The Soundtrack of Our Lives – Extended Revelation for the Psychic Weaklings of Western Civilization (1998)

This is the second album by the Swedish rock band The Soundtrack of Our Lives. It's mostly known by the title Extended Revelation, but the full name is the very long 'Extended Revelation for the Psychic Weaklings of Western Civilization'. This is by far the most psychedelic album by the band. The other albums also have some psychedelic elements in them, but they're more straightforward rock, where this album has long and hypnotic rock anthems that seem to draw most of its influences from late-60s psychedelic era. This album doesn't have that many hits and that's probably why I haven't listened to this album perhaps as much as the other ones, but I really like the more experimental approach of this album. For those of you who don't know TSOOL, they are experts in big-sounding alternative rock that works brilliantly live.



I discovered TSOOL after their third album Behind the Music. It's still my favourite album by them. Behind the Music was definitely the album that made TSOOL famous beyond Sweden. That's probably why I was a bit surprised when I started listening to the first two albums how incredible albums they were as well. It seemed bonkers that this band didn't break big immediately with such good rock albums. Perhaps some of their sounds are a bit retro and the time wasn't exactly right for them, but I think there's something quite timeless in their music. They write amazing melodies and even if they're not very experimental in their instrumentation, I really like the production.

The album starts with strange and slow instrumental song called Regenesis. If you look at the album cover, this song sounds like the winding of a clock to release the energy that is about to follow. In that way, it's the classic intro song. The first actual song, Psychomantum 2000 starts with shamanistic voices that slowly turn into hypnotic rock song that owes its atmosphere almost solely to late 60s Pink Floyd and The Beatles. Let it Come Alive turns on a more aggressive garage rock gear. As the song progresses, out come the apparent Syd Barret era Pink Floyd influences. Interstellar Inferiority Complex takes a more playful approach. Parts of the song are purposefully played slightly out of key. There's similar kind of circus atmosphere in the song as in some early Blur songs. Century Child is one of my favourite songs on the album. It features a thing that TSOOL does really well, growing a song from quiet to explosively loud. There's also some of that famous Nordic melancholy in the melody. Safety Operation sounds a lot more like other TSOOL albums. It's an upbeat power pop song with proper rock attitude. Impacts & Echoes starts with organ sounds that almost sound like Interpol, but when the vocals kick in, it becomes clear that you're in for a lot lighter treat. This is a happy kind of hippy song. Aqua Vera delivers some more of the strange psychedelia that we heard in the intro. It's sort of a halfway song. From Gravity to Gold kicks in mostly acoustic and there's a very strong Americana roots sound in the song. So Far has pounding tom drums and hippie guitars that twirl on like a summer day. Serpentine Age Queen starts of ominously with shamanistic strings and clinking metal instruments. It has some serious George Harrison influences. Black Star is probably the best song on the album. It has a very dark melody and beautiful intensity towards the end. This song shows what a great rock singer Ebbot Lundberg is. Love Song #3105 is a strange and hypnotic song that sounds like a strange dream. Jehovah Sunrise is the most obvious hit song from the album. I have no idea why the band has thought it a good idea to leave it the second to last song, because the way it hooks the listener in its growing beauty is truly captivating. The album ends with All for Sale, which is a classic ending to a rock album with slow tempo calmness.

I don't know if there are music videos made for this album. At least I couldn't find them. Then again, I think it's only appropriate to share a live video instead, because TSOOL is above all else a fantastic live band. This live version of Jehovah Sunrise is perhaps a bit lazy in the beginning, but as the song goes on, it becomes apparent how charismatic Ebbot Lundberg is in his vocals and Jesus outfit.

I haven't listened to TOOL that much recently. I was maybe a bit bored with their more classic rock style for a while, but now that I'm again appreciating authentic instrumentations a lot more, I think I should listen to them a lot more. It's fantastic to hear such amazing psychedelia played with analog instruments. Electronic music has never, in my opinion, managed to give such amazing emotions in the music.

Listen to the album on Spotify.