I am going to post this, and likely won't do a ton of editing later, but this is a list of Favorite Songs from Pain of Salvation, in a vaguely ranked order (the top 5-10 are more solid, 11-40 could probably be interchanged, plus I'm likely forgetting some songs I do love, but have not listened to in over a decade).
But this was inspired largely from some discussion on the dreamtheaterforums and also more or less since In the Passing Light of Day was released in 2017 and the reverence and praise for the 15-minute closing track that I fail to hear the genius behind, especially just comparing it to so many other songs they (Daniel Gildenlow) has written and recorded.
The below list is both a Favorite Tracks list and I don't think it's a stretch to say every single one of these songs are better, or in some cases A LOT BETTER AND MORE MEMORABLE OR GOOSE-BUMP WORTHY (or at least include moments that are), than the title track to In the Passing Light of Day).
Is In the Passing Light of Day a bad song? no. It has a decent chorus. The lyrics I can follow the sympathy and and relate-ability to. But for me, and many others, how much I love a song can come down to is how much I enjoy it MUSICALLY.
ItPLoD DRAGS to me and fails to have any HUGE MAGICAL MOMENT that so many of the tunes below have. Even just the chorus, while not bad, is done at such a slow tempo, it doesn't include as strong of an ear worm as many of the below tracks have.
I would say, unless hearing it more and changing my take, the title track may be the most overrated song Pain of Salvation's fans have ever put onto a high pedestal.
King of Loss for example, back in the day was, and I'll admit I initially only thought it was okay, but I had kind of a Led Zeppelin-Bring it on Home moment with it a year or 2 after buying The Perfect Element I, and realize how incredible it was. The Strings and climax just blew me away.
Plus I kind of feel the lyrics get too dreary and bleak, the music doesn't include enough of a contrast with beauty (melancholy) that allows me to enjoy them. Sure, it's about the hard/harsh reality Daniel was going through with the I'm sure what seemed like never ending mincing-pain from the effects of Flesh Eating Bacteria eating away at his body. But from an ART standpoint, the music and words didn't bring me the "oh my god " moments that many other songs and sections of songs do.
It's just dreary, bleak, etc. Kind of like going to a Hospital and seeing a loved one suffer. There's no enjoyment or even comic relief often. It's only something you want to do and get over with.
It reminds me of Doom or Drone Metal. There's not enough sound in it to grab onto. The best part is when it's over, etc.
40. Fandango
39. The Taming of a Beast
38. Water
37. Winning a War
36. Disco Queen
35. Ending Theme
34. Dea Pecuniae
33. To the Shoreline
32. Rope Ends
31. Idioglossia
30. Sisters
29. Used
28. Mrs. Modern Mother Mary
27. Stress
26. Meaningless
25. Lilium Cruentus
24. Imago
23. This Heart of Mine (I Pledge)
22. The Physics of Gridlock
21. Chainsling
20. On a Tuesday
19. Inside
18. Martius / Nauticus II
17. ! (Forward)
16. Home
15. Nightmist
14. Enter Rain
13. Reconciliation
12. Undertow
11. Flame to the Moth
10. Her Voices
9. Inside Out
8. Plains of Dawn
7. A Trace of Blood
6. King of Loss
5. Iter Impius
4. In the Flesh
3. People Passing By
2. Beyond the Pale
1. The Perfect Element
