DEADWING

Deadwing has been perhaps the most anticipated PT album to date given the unprecedented success of 'In Absentia' both in Europe and the US. After the release of 'In Absentia', Steven Wilson, singer/songwriter/guitarist/founder & mastermind behind PT, decided to take some time off which he spent on other projects (Blackfield, No-man, Bass Communion) and producing several rock/metal albums.

In the past year or so, the PT fan base became extremely anxious to see what direction the band would finally decide to take with the new album. In my experience, I have learnt that there is only one universal constant in Porcupine Tree, and that is that it will change. Since the band's inception in 1991, PT has evolved drastically, incorporating many different musical influences such as psychedelia, ambient, trance, prog/space rock, pop rock, and recently, prog metal. At each step of the way, they have alienated many of their earlier fans but they've survived by turning new people to their sound (kind of what happened to Dylan in the 60s/70s).

'Deadwing' is no exception, and the metal influence hinted on 'In Absentia' takes a lead role here. I know of several people who haven't enjoyed this album as much as the others but I think that those who are able to listen without prejudice are sure to find that distinctive PT sound contained within the darker and heavier music of 'Deadwing'.

Another interesting thing worth mentioning is that, since 1993, every new PT album has been hailed by the fans, the critics, the press and even by the band members themselves as 'their best so far'. That desire to continuously transform themselves is one of the most respectable qualities of this remarkable band.

So what can be said of the new album itself? The concept behind Deadwing is loosely based on a ghost story written by Steven Wilson. Below I review the whole album, track by track:

Deadwing: The song kicks off with an overdubbed keyboard pattern that is played continuously throughout which also introduces the sounds of a train approaching a London Underground tube station. As the doors open we hear the announcement 'Mind the Gap' and the entire band kicks in with a heavy but pleasant guitar riff. Thus, the album starts in a similar vein to 'In Absentia' with that Crimson-esque soft-LOUD pattern (think 21st Century Schizoid Man, A Man A City, Level Five, etc.). Steven's vocals in this song are slightly distorted but flow as beautifully as ever. There is also some whispering which I don't care much for, but the whispers help to enhance the dark and eerie atmosphere of the song. The keyboards play a prominent role in the first few minutes, with a powerful mellotron sound which surrounds Wilson's biting guitar riffs. Actually, this song features some excellent heavy guitar riffs, which appear often syncopated with the keyboard pattern which pulsates throughout the song. The first guitar solo is played over some beautiful acoustic guitar and this leads to some lovely vocal harmonies as only PT can do them. There is also a very nice passage featuring some wonderful guitar feedback and a short bass solo which leads to a frenetic guitar spot by Adrian Belew. Overall, Deawing is composed of 3 or 4 different passages which are alternated at different intervals. I have really come to appreciate this song since I first heard it and I now regard it as the very best opening track to any PT album, and it's easily among my all time favourite PT songs. It gets a hell of a lot better with every listen!

Shallow: Unfortunately, such an excellent opening track leads to the album's first single which, in my opinion, is one of the worst songs PT have ever written (with the possible exception of 'Four Chords that Made a Million' and some of the shorter experimental pieces on 'On the Sunday of Life'). To my ears this song sounds like a pathetic attempt to cash in on the US teenage market. It features a very simple heavy guitar riff which is repeated 'ad nauseam' and an angry chorus immersed in some extremely heavy and mindless riffs. I admit I was hugely disappointed when I first heard Shallow, but I can sort of understand now why Steven decided to include it: it is commercial, it is simple, and it is angry. Thus, it will be sure to attract many members of the Heavy & Death metal camps and consequently help to increase the album sales. Steven himself defined Shallow as 'a dumb American metal song as PT would do it' and to me, it is no wonder that it was dropped so quickly from the setlist in the current tour after just a few performances. It just doesn't sound like Porcupine Tree at all, and it shouldn't have been included in the album, let alone as the single! Thus, the presence of Shallow is really a no-win situation: those who love the PT sound will probably hate it, and those who buy Deadwing on the 'strength' of Shallow will be disappointed to find a non- commercial prog album.

Lazarus: Things get better with the next track, but only a little. Although Lazarus is completely different from Shallow, being much softer and gentler, I still think it's another blatant attempt at a commercial single. I've got nothing against such attempts but it's really a shame that the band has chosen songs which are not at all representative of their sound. They miss that distinctive quality and talent that makes PT so great. In fact, I really think that these 2 singles are by far the worst songs on the album. Lazarus itself sounds a bit like a lame Robbie Williams love ballad, and it gets rather tedious after only a few listens. Although PT are able to write fantastic love songs, this one just sounds very artificial and is probably the result of pressures from their record label to write an instantly likeable commercial song. It does feature some nice piano and acoustic guitar work but nothing memorable.

