Aural Fixations
PORCUPINE TREE
Deadwing
(Lava)
Porcupine Tree has painted itself into a corner by becoming one of the best rock bands in the world. Over the course of seven studio albums (plus live disks and B-sides/outtakes compilations), the British quartet has carefully honed its combination of psychedelia, prog, pop, folk, metal and ambient music into an enormously creative, utterly distinctive sound. Literally getting better with each album, the band hit a dizzying peak with its previous platter In Absentia, prompting fans to not only marvel at the group's genius, but also to wonder: how can Porcupine Tree top this? It seemed pretty clear that the band couldn't simply continue to polish the same glittering diamond; something in the music's direction would have to change.
For longtime followers of Porcupine Tree, the alterations of the band's sound on its latest album Deadwing will come as no surprise. Bandleader Steven Wilson openly admires icons of extreme metal like Meshuggah and Opeth (indeed, he's produced three of the latter's records), incorporating heavier dynamics into the Tree sound. On Deadwing he paints the group in even shinier metallic colors. While there's nothing here remotely as extreme as the bands he loves, the more aggressive dynamics and steelier guitar tones certainly take a definitive step towards the harder, darker side. (The drastic diminution of Wilson's trademark lush acoustic guitars is immediately noticeable.) Tunes like the odd time-signatured "Open Car" (in which Wilson croons "Being with you is hell") and the menacing "Halo" will bring a crooked grin to the faces of Tool fans. The howling "Shallow" presents the band's simplest song structure and heaviest riffology yet; it may be the radio anthem the Tree deserves, even if it sounds the least like the band its loyal followers know and love. The ten-minute title track (based on a screenplay) contains shifts in tone from metal to pop reminiscent of Rush's work in the mid-80s, but leans more toward the former than the latter. A remake of "Shesmovedon," the highlight of the 2000 record Lightbulb Sun that appears as an unlisted bonus cut here, gets a streamlined arrangement and a more metallic guitar texture, sacrificing some of the original's melancholy atmosphere for concert-styled drive. Whether it's a commercial or creative choice (and given Wilson's complete lack of interest in chart action, it's probably the latter), these songs make conscious overtures to an audience that thinks as much with banging heads as expansive hearts.
None of which is to say the Tree doesn't get up to some business as usual. "Lazarus" is a perfect example of one of Wilson's trademark soaring pop anthems, while "Glass Arm Shattering" and the intriguingly-titled "Mellotron Scratch" continue the quartet's tradition of ethereal ballads. "Arriving Somewhere but not here" is even a return to the massive everything-and-the-kitchen-sink epic the band abandoned several years ago. Wilson has the same flair for imminently likable melodies he's always had, and his fey voice will never be a bombastic instrument. Clearly, there's no danger of the Tree transforming into a Dream Theater-worshipping prog-metal band. But the overt metallic stylings of Deadwing mark a definite transition, pointing the band in a different direction than the one to which it previously subscribed. It will hopefully be as interesting following Porcupine Tree down this path as it has been trailing it up 'til now. Michael Toland [buy it]
