The Road Salt sequence – a two-album loose, song-based concept – started in 2010 with ‘Road Salt One’ which eschewed much of the band's metal influences for a mixture of hard rock and melancholic ballads.  The continuation of the sequence in ‘Road Salt Two’ is a little harder, with fuzzy grunge guitars that drive low and dirty riffs on ‘Softly She Cries’ and a bouncy party rock beat with a couple of unexpected twists that makes ‘Conditioned’ a lot of fun to listen to.  The ballads are less delicate than on the last album – ‘Healing Now’ and ‘Through The Distance’ both build up a dynamic that develops great power from gentle beginnings.  This skill for finding powerful emotion in beautiful moments is a Pain of Salvation trademark thanks in part to Gildenlow’s awe-inspiring vocal prowess. While his style has changed over the last couple of albums, there is no question that he is still throwing himself into his takes with abandon, both gleeful and heartfelt.  With a range sweeping from dark baritone murmurs to soaring heart-rending notes and bellowing rages, one envies the man and his lungs.

Funnily enough the most disappointing aspect of the album is the keyboard sounds which for the most part sound quite cheap and lack the class that Fredrik Hermansson usually brings. This is made up for on ‘Shoreline’ which features some great synth sounds and a possible nod to Ennio Morricone in the main melody. Overall the band has taken another step in a direction – less experimental than many of their fans would hope.  There is a definite sense with their recent work of tributes to classic rock and pop of the sixties and seventies, with the focus on songwriting and raw production.  There are certainly some great riffs, distinctive choruses and a strong vitality to proceedings – Pain of Salvation are definitely still alive.

Reviewed by Mike Gilpin
Road Salt Two is out November 8th on Inside Out

You’ll like this if… you like a pre-menstrual Led Zeppelin crying on your shoulder about how all men are bastards