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Track Listings

1	Blackest Eyes
2	Trains
3	Lips Of Ashes
4	The Sound Of Muzak
5	Gravity Eyelids
6	Wedding Nails
7	Prodigal
8	.3
9	The Creator Has A Mastertape
10	Heartattack In A Layby
11	Strip The Soul
12	Collapse The Light Into Earth

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Porcupine Tree are unquestionably one of the U.K.'s most inspired and inventive rock groups. Since their 1993 inception, the band - Steven Wilson (lead vocals, multi-instrumentalist), Richard Barbieri (keyboards), Colin Edwin (bass), and Gavin Harrison (drums)- have proven themselves to be true musical pioneers, with a devoted worldwide following.

Now Porcupine Tree are poised to release IN ABSENTIA, their eagerly anticipated Lava Records debut. A indefinable blend of organic songwriting, evocative soundscaping, and powerhouse rock dynamics, the album is the sound of a band confidently in control of their own inimitable musical universe. A truly sonic experience, IN ABSENTIA is Porcupine Tree's most accomplished statement to date.

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After a quarter-century of punk and postmodern excesses, it's always something of a surprise to find young musicians who not only recall a past era's musical indulgences, but also revel in them. This Lava Records debut is the latest fruit of Porcupine Tree mainstay Steven Wilson's obsession with prog, a mania that dates to the late '80s when the "band" was little more than a fantasy, though one with a remarkably imaginative--if entirely fictional--history and bio. But that pipedream eventually became a real "alt prog" cult fave, with these dozen ambitious songs finding a focus that occasionally eluded the band on half-hour soundscapes like its underground hit, "Voyage 34." Tracks like "Gravity Eyelids" have a retro-psychedelic feel that would have done the XTC alter ego Dukes of Stratosphear proud, with Wilson's pure melodic tenor pushing it beyond the merely baroque. But the collection is also a strong statement of another crucial Wilson/Porcupine retro-sensibility: The album has unified musical statement. "Lips of Ashes" and "Prodigal" serve up the sort of impressionistic, harmony-rich musings that Pink Floyd has rarely managed since Wish You Were Here, while "The Creator Has a Master Tape" punctuates the rich harmonies of tracks like "Heart Attack in a Layby" with Crimson-esque metallic thrash and processed vocals. While the band's instrumental prowess sometimes slums its way into the free-form jazz noodling of past efforts, the album remains one of the band's fullest achievements. --Jerry McCulley

Product details

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.6 x 0.24 x 4.9 inches; 1.92 Ounces
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Lava Records
Item model number ‏ : ‎ 2015227
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ January 20, 2007
Label ‏ : ‎ Lava Records
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00006IU73
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Best Sellers Rank: #21,681 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #355 in Progressive Rock
- #9,482 in Pop (CDs & Vinyl)

Customer Reviews:
4.8 1,551 ratings

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4.8 out of 5

1,551 global ratings

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Walter R. Hudson

Simply Amazing!

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2023

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Please don't follow my example and wait until you are 71 years old before discovering this amazing group! Steven Wilson's musical talent is something to behold. Get ALL of their albums, you will be glad you did. If you are tired of the same old genre crap, this will be like a breath of fresh air, and it will change your outlook on music in general. Thank you Deep Tracks for introducing me to these works of art. You can click on the MP3 link and actually listen to it before you buy. If you listen to 'Arriving Somewhere, but not here' twice, you will be hopelessly hooked, and that is a good thing. Anesthetize is another one that will hook you in for sure. Just do it!!

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Mike Tee

Very likely the very best PT album!

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2023

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Very likely the very best PT album!

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Th3G3ntl3man

Steven Wilson Is Addicting

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2023

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Man alive I love this guy. Porcupine Tree has been with me for quite some time accompanying all my years of growth, emotions, calms, storms, and hype. This album especially is a huge win for the "bam bam" song that starts it xD that's what my kids call it of course haha I can play any track and they have come to have an ear for when it's Steven Wilson xD the text within this collection is eye opening and only adds to my respect for the legend that is Porcupine Tree. The group is bae 😍

2 people found this helpful

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General Zombie

A stupid name for a great band

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2008

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Though the absence of neo-classical solos and floofy synth leads will make some question its authenticity, "In Absentia" is a remarkable example of what progressive music should be. After moving from spacey, psychadelic jams to layered, hook-ridden rock songs, PT morphed again and created a haunting, epic masterpiece while ushering in a new, darker and more aggresive phase in PTs development. In short, "In Absentia" is mandatory listening for any fan of progressive music, both rock and metal.

