.

‘Give me of the forest, give me of the trees – give me anything as long as it’s for me. Give me of the ocean, give me of the sea – give me of the breathe and BE’

4. Pluvius Aestivus – A very moving and touching instrumental song played on the piano and with various strings playing on the background. An excellent piece of music with a melancholic mood. The samples of raining weather add to this song a lot.

5. Lilium Cruentus – The first ‘real’ song on this album with the PoS music style and Daniel’s once again amazing voice. One of the best songs of the album with a chorus that is 100% pure Pain Of Salvation. A killer melody that knocked me off my chair.

‘Life seems too small when Death takes its toll – I need something to blame for this pain.’

6. Nauticus – A strange song with Daniel singing in way we never heard him before. I never believed this voice could be his but its really him. A slow ballad song and really emotional.

7. Dea Pecuniae – My personal favorite of the album and probably the best song. It’s divided in 3 parts and it’s once again an experimenting song for PoS. First part is a happy song with Daniel’s performance being just flawless. Second part of the song is a short sad piano tune and the third ending part is again a happy closing. This song is truly amazing and when heard while reading the lyrics it becomes much better. I can’t describe the lyrics or their concept but the song is about Mr. Money. I think that says it all. I wonder how clever can Daniel be, he’s a genious.

8. Vocari Dei – One of the most touching songs I have ever heard. The band has their fans take the main role on this one. The band plays music on the background and various fans of the band from all over their world send their message to God. Every 10 seconds you hear another person who expresses a complaint or a simple thank you to God. This track must be heard, can’t be described in these lines.

9. Diffidentia – A heavy riff opens this song and Daniel does some rapping. Yes rap but don’t get it wrong. It fits excellent with that huge riff in the background. An great break in the middle of the song with just piano and Daniel’s voice is truly amazing.

10. Nihil Morari – Another excellent song. Slow and emotional in it’s beginning, then guitars kick in later with strings in the background. A progressive metal song in the way only PoS can write.

11. Latericius Valete – A short instrumental song with acoustic guitars and orchestra in the background. Nice piece of music.

12. Omni – Another short song but which again I fail to describe it in words. The melody, Daniel’s voice, the performance… I think they’re using a church organ in this one.

13. Iter Impius – What can I say about this song. The only composition of the album that’s written by Fredrik and it’s a mind blowing piano ballad with so much emotion in Daniel’s singing and a chorus melody that makes me wonder where does he find so much inspiration. Drums come in the song along with strings later and at 6 minutes this song never ever gets boring. Heavy guitars also make their presence in the ending of the song. Sorry but I fail to describe such compositions. Struggles along with track 7 for which is the best song of the album.

14. Martius / Nauticus II – The perfect track for closing this album. A 100% progressive song, the theme melody from track 3 makes it’s appearance in the ending of this song.

15. Animae Partus II – Not really a song, just silence and after 4 minutes a child saying ‘There’s room for all God’s creatures right next to the smashed potatoes’

            For fans of the band this album will be a real treat and I am sure you’ll be stuck with it for a really long time, you won’t listen to nothing else in the first days when you get it. This album requires the lyrics to be heard and understood well enough. For people who thought Pain Of Salvation’s music is boring and difficult to understand don’t get this album because it’s the most experimenting album they ever did and they set new meanings to the word ‘progressive’. It’s a masterpiece, an album that only minds such as Daniel’s can write. The music is so intelligent and the lyrics were written after years of studies. It isn’t the best PoS album (I think the title goes to their previous cd Remedy Lane) but it’s one all time classic album. For many people the album of the year, for me another excellent and almost flawless album by a band that never releases something bad. The album needs many listens and when it will start unrolling it’s majestic music you will be on a train ride across a progressive journey and a man’s attempt to explain our being in this world.   

rating:   9.9/10

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