Porcupine Tree Album: “Fear of a Blank Planet”

You know how worried you get that bands' subsequent releases are not going to measure up to the past? No worries here. This disk is simply amazing. Even for the "mellow fans" whose favorite song is Lazarus (from Dead Wing), there is something for you on FOBP. I read a past review that said this was HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY ... so I was a concerned it might be too Metal. No need to worry. It's heavy in that it's deep and lush. I love music that makes percussion an integral part of the experience--instead of just keeping time. The percussion in this is great even for PT.

I might be PT's oldest fan. Look for me at the front of the line in Boulder on 15 May. Can't wait.

This review is not really a review but more a strange (to me) historical comment. I was recently "turned onto" Porcupine Tree by Rush- I heard that Alex Lifeson was a guest guitarist on Anesthetize. I am 46 years old and have been a Rush fan since 1975 (well before most of you smarta** commentators were born : ) What is fascinating is that PT sounds nothing like RUSH but I absolutely love this music. This contradiction requires serious scientific investigation. Alex Lifeson likes them- and I'm guessing many other Rush fans will love this music even though it is very un-RUSH like. Many people have commented on PT's progressive style- but it has a very metal overtone as well. My 46 year old ears will certainly go deaf listening to PT- but I can't resist. Remarkable music- and I thought real music died long ago...Thank God for PT

Porcupine Tree have crafted two incredibly beautiful masterpieces: In Absentia and Deadwing. While those two albums are perfect in their own way, Fear of a Blank Planet blows both of them out of the water.

First of all, this album is HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY. It does have it's lighter songs like "My Ashes" and "Sentimental", but overall, this is definitely Porcupine Tree's heaviest album to date. The title track, "Fear of a Blank Planet" begins with a few light guitar strums, and then Steven Wilson's voice comes in and it booms into a field of crunchy guitars and madness. There is a bit of vocal experimentation in the title track (probably through a vocoder or something similar). "Anesthetize" is the heaviest and longest song on the album, and also the best; and the 20 second boom of chaos of guitars and drums rapidly playing around eleven minutes into the song will be sure to please all metalheads. It might even be Porcupine Tree's best song to date, surpassing "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" on Deadwing. "Way Out of Here" is about as heavy as "Anesthetize", though less than half as long; it is one of the better tracks on the album. "Sleep Together", the album's final track, ends the album with a subtle amount of heaviness and a ton of psychedelia that will please fans of Porcupine Tree's much older and forgotten material such as Up the Downstair and Signify.

Overall, Fear of a Blank Planet is another masterpiece for Steven Wilson and his amazing crew. It's also one of 2007's finest releases already. If you're a fan of Porcupine Tree, this is an essential buy. If you only like their older material and cannot except the fact that Porcupine Tree have changed (for the better, in my opinion), then avoid this album. If you're a fan of progressive metal or progressive rock, you can't really go wrong. Rating this album anything less than five stars would be slander.

Tracklisting: (My album picks are denoted with an asterisk)

01- Fear of a Blank Planet (7:28) *

02- My Ashes (5:07)

03- Anesthetize (17:42) *

04- Sentimental (5:26)

05- Way Out of Here (7:38) *

06- Sleep Together (7:19)

Here it comes, a new album from the most underrated band (but that's about to change I think). A summary for those new to the band: it's a fantastic record, but one that requires a lot of attention; if you want to get familiar with Porcupine Tree, by all means grab Fear of A Blank Planet but also get In Absentia.

First of all, speaking of album roots. I believe the album's direction was first outlined in two instrumental outtakes from Deadwing - Revenant and Mother And Child Divided. They are quite different from the other album tracks, which is probably why they were not included on Deadwing, but they'd be right at home on FOABP. So if you are familiar with those tracks, that gives you some idea of what to expect of the new album.

And now, to the album itself. It didn't blow me away the first time I listened to it like Deadwing and In Absentia did. Being much more prog that those two, it wasn't as immediately engaging. But I've listened to it three or four times, and each time liked it better that the last, and already on the second time fell in love with it. Let it grow on you.