Lyrically, "In Absentia" tackles murder, molestation and mental illness, and the album's style reflects the fractured minds. Here PT move from achingly beautiful clean and acoustic instrumentation to crackling, ominous electro-synth ambience to explosive metal, sometimes in a single track. Mastermind Steve Wilson's vocals, however, remain a constant, though he's equally schizophrenic, evoking vulnerability, rage and frightening indifference.

Like most concept albums, "In Absentia" is quite lengthy, and sometimes dominated by instrumental passages. Unlike most prog, however, "In Absentia" is not an instrumental showcase. Wilson and company are surely talented musicians, they're content to leave the pyrotechnics to others. No, they display something better: extraordinary songwriting ability. Indeed, though some songs are better than others, there is nary an outright misstep here, a rarity in lengthier albums.

Towards the open we have the nostalgic and wistful "Trains," the most purely melodic track. Wilson's vocal are simply on, and the first run through the chorus always gets to me. "The Sound of Muzak" is a similarly commercial effort, but it's more off-kilter and profoundly bleak, with another insistent chorus. The middle of the album tends toward greater moodiness and less melodicism, and is dominated by the slow and spacey "Gravity Eyelids", and the pounding instrumental "Wedding Nails." It's not as grabbing as some of the early material, but it all has an impact.

PT saves much of the best for last 4 tracks. "The Creator Has A Mastertape" and "Strip the Soul" play like a twisted pair. They're violent, disturbing tracks driven by an isolated bass and Wilson's affectless vocals, though "Creator" is concise with a nervous energy, while "Strip" is epic and moody. We're also treated to a couple gorgeous ballads. "Heartattack In A Layby" is one of the most devastating songs I've heard. The prosaic, desperate lyrics and wall of harmonies and overdubs at the songs climax. . .the effect, I just can't hope to describe it. Simply a remarkable song. The closer, "Collapse The Light Into Earth" is equally brilliant. It's mostly a few piano chords and a simple, melancholic melody. Eventually more harmony and variation are introduced, but it's this core that drives the song, creating an elegant coda to the album.

In closing, "In Absentia" may not grab you immediately. Some will be disappointed by the lack of prog conventions, while others may not find the moodier sections impressive at first. Personally, I thought it was good, but not altogether great, on my first listen Keep at it, though, and I think most open-minded prog fans will find something truly remarkable in this release.

Check it out.

11 people found this helpful

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Ashley Stanton

Amazing wall art piece

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2023

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I bought this for my husband, as he is a huge fan of the band. The piece is super cool and looks great framed on our wall.

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AccessDenied

One of Porcupine Tree's best works? Maybe....

Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2008

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The majority of PT fans believe this is their best album to date and are in love with it. But I do believe it is over hyped. The album does not seem to flow as well together as the rest of their albums...and at times it seems all over the place. Here is a track by track detail:

1. Blackest Eyes - Its a really good opener...I like the pause toward the end of the song and the chorus is very catchy.
2. Trains - A spectacular song and one of PT's most beautiful pieces to date, a song that everybody should really like.
3. Lips Of Ashes - Amazing display of vocal harmonics....sit down and just listen to this song.
4. The Sound Of Muzak - Once again another song with a very catchy chorus.
5. Gravity Eyelids - Hard to describe this song or my liking for it. A lot of PT fans love this song, but I don't get too excited when listening to it. It starts off quiet and slow, then has a hard riff section then back to the slow part.
6. Wedding Nails - A heavy instrumental, and a great one.
7. Prodigal - The best song on the album in my opinion. It is perfectly scripted.....great song!
8. .3 - This song is up there with Prodigal, very nice and soft song.
9. The Creator Has A Mastertape - Very different from anything PT has done, very fast and upbeat.
10. Heartattack In A Layby - Another amazing display of vocal harmonics, this song will blow you away.
11. Strip The Soul - Great song, you can see where PT is heading with their future albums based on this song. It is heavy.
12. Collapse the Light Into Earth - Very slow/mellow song with piano and vocals....I think it drags a bit much.

Great album, but like I said the music is sorta all over the place. I am not sure if it was recorded at different times which could indicate the different sound through out the album. Or if the introduction of Gavin Harrison caused some late decisions to change some songs up (as the album was written before Gavin came to record the album).

Either way it is a fantastic album by PT, I don't consider it their best...I see it more as an experimental album for the band themselves, as they were trying to find the next direction (that was only imminent) that they would go in. But every PT fan should get this album as it does have several classic PT songs and it is an important phase in Porcupine Tree's history.

PS: This album also produced a few really good