Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Porcupine Tree
Label: Lava Records
Release: 2002
Length: 68:20
Rating: 5/5
»In Absentia« can be declared, without any real hesitation, the brightest jewel in the history of Porcupine Tree, those modern prog-rock innovators and art-rock revivalists. Their seventh studio effort, which band boss Steven Wilson (a brilliant multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer) can still be proud of today, is without doubt one of the peaks of his magnificent musical career. On »In Absentia«, after the early psychedelic/space-rock phase and the later art/pop-rock phase, Porcupine Tree went through a third major evolutionary step in their sound and moved very close to what is usually labeled progressive metal. Several factors played into that.
First and foremost, the shift toward noticeably more metallic sonic waters was surely influenced by the start of Wilson’s friendship with Mikael Akerfeldt, the boss of Swedish prog-metal band Opeth. Art-rock genius Wilson produced no fewer than three Opeth studio albums between 2001 and 2003 and soaked up certain sonic influences from them in the process. The same goes the other way round, for Akerfeldt, with whom he soon became great friends and a longtime musical collaborator. Steven’s enthusiasm for a more prog-metal direction got an extra push from the birth of Blackfield, a more pop-rock-leaning project he was working on with Israeli musician Aviv Geffen. Geffen, who contributed backing vocals on two tracks on »In Absentia«, didn’t care for metal, while Wilson, after »Stupid Dream« (1999) and »Lightbulb Sun« (2000), the previous two Porcupine Tree albums, was already a bit tired of pop-rock influences and wanted to head into noticeably harsher sonic territory.
The third factor that drove the move into prog-metal waters and played a key part in the overall sonic brilliance of »In Absentia« was the change of drummer. After Porcupine Tree signed with the American label Lava, which noticeably widened their market reach, original drummer Chris Maitland decided to leave, since he wasn’t ready to take the next step, the one that suddenly pulled Porcupine Tree out of their former obscurity and made plenty of people aware of their existence for the first time. In his place came the technically more polished Gavin Harrison (a former live drummer for Renaissance, today also a member of King Crimson), who never had trouble moving between musical styles, from jazz fusion to prog metal, and who also hit his kit a lot harder than his predecessor. Harrison and bassist Colin Edwin started forming a truly killer rhythm section, one that was the envy not just of most prog-metal bands but of all modern jazz-rock fusionists too.
»In Absentia« is officially not a concept album, even though most of the lyrics are about serial killers and »professional« psychopaths, speculating on the motives that drove them to their monstrous deeds, which has always been one of Wilson’s favorite themes. At first glance plenty of people find that a bit bizarre and rather strange, since Steven is a calm, fairly introverted, cultured intellectual and not some corpse-painted, roaring metal creature. But his fascination with human monstrosity becomes a lot clearer once you know that, when researching serial killers, he was always interested in the psychological aspects that led them to their cruel acts. The remaining lyrics criticize the modern, runaway, turbo-capitalist world and lament the loss of childhood innocence. The atmosphere on most of the compositions is distinctly melancholic, at times even shockingly icy and eerie, though Wilson and co. also often show off their romantic and at times nostalgic side. Combined with the music, individual lyrics on »In Absentia« have an extraordinary power to lull an empathetic listener up to what you might call a higher level of awareness. Porcupine Tree had more or less managed that on earlier albums too, but never before in such an intense way.
It’s also worth mentioning that on several tracks you can clearly feel the compositional ethos of the legendary King Crimson, not only thanks to the many hellish guitar passages, but above all because of the numerous Mellotron waves courtesy of cult keyboardist Richard Barbieri (ex-Japan), which stir up epic moods and build a bridge between the romantic golden years of progressive rock and the rebellious, mood-driven modern prog metal. Besides, King Crimson, along with Pink Floyd, have always been Wilson’s main influence and one of his favorite progressive rock bands. Aside from the fact that Porcupine Tree’s sound on »In Absentia« got a lot harsher and a touch more compact, it also held on to its high art-rock, experimental nature, striking just the right balance to win plenty of new followers and keep most of the old ones. All the way through the album you can hear that Wilson had reached a new level, not only as a songwriter with an exceptional feel for both eclectic, complex epics and compact pieces with hit potential, but also as a guitarist. He slowly grew from a pretty average guitarist into a great innovator when it comes to crafting intelligent, interesting guitar phrases, and unlike in the past, this time he often takes the lead on solos too.
