Alternative Weekend: Melody with the Harder Edge
It must have been a year since I wrote an article about my favourite band that nobody has ever heard of - Porcupine Tree, and so I feel I can bore you once more.
You can thank @detlev for this and him resurrecting #metalweekend, something that has been gone for too long.
The last four albums before they split were more metal-based and that is why I love them so much.
After discovering the band, annoyingly very late in 2015, I was amazed to hear a band that could seamlessly switch between a hard metal sound, into a harmonic sound that could be listened to on the radio.
If you listen to Iron Maiden or AC/DC you know it is heavy rock music, there is no denying it. The screeching vocals and the constant heavy sounds betray the genre immediately.
I knew I had discovered something very unique in this band and to this day have not heard anything approaching the quality output by mastermind Steven Wilson. I will re-iterate that too -'in more recent times'
Blackest Eyes – Porcupine Tree (In Absentia – 2002)
This was the start of the heavier period. A new drummer was enlisted with Gavin Harrison replacing Chris Maitland who was dismissed for reasons unknown.
This song breaks into the heavy sound right away, but it does not last. You will hear the heavy riffs and then a much more harmonic sound enter your ears as the verse begins.
It’s not one of my favourite songs from In Absentia but I feel is more accessible to the new listener. It is reportedly about a faceless serial killer, lovely!
Arriving Somewhere But Not Here – Porcupine Tree (Deadwing – 2005)
Few would argue this 12-minute monster is not the centerpiece of the amazing Deadwing album. This was the second song I ever heard from the band and it hooked me in right away.
This time you need to wait for around 6 minutes for those heavy sounds to emerge, but they can’t be missed.
Not a song for the impatient, this is progressive metal and takes around the same time as a radio-friendly song to get going.
Way Out Of Here – Porcupine Tree (Fear of a
Blank Planet – 2007)
If you think this sounds like a depressing, but touching sad song about loneliness, isolation, and rejection then you would be right.
It is not however as slow in tempo as it appears to be with those metal riffs coming in very clearly close to the end.
The main part of the song could well fit as a single, but Wilson being what he is stuck a lot of extra music on the end.
Again, not my favourite song on 'Fear' but it highlights the subject matter of this post clearly.
The Blind House – Porcupine Tree (The Incident – 2009)
Fans tell me 'The Incident' is the weakest of the four last albums. It probably is but that doesn't mean it is bad.
The quality of all of them is simply sublime and 'The Blind House' is another track like 'Blackest Eyes', that is in your face right from the start.
What I love about this one is the melody once all the ‘noise’ stops. If you are not into all this heavy stuff then simply wait it out. It doesn’t last long and then you have a very palatable song for most ears.
No more Porcupine Tree content until 2021. Though I will likely do a few more music posts. I still have a ton of Urbex content, but need to diversify a little more.
Apologies for the lack of videos, these tracks were not singles for the most part.
If you found this article so invigorating that you are now a positively googly-eyed, drooling lunatic with dripping saliva or even if you liked it just a bit, then please upvote, comment, rehive, engage me or all of these things.
You can always spot the album with a new drummer a mile away. Or rather hear, lol. They are not bad, never chuggy enough for me :0)
I think you being an ex-player would know the difference about what a drummer can make to a band. Did you know about this band before I started plugging them, always interested to know this?
I had heard of them but could never have named or even identified any of their tunes. I was having a listen to the one after you mentioned new drummer and I could hear it right away. It made me chuckle. They are much maligned but a good drummer can elevate a band so much. We were lucky that our second drummer and second bass player were much better than the first ones we had. Although it's a little acrimonious when you have to pap someone because they arent good enough.
I feel I missed out not being in a band when I was younger, even a being part of 'Bad News' would have been good.
Lol, look at how young they were. Who would have guessed "Vivian" would be a kindly old dude now winning celeb masterchef and the like!!
It was much fun. Might have been the best times of my life! Kinda glad we never hit the big big time. I would have died!
I had just a single jam, it was great and then the guitarist and vocalist moved to the other side of the country. I loved the creativity of it all.
Bastards for moving!
The creativity was the best. I had been in a covers band before mine so had never really made music with others. Ah, I am getting all wistful now!!
You know I like a bit of PT. I was lucky to see them live, but missed out on the aftershow party as a friend of a friend knows Mr Wilson, but we had to leave after the gig. I didn't really know their music before that gig, but have listened to most of it since then and have been enjoying what SW has done on his solo work. He is so prolific with his various projects. His music moves me more than a lot of prog stuff.
Can you call your friend of a friend and we can meet Mr Wilson? Sad to say it is one of my life ambitions. I will probably stutter and stammer when confronted with the prog god of modern times.
What would I say to him? 'Love your work' is a cliche. Not seen my friend in a while. He works with a lot of music industry people, so is pretty blase about meeting people. I have covered a few PT and SW songs, but he will have heard much better versions. I've never met any major stars.
Like I say, I would likely go mute. Wish he would do some more harder stuff like these in the post, many would say the same.
Sound and reads interesting. Will have a deeper look/listen into it.
For sure, this need a bit of !BEER for you.
Beer is always good, I will have a real one tonight, thanks!
View or trade
BEER.Hey @slobberchops, here is a little bit of
BEERfrom @detlev for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.OooI have remembered my teen years, I used to listen to them, tha ks for reminding me!
I'm amazed you know who they are, few do.
Oh I was an odd teen.
Porcupine Tree!
To be honest, I only own the last 2 albums Fear... and The Incident. I never considered their earlier stuff to be 'heavy enough' to warrant checking out... I can now see the error of my ways...
Excellent choice, and in tribute I now have Fear of a Blank Planet playing on headphones (the only way to truly appreciate their work in my opinion).
Blimey, I would rate the other two as the best, In Absentia and Deadwing. These are not necessarily the best songs (I highlighted) but fit the theme I am putting across.
Strip the Soul..,oooh... fantastic.., esp. the second half.. as heavy as they get.
Cor! The wall of noise that kicks in at 5.31... fantastic!
That's my playlist sorted for the rest of this evening!
Hehe, I thought that might hit you.. ;)
I almost listened to some of them the other day. I was going through my playlists on Spotify and found the ones I had added when you first mentioned them. I was thinking it might be a good time to revisit them. I have listened to them a couple times through already, but that was a while ago.