IN ABSENTIA

There is some heaviness on this record, but I think there is a nice balance. There are some "Lightbulb Sun" / "Stupid Dream" type songs like "Trains", "Prodigal", "The Sound Of Muzak" and "Heartattack In A Lay By". And songs like "Blackest Eyes", "Gravity Eyelids", ".3" and "Strip The Soul" that either are heavy or have some heavy outbreaks. Aviv Geffin from BLACKFIELD and John Wesley both add some background vocals on "The Sound Of Muzak" and "Prodigal".

"Blackest Eyes" opens fairly softly but that is blown away quickly by a heavy onslaught. Vocals before a minute. Man I love Steven's vocals.This song just moves me. Great chorus too "...I got people underneath my bed, I got a place where all my dreams are dead, swim with me into your blackest eyes". Riffs 3 minutes in followed by a calm, then the chorus comes back. This is one of my favourite PT songs, but then again there's a few of them on this album including the next one. "Trains" is simply classic and so tasteful. Strummed guitar and fragile vocals are so simple yet so emotional at the same time. An outbreak after a minute as Steven sings "A 60 ton angel falls to the earth, a pile of old metal, a radiant blur". Love the guitar after 2 minutes. This song is pure joy for me. "Lips Of Ashes" is psychedelic with acoustic guitar to start. Reserved vocals a minute in. Vocal melodies before 3 minutes followed by a melancholic guitar solo. Nice. "The Sound Of Muzak" opens with a good beat as the vocals come in. It has this amazing sing-a-long chorus too.The guitar solo after 2 1/2 minutes is fantastic ! Vocal melodies later. "Gravity Eyelids" is my favourite on here. I just get blown away everytime I hear the mellotron in the intro. A beat comes in then vocals as the mellotron continues. The chorus is emotional as piano and synths come in. After 4 minutes the riffs hit and run until we get a full attack. Amazing ! Check out the synths too.

"Wedding Nails" is a rip snorting instrumental. Riffs with spacey synths after 2 minutes, and I love the guitar that plays over top. "Prodigal" sounds great and the chorus sounds even better.This is just a feel good song. One of my favs. ".3" has this good bass intro as synths then drums and guitar join in. Nice rhythm to this one. A change before 3 minutes as the rhythm stops and a psychedelic haze follows.The rhythm returns 4 minutes in. "The Creator Has A Mastertape" opens with guitar and then a beat takes over. Nice bass. Processed vocals before a minute.The synths before 1 1/2 minutes sound great. A killer sound 2 minutes in as contrasts continue. "Heartattack In A Lay By" opens with the sound of cars going by as synths and guitar play gently. Vocals come in. Backup vocals 2 1/2 minutes in. Cars can be heard driving by as the song ends. "Strip The Soul" opens with an ominous bass line with synths. Drums then vocals follow. It kicks into gear before a minute.The contrast continues. Nice interlude 2 1/2 minutes in of drums and some atmosphere before it kicks back in. "Collapse The Light Into Earth" begins with piano as vocals come in. Mellotron 1 1/2 minutes in. Strings after 3 minutes.

This is the first PT album I heard and it's still my favourite.