It would be very hard, in fact impossible, to single out individual tracks on »In Absentia«, since every last one is excellent in its own way and deserves equal treatment. The red-hot opening bomb »Blackest Eyes«, a hyper-intense hybrid of prog metal and art rock that wasn’t released as a single but still got decent radio play, tells the listener right away that this album is something special. Wilson and co.’s exceptional knack for combining art-rock subtlety, via gorgeous Mellotron waves and delicate, ultra-subtle acoustic guitar chords, with prog-metal energy, where brutal guitar passages and wild drum fills rule, pays off richly from the very start. Steven’s melodic vocals carry just the right dose of romantic innocence and rebellious engagement to win the listener over in an instant with their storytelling and confessional power.
The brilliant Celtic heartbreaker »Trains« is one of the best things Porcupine Tree have done so far and one more vivid proof of Steven’s compositional genius, of how to create the perfect melody, a heart-wrenching main arrangement and a subtle message. This gorgeous epic, with exceptional hit potential that sadly was never rewarded, boasts a beautiful Celtic arrangement on acoustic guitar that only grows in intensity once the other instruments join in, especially when the Mellotron waves come in. On top of it all, Wilson’s fantastic singing deepens the romantic, nostalgic and utterly epic atmosphere, and it’s easy to feel goosebumps all over. This is where the listener can say out loud »that’s it«: a perfect bridge between prog-rock classicism, shaped by studio classics like »In The Wake of Poseidon« (King Crimson, 1970), and the 21st-century prog revivalism that mixes prog-metal and alternative rock influences.
»Lips Of Ashes«, another one of the songs about human monstrosity, shakes you right away with its cold, almost icy atmosphere. Here Porcupine Tree smartly build up the intense mood through an infusion of dramatic harmonies and plenty of subtle synth textures, while Mr. Wilson impresses with simple yet highly innovative and subtle guitar phrases. »The Sound of Muzak«, where the British art-rock heavyweights use plenty of interesting effects, including vocoder, is another wonderful bridge between epic, subtle and brutal. The dark, mysterious mood grows by the second, but it’s always crowned with an exceptionally beautiful and subtle chorus, wonderfully bathed in epic Mellotron waves. Steven even allows himself a short guitar solo here, which is no great virtuoso masterpiece, but it nicely spices up and loosens the complex, unpredictable and at the same time epic nature of this wonderful composition.
The gloomy, darkly moody »Gravity Eyelids« sounds in its intro like music from a tense thriller based on a novel by the legendary Stephen King. That’s no surprise, since at the start of his musical career Wilson wrote music for TV commercials, which means he also has exceptional potential for writing film scores. Brutal guitar passages and crazed drum fills deepen the destructive, tense atmosphere, while Barbieri on keyboards doesn’t hold back on digital effects, which deepen the overall Orwellian air even more. Next to Wilson’s melancholic singing there are just enough symphonic arrangements to keep an enviable level of subtlety too. On the instrumental »Wedding Nails«, ruled by pentatonic-flavored guitar scales, the Porcupine Tree boys hit with full force from the first second, with brutal guitar phrases and wild drum stampedes. The end result is one of the heaviest creations of their career. Despite all this unusual yet fun brutality, within the individual transitions there’s still enough time for plenty of avant-garde improvisations that recall their far more psychedelic-avant-garde past.
