Porcupine Tree - 2007 - Fear of a Blank Planet [TQMP]

____________________________________________________________________________ | | | Porcupine Tree - 2007 - Fear of a Blank Planet |:: | |:: | Ripped w/EAC v1.0b2 (Secure) :: Encoded w/FLAC v1.2.1 -8 |:: |____________________________________________________________________________|:: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: +--------------+ +------+ Pack / Files +--------------------------------------------------------+ | +--------------+ | | No. of Files / Size _____ 20 files / 324.85MB (340,628,285 bytes) | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +--------------+ +------+ Audio Source +--------------------------------------------------------+ | +--------------+ | | Type / Quantity _________ CD (Compact Disc) (* 1) | | Date Released ___________ 16th of April, 2007 | | User Rating _____________ 4.1/5 (1277 ratings) | | Genre(s) ________________ Progressive Rock | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +--------+ +------+ Review +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | +--------+ | | A lonely teenager sits on a couch, watching the TV and zapping with his | | remote. He's just gamed his fingers to death with his new Xbox. His | | parents try to talk him out of his lazy habitual lifestyle. He does not | | respond. They try again, but he ignores them no matter what, his eyes | | blank and still staring straight at the electronical screen before him. | | Eventually his parents just give up, leaving him to wallow in his own | | self-absorbed terrible way of living. | | | | This is the picture of youth Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree sketches in | | the opening track of his latest release, Fear Of A Blank Planet. His | | decidedly haunting lyrical poetics set the tone for what now already is | | about to become one of the best albums of the year, not in the least | | because of the strengths of this album, which lie where they have always | | lain for this band: the invoking of atmosphere and a sense of | | psychedelia, layered with thick bass lines, complex drum patterns and | | melodic guitar riffs. | | | | The aforementioned riffs are definitely what make the atmosphere on this | | album. Wilson chugs out riffs that are louder, darker, more atmospheric, | | harder, just overall more evil than they usually are. Aided by some | | cutting edge lyrics of angst and harsh social criticism interwoven in | | the songs, the album's moods range from melancholy to raging to | | clinically depressed. This is the first Porcupine Tree outing ever that | | I have seen that has gone full throttle on the dark side of life like | | this. The whole disc retains this atmosphere due to the lyrical content | | of the album being themed around one thing: the sorry state of youth. It | | is a miserable ride through destroyed teenage lives all the way | | through. | | | | And his riffs are not just atmospheric or moody. They can be plain | | monstrous at times. If you have been impressed by Opeth or Dream Theater | | riffs, just wait till you hear the musical orgasm that is Anesthetize. | | Containing all the core elements of the PT sound in one seventeen minute | | plus epic, it begins in a psychedelic mood more reminiscent of Pink | | Floyd with too much mellotron-esque feel. It slowly moves on and on, | | until it breaks into a middle part which shows a panorama of metal riffs | | that would make Mikael Akerfeldt accuse Wilson of blatant plagiarism, | | that's just how badass and evil this piece is. And it's not just Wilson | | who shines on here. The band brought in Alex Lifeson (yes, the famous | | Rush guitarist), who delivers a top-notch guitar solo in the song, and | | additionally, Gavin Harrison's drumming is just jaw-dropping. It's | | incredibly tight too; when at the eleven-minute-mark Wilson throws open | | the guitar sound full throttle it sounds like all hell breaks loose, but | | due to the drumming not a second of this outburst of violence can be | | regarded as misplaced. To put it in one word: astounding. | | | | Next to Anesthetize and the title track, which show some of the heavy | | sides of the band, Porcupine Tree know that they are not a complete all | | -out metal band destined to kick your ass. They let down the tempo on | | two tracks. While My Ashes is a decidedly dodgy ballad in the sense that | | it tries to be Trains, but fails, Sentimental is a more than adequately | | upgraded version of Lazarus. A great ballad that allows you a breather | | in between two of the heaviest tracks of the band's impressive | | catalogue. As Wilson croons out how he doesn't want to really go | | anywhere and sees that he can't blame his parents for his mistakes, he | | inadvertently conveys the message of hopelessness and emptiness that | | besets the whole album. | | | | He follows that up with the plainly disturbing Way Out Of Here, which | | begins with a soundscape from another guest (Robert Fripp of King | | Crimson fame), but also turns out to have some lyrics that would make | | Cobain's sense of angst hide in fear of being called a wuss. Especially | | the verses are heartbreaking and flow along so nicely with the | | atmosphere of fear and anxiety that once again weaves its threads all | | through the song. It may be best illustrated by an example: | | | | "I can't take the staring and the sympathy | | And I don't like the questions: | | "How do you feel?" | | "How's it going at school?" | | "Do you wanna talk about it?" | | | | The prime example of an alienated teenager right here folks, and without | | a mention of self-harming activities. We don't need explicit imagery to | | show us how just how messed up we actually are. Just an insight into a | | troubled mind refusing to answer to the essential questions of life will | | do, and excellently at that. | | | | The album ends on a decent note with Sleep Together, which comprises the | | end. It's not bad by any means, but here I have the feeling that it's | | something I've already seen before, but the chorus more than makes up | | for it; even if Porcupine Tree are not going to get a gold star for | | originality they will at least obtain an award for sheer consistency and | | class. | | | | So if you are ready for a ride through the dark side of the adolescent | | mind, spend your bucks on this baby, and sit back and enjoy. Steven | | Wilson and companions have no doubt created the album of the year with a | | deftly crafted, varied, yet continuously haunting at atmospheric disc | | that will leave you begging for repeat plays for weeks after and | | continually referencing when dealing with teenage angst. Just one last | | warning: if you're not down with modern metal, this album just may be a | | little too much to digest. Nevertheless the lyrical concept and the | | atmospheres still ring true in a world which just exemplifies the stage | | the band subtly sets. Ergo, I still believe this could be a timeless | | album due to its relevancy, and I recommend you pick this up first thing | | in the morning. [jorn van schaik, sputnikmusic] | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------+ +------+ Track List +----------------------------------------------------------+ | +------------+ | | No. | Title | Duration | | ----+--------------------------------------------------------+---------- | | 001 | Fear of a Blank Planet ............................... | 00h07m28s | | 002 | My Ashes ............................................. | 00h05m07s | | 003 | Anesthetize .......................................... | 00h17m42s | | 004 | Sentimental .......................................... | 00h05m27s | | 005 | Way Out of Here ...................................... | 00h07m38s | | 006 | Sleep Together ....................................... | 00h07m29s | | ----+--------------------------------------------------------+---------- | | | | Total Length ____________ 00h50m51s | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------+ +------+ Audio Rip +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | +-----------+ | | Ripped with _____________ EAC v1.0b2 [http://www.exactaudiocopy.de] | | Encoded with ____________ FLAC v1.2.1 [http://flac.sourceforge.net] | | Encoding Stats __________ 1411kbps / 44.1kHz / CBR / 16-bit / Stereo | | Tag(s) __________________ Vorbis | | Includes Artwork? _______ Yes | | Includes Rip .LOG? ______ Yes | | Includes Rip .CUE? ______ Yes | | Includes Playlist? ______ Yes | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ rainfo v0.2 [2011/06/27 @ 21:17:03]

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rollingstoner2281 (2013-03-24)

Thank you very much