Halo: Following the two commercial singles, Halo continues where Deadwing left off. The song kicks with a great bass line and another repetitive percussive rhythmic pattern which is played throughout the song. The vocals are again distorted but the chorus is catchy and powerful. The lyrics, inspired (I presume) by 9/11, and the Afghanistan & Iraq conflicts, explain how God serves as an effective means of manipulation by using it's authority to justify any action, regardless of how immoral it may be:

God is in my fingers God is in my head God is in the trigger God is in the lead God is freedom God is truth God is power God is proof God is fashion God is fame God gives meaning God give pain.

You can be right like me. With God in the hole you're a righteous soul I got a halo round me, I'm not the same as you Cos I've seen the light and I'm gaining in height Now I got a halo round me, I got a halo round my head

God is on the cellphone God is on the net God is in the warning God is in the threat.

The guitar riffs are again quite heavily distorted but they are never as overpowering as they were on Shallow. Adrian Belew guests again on this track although his solo doesn't fit as well as his one on Deadwing. Overall however, this song is extremely powerful, both lyrically and musically, and is a significant improvement over the two tracks preceeding it. I should also add that this song works much better live, given that the rhythmic pattern I mentioned is much more prominent, and the imagery shown on stage helps to enhance its power and its message.

Arriving Somewhere but not Here: This song, clocking at 12 minutes, is the centrepiece of the album. At one of the gigs I attended, Steven introduced this song as 'being extremely difficult to play'. It really is an ambitious piece, full of keyboard loops and guitar sounds. In many ways, it features some of the best guitar work Steven has ever done, combining the different styles and influences he has acquired throughout his musical career. The singing is absolutely beautiful, with stunning echo effects and several overdubbed vocal harmonies. The bass playing is also phenomenal, and the keyboards are much more audible than on 'In Absentia' material. But, as I said, the highpoint of the song is the guitar playing, which evolves as the song progresses combining simple guitar solos with loops, feedback, and heavy metal riffs. Halfway through the song, the piece is transformed into a dark evil beast which emerges out of nowhere and really takes the listener by surprise. It's actually heavier than I would like it to be, but it's brevity and the excellent guitar work contained within it makes up for it's heaviness. Following this death metal passage, the piece is suddenly reduced to a simple electronic drum pattern and a beautiful guitar solo, which is backed up by a few piano chords. The song then concludes with the inital melody, eventually fading into the distance. Perhaps my only complaint is the drumming, which is awfully monotonus throughout the song and indeed for much of the album. I really don't understand why Gavin Harrison chose to adopt such a simplistic approach in this album given his exciting and complex contributions to 'In Absentia'. Still, this is a feeble complaint, and overall this track stands together with the opening track well above the rest of the album.

Mellotron Scratch: Despite it's title, this song does not feature that instrument. This was the first song I instantly liked upon first hearing the album and I now regard it as one of the best acoustic songs in the entire PT catalogue. The guitar playing is syncopated with another elctronic drum beat as in the quiet section of Arriving. The arrangement of this piece really reminds me of the first half of Gravity Eyelids from 'In Absentia'. The acoustic guitar is combined with some very nice soft electric guitar, but the real treat of this song are the vocal harmonies. They are as beautiful as the ones in Heartattack in a Layby, as complex as the ones in How is Your Life Today?, and as powerful as those found on Shesmovedon. Steven overdubs his voice almost half a dozen times in a single passage creating a wonderful and extremely beautiful collage of multipart vocal harmonies which are somewhat reminiscent of what Gentle Giant was capable of doing live in the 1970s. The vocals harmonies reach a climax in the last 30 seconds of the song when all the instruments are faded and you're left to absorb the complexity and beauty of the vocal harmonies alone.

Open Car: Open Car starts with some heavy guitar riffing similar to the one found in Shallow. However, you should not be fooled by this opening. These metal riffs quickly lead to a beautiful acoustic chorus which serves as a perfect balance to the heavy metal opening. The piece closes with a very nice acoustic guitar solo and very melancholic vocals. It really is a shame that this song is so short! Overall, a brief but very well thought out prog-rock piece.

The Start of Something Beautiful: The ending of Open Car leads to a thick bass line and some interesting guitar harmonics. The drumming here is far better than on Arriving, serving as the perfect companion to the repeated bass line. There are also some synthesizers which appear and disappear like waves throughout the piece. The chorus features heavy guitar licks and very distorted vocals which, if anything, enhance the power of the music. Finally, there is also a short percussion solo and some really beatuiful piano/guitar interplay which closes the song. In my opinion, this piece combines the different moods contained in the previous songs and would've therefore served as an excellent closer to the album.

Glass Arm Shattering: Given the majestic ending of the previous track, Glass Arm Shattering serves as an epilogue to the album. It is drastically different form the rest of the songs on 'Deadwing', being much closer in style to the earlier (mid-90s) PT sound. It features some very nice glissando guitar and extended vocal harmonics although it drags a bit towards the end. Still, it allows you to slow yourself down after the rather intense experience of the preceeding songs.

To conclude, Deadwing represents another significant step forward for a band which I'm sure will continue to progress and develop their sound in the coming years. I myself can't wait to hear their next record. The next big thing if you're new to this band is to trace back the progression of all their previous albums. Their entire back catalogue is worth having if you've enjoyed what you've heard so far.

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