To be able to reveal the roots of Swedish Pain of Salvation, we have to go back to 1984 when vocalist/guitarist Daniel Gildenlow formed the band Reality at the mere age of 11. Despite their youth they received attention in Swedish media because of their musical capacity.

At the fall of 1987 Reality qualify to the Swedish Annual Music Contest "Rock-SM" (the same contest that made Swedish “Europe” big in the early eighties) as the youngest competitors ever. Daniel Gildenlow also wins the prize for Best Vocalist. The same year the band attends the Beatles festival, also as the youngest participators.

In 1990 the band sees some member shifts, as Magnus Johansson replaces Joakim at the bass, and Johan Langell (then 14 years old) replaces the former drummer Mikael, as key composers Gildenl