Porcupine Tree
In Absentia

THE REVIEW

Pure emotions. That’s all you can expect when Steven Wilson is involved, one of the many misunderstood geniuses of today’s music scene, on par with the likes of Daniel Gildenlow, Roine Stolt, Neal Morse, and the rest...

In this "In Absentia", dated 2002, emotions truly reach their peak. The 12 tracks of this work seem crafted to enter the heart and from there be pumped throughout the entire circulatory system. This is surely thanks to the new sound the band has been offering since the times of "Stupid Dream"; if in the first four albums psychedelia, the heavy use of distorted sounds, and spatial synthesizers in perfect Pink Floyd style were predominant, now the P.T. opt for a sound that is decidedly more delicate, less psychedelic and filled with much warmer and more sentimental sounds; and "In Absentia" is pure confirmation of what was proposed in the previous two works "Stupid Dream" and "Lightbulb Sun" and continues to offer exquisite acoustic parts, delicate and subtle keyboard backgrounds, and piano touches capable of taking the listener beyond what he can see with his eyes and lose his gaze beyond the horizon, yet heavier riffs that the new sound of the band entails are not lacking. And in this work it seems that all this reaches perfection.

The most touching and atmospheric track is undoubtedly, in my opinion, "Gravity Eyelids" where the keyboard background is full-bodied and determined even if it has to contend with the excellent "Prodigal" and above all ".3"; but the peak of emotions is reached in the splendid and melancholic "Heartattack In A Lay By" and "Collapse The Light Into Earth" where we let ourselves be carried away by an intense and lively piano and truly profound and well-arranged orchestrations. The acoustic fineness is perfected instead in the excellent "Trains" and "The Sound Of Muzak" and "Lips Of Ashes", while heavier riffs are found in the opener "Blackest Eyes", in the instrumental "Wedding Nails" where there is also a daring rhythmic play, in the sharp sounds of "The Creator Has A Mastertape" and in "Strip The Soul", also supported by an excellent bass groove.

And an unfortunate moment? Is there one? No, there isn’t, every track is curated in every detail; Steven Wilson is someone who doesn't want to know what superficiality is... because superficiality leads to loss of quality, loss of class, and he knows it well! Consequently, every album he gives us is listened to till the last track without thinking there might be a bum note and especially without boredom, thrilling till the last note!

Porcupine Tree is truly a band that makes a difference in today's prog scene; a band that wants to avoid comparisons with the more famous colleagues and therefore creates its own style, common to very few others, never afraid of being misunderstood! A recommendation especially for those tired of the usual prog and who truly want a more evolved and dreamy prog!