The name “Pain of Salvation” was devised by Daniel Gildenlöw, whose intention was to incorporate the notion of balance, which he believed to be of vital significance, e.g. good and bad, light and dark, life and death; pain and salvation.

“I wanted a name that meant something, a name that was more than a cool expression. For me, Pain of Salvation has the meaning of balance. Taking the good with the bad. It is also a good expression in everyday use, when something does not go the way you planned; “well, that’s just the pain of salvation,” to indicate that this is just a slight setback on an otherwise painless journey towards your goal.” [1] “The idea with the name is that everything has two sides, everything is in balance.” [2] “Imagine yourself exhausted in the middle of a desert… Sitting down will be easier and save your energy, and it will be far less painful, but in the long run it will kill you. Standing up to walk and search for water will hurt and cost more energy, but it may be the thing that saves your life.”