Album Rating: 4.5

It took me way too long to get into these guys. Unfortunately I had a few prog friends in high school who vehemently hated this band, so it deterred me for a long time... but once I actually heard their work, my reaction was like "what the fuck were you guys on?" lol

Album Rating: 5.0

Yeah this band is weirdly underrated in certain circles. I think a lot of prog metal fans have a certain discomfort with Gildenlöw's emotionally honest songwriting.

Personally, I think this is what prog metal should always be. If you're going to make complex music, that complexity should be justified by emotional depth.

Album Rating: 4.5

I think it's a combination of that, and the fact that many of those fans are used to the more technically dazzling and shred-filled take on the genre. But the way PoS restrain themselves from going down that path is exactly why I love them so much



There also seems to be a weird narrative around them being a more edgy, emo take on the genre, which is one of the things those high school friends explicitly singled out. Never really understood that take tbh. And even if they are have a more "emo" style, so what? At least it would help them stand out in the sea of other prog metal bands. But then again, this is the late 00s prog metal fandom we're talking about... anything that deviates from the main tenets of the genre MUST suck

Album Rating: 5.0

I think you both are right.

But in my case it was love at first sight. They were one of the bands that made me love prog metal. They were my baptism in these style with Dream Theater, Ayreon, Opeth and Fates Warning.