The title track I think is only superficially similar to Deadwing: the structure is similar, but the atmospherics are very different, and the riff is the most neurotic SW has ever written; also it's heavier; a great song. My Ashes, oh my! What a beautiful song, a warmer one on an album that is soaked in coldness and alienation; and Richard Barbieri is king. The epic, Anesthesize. It's tempting to liken it to Arriving Somewhere but again, they are quite different. ASBNH is very tightly structured: it sucks you in, gradually winds up to its metal climax, then gradually winds down to the end. By contrast, Anesthesize is looser; it consists of several distinct yet intertwined pieces, and even its lyrics are divided into three parts. The parts may feel disjointed (which some reviewers commented on), and I kinda felt that way myself the first time I heard it. But even on the second time it all fell into place and its sophisticated beauty shone with all its power. Sentimental: does indeed remind of Collapse The Light Into Earth, but not as chilling. Way Out Of Here: another epic, sophisticated track. And the closer, Sleep Together, which brings industrial sound into PTree repertoire; the strings arrangements are indeed fantastic; btw they were done by Dave Stewart, presumably THE Dave Stewart.

Conclusion: FOABP is another unbelievably good album from the best band on the planet. It's a change of direction: I agree that on FOABP the band consolidated the heavier sound of In Absentia and Deadwing with their more prog-oriented records of the 90s. Richard Barbieri on keyboards shines perhaps as never before; Gavin Harrison is still one of the best drummers on Earth; low-profile Colin Edwin pumps bass as good as ever; and Steve Wilson is still a genius. This is a very cold, sad, hauntingly beatiful record. Something tells me the next album will be a little brighter. Positive reaction to FOABP could help :)

I eagerly awaited this album and was more excited about this release than that of any other album, ever (granted, I'm not that old...). I am extremely satisfied with the final product, despite some gripes here and there. Going through each track:

Fear of a Blank Planet is a terrific opener which is essentially perfect. Reminds me of the title track from Deadwing, it's about as good. The metalness is not overblown, Gavin is really good at drums, the production is epic and flawless, and the mellow ending is obviously the best part, by far. Someone wrote a review earlier that said that ending should have been edited, which I found laughable. Such impatient listeners! Perhaps Wilson has something to say about that...

My Ashes is definitely the best song on the album, though not my favorite. It is 100 percent perfect, I would not change a thing. The lyrics are haunting and not trite, which can't be said about any of the other tracks. There are no awkward or wasted seconds, and the strings are a perfect touch. This has been in and out of my top 5 PT songs in the last couple weeks.

Anesthetize. Wow. Certainly the most compelling track in recent memory, this song is absolutely amazing. Every part is captivating, I don't think any second is wasted, which says a lot considering it's an 18 minute piece. The riff at about 5 minutes, after the Lifeson solo and before the heaviness, is mind-blowingly cool, I just wish it had gone on longer or they came back to it. The lyrics in this song are the only problem I have with it, they seem quite uninspired and I don't much like the melody in the verse. Chorus is amazing though, as everyone has said. Oh, I think Gavin might be kinda good at drums too.

I'm a little ambivalent about Sentimental, the follower. It has an awesome, creative drum beat, as expected from my boy, and the chorus is definitely beautiful. The verse is pretty good, definitely like the melody but not really the words. Steven definitely didn't put his best foot forward with the lyrical content in this album, as much as I wanna believe otherwise. The Trains section at the end is really weird and I still don't get it. I assume it was intentional, but if it was I don't really see the point. I don't like the guitar solo either, there's a really weird B flat that does not belong and it hurts me every time I hear it.

Way Out of Here has a bunch of awesome musical ideas and I also really like the words. The only gripe I have is the arrangement of the song, I could have used another heavy verse. I really like the metal part and the contrasts and everything, and the ending is definitely inspired. Love the bass line too throughout the song.

Sleep Together. My goodness, this song is spectacular. That same reviewer said that it should be left off the album? Dude, are you kidding?? This is PT's best closer since Dark Matter, and it's probably even better than that. It's got the sickest groove and riff, middle section, ending, chorus, drum tone, synth ostinato...I have nothing bad to say about this song, it's absolutely amazing.

Here are the songs in order of goodness: My Ashes, Sleep, Anesthetize, Fear, Way out, Sentimental.

In order of goodness to listen to: Anesthetize, Sleep, Ashes, Fear, Way out, Sentimental.

Warfield, next Friday. Needless to say, I'm excited.