IN ABSENTIA

"In Absentia" is the third of the lauded PT era and perhaps their most beloved work. All of these titles are excellent albums and I've yet to absorb them all over enough time. This album took on a more aggressive stance with the addition of more metal riffing and is also notable for the entrance of Gavin Harrison on drums. Harrison is equivalent to Neil Peart to many prog fans and his talents give PT a huge advancement in their sound. "Blackest Eyes" and "Sound of Muzak" continue the band's flirtation with quality modern pop-rock melody while "Heartattack in a layby" and "Gravity Eyelids" provide the eerie Wilson vision that continues to evolve with each release, something beautiful and sinister at the same time. The combination of moods in the songs and styles in the approach are what make this band so successful, and the next two titles would continue to build on this one.