Music Review: Porcupine Tree Creates Somber Mood with Fear of a Blank Planet

April 2007 brought the release of "Fear of a Blank Planet", British prog-rockers Porcupine Tree's 9th studio album release. Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Steven Wilson has described this release as commentary on society and technology and how they intermingle and relate. The title references the Public Enemy album "Fear of a Black Planet", whereas Wilson feels race relations were extremely important at the time of that release, technology in society is an extremely important issue in present times.

The album begins with the title track, sound of computers, beeping, and the clacking of keyboard keys opens the album with a riff very reminescent of the heaviness of the band's last effort, the ghost story concept album, "Deadwing". Signature Porcupine Tree riffs develop, with Wilson's vocals as distorted and raw as ever. Gavin Harrison, beating away on the drums, is extremely strong here, adding Neil Peart-like fills here and there. The song slows down into signature Porcupine Tree mode, piano flourishes ontop of a slow methodical riff before breaking into the heaviest Porcupine Tree riff ever recorded. It's heavy and raw, but in no means painful, especially when Richard Barbieri's keyboard soars above the rest of the band. The sound is spacey and Floyd-esque towards the end of the track, with lots of Porcupine Tree signature sounds (echoes, layered vocals, multiple keyboard patches) in full use.

The second track begins, entitled "My Ashes" with a deliberate keyboard pattern, accented by Wilson's soft guitar strum. "My Ashes" is the slow ballad of the album. Lyrics like "I will stay in my own world, under the covers/I will feel safe inside/Kiss that will burn me, cure me of dreaming/I was always returning" paints a picture of a character enraptured by his own connection to technology, safe from the fear and uncertainty of the physical and social world. The song is somewhat reminescent of late 1990's Porcupine Tree records, including "Stupid Dream" and "Lightbulb Sun".