Of everything on »In Absentia«, »Prodigal« perhaps most recalls the style of the previous album »Lightbulb Sun«, as it has quite a few pop-rock but also psychedelic tendencies that at times strongly breathe the spirit of good old Pink Floyd. A romantic acoustic guitar melody is perfectly combined with mighty Mellotron curtains, followed by an infusion of several short improvisations, placed in just the right way so they don’t topple the overall melodic structure of this excellent piece, where Wilson’s nostalgic vocals once again play the key role, switching the listener off into another reality in an instant. In the intro of the brilliant ».3«, another track with a strong King Crimson influence, and one from their legendary guitarist Robert Fripp, bassist Edwin shines in particular in the solo role, while Barbieri once again astonishes with his keyboard variety, this time fully orchestral in mood, wrapping the listener entirely in Mellotron curtains once more. Wilson faithfully follows him with subtle guitar improvisations, and the end result is a magnificent, deeply epic atmosphere that sends shivers down the listener’s spine in an instant.
On the brutal, dizzying prog-metal mincer »The Creator Has a Mastertape«, their avant-garde tendencies surface once again, above all through the escalation of barbarous drum fills, crushing guitar phrases and Wilson’s use of vocoder, which makes him sound a bit like a cyborg. You can clearly hear traces of Wilson’s work with Opeth here, but its crazy nature could only have grown in his own particular compositional garden. The post-apocalyptic ballad »Heartattack in Layby« is another utterly shattering and melancholic moment, as Wilson sits down at the piano and sings a lament that sounds like the cry of one calling out in the wilderness, someone who gave up on the modern, deranged world long ago. What impresses most here are the mighty harmonies, which help build the eerie, dark atmosphere that »In Absentia« has more than enough of.
»Strip The Soul« is another complex and above-average heavy masterpiece, a perfect picture of the art-rock eclecticism of this wonderful band. The prog-metal punch, complete with alt-rock use of vocoder, is once again in ideal harmony with plenty of avant-garde improvisations. After all this brutality and avant-garde hyperrealism, which provokes the ruined remains of a neo-Orwellian society of the early 21st century, a moment of contemplation and a break from ruthless reality is more than welcome. That’s what the closing epic masterpiece »Collapse The Light Into Earth« delivers, a Mellotron treat and the most intimate moment on the album, where Mr. Wilson, building a simple but hugely effective piano tune and using his exceptional singing, conjures up a truly magical and hypnotic atmosphere. The epic atmosphere, with the orchestral subtlety of majestic Mellotron curtains, only grows in romantic intensity and provides a triumphant ending to this exceptional album.
With »In Absentia«, an album that keeps the listener »in check« from start to finish, Porcupine Tree may well have made the greatest masterpiece of their career, and without a doubt one of the best moments in the long history of progressive rock. With it, Mr. Wilson and co. finally realized Steven’s hugely ambitious visions, reached the stability they needed as a band, and finally matured into the leading innovators of modern progressive rock. It was also the first album that got them noticed by the wider world, even landing them at the tail end of the charts in Germany and France, which was far from the commercial success they deserved, yet light-years ahead of their former obscurity. Wilson later made (and still makes) a heap of excellent records in his career, not only as a member of Porcupine Tree but also as a solo artist and a member of numerous side projects, but even he admits that »In Absentia« still holds a special place in his heart.
Lineup
Steven Wilson – guitar, piano and vocals
Richard Barbieri – keyboards
Colin Edwin – bass guitar
Gavin Harrison – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
John Wesley – backing vocals (1,4,7), guitar (1)
Aviv Geffen – backing vocals (4,7)
Dave Gregory – orchestral arrangements (8,12)
Production
Steven Wilson
Tracklist
1. Blackest Eyes (4:23)
2. Trains (5:56)
3. Lips of Ashes (4:39)
4. The Sound of Muzak (4:59)
5. Gravity Eyelids (7:56)
6. Wedding Nails (6:33)
7. Prodigal (5:32)
8. .3 (5:25)
9. The Creator Has a Mastertape (5:21)
10. Heartattack in a Layby (4:15)
11. Strip the Soul (7:21)
12. Collapse the Light Into Earth (5:52)
