PAIN OF SALVATION: New Album To Receive U.S. Release In June

Sweden's PAIN OF SALVATION will release its 11th album, "Road Salt One", in the U.S. on June 8.

In a world governed by increasingly rigid rules and conformist conceptions of art, PAIN OF SALVATION has created its own niche in the international music scene. The band's new album, "Road Salt One" is the first installment of a double album project which showcases the band's outstanding emotion and intensity while leaning a little more towards modern rock with a colourful '70s flare.

Since the band's inception in 1984 (originally called REALITY then renamed PAIN OF SALVATION in 1991),frontman Daniel Gildenlöw has followed his own musical path mixing elements of metal, pop, funk, disco, blues, goth, folk, Arabian and Asian influences and, of course, prog.

"Skills and complexity should be part of the machinery, not the functionality or design," says Gildenlöw, "so I try to hide it away where the engine is supposed to be — under the hood of a machine built mainly to process ideas and emotions."

PAIN OF SALVATION's 2009 EP release, "Linoleum", was a preview of the new double album concept. The band supported its release with a string of headlining shows throughout Europe and Russia as well as on tour with DREAM THEATER in Australia.

PAIN OF SALVATION recently took part in the national Swedish competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen, with the band's very atmospheric rendition of the song "Road Salt". Although they didn't win the competition, the exposure helped catapult the digital version of "Road Salt" to No. 12 on the Swedish chart.

In addition to the title cut, "Road Salt One" includes the previous EP single/title track "Linoleum" (which was accompanied by a great energetic video). Other highlights include the captivating opening track, "No Way", the awe-inspiring "Sisters" (which will be the second single) and the acute "Where It Hurts" (which will also be put in video form).

"'Road Salt One' is twelve tracks of sweaty gravel, asphalt butterflies, untrodden paths and brave decisions," says Gildenlöw. "It will not beg for your liking, it will not make excuses, it will not carry you safely across the dangerous waters. If you don't pick up its pace, it will leave you stranded at the curb of the road. Yes, 'Road Salt One' might indeed be a harsh lover, but if you have the guts to follow it whole-heartedly and dare to surrender to its voice, it will take you places you need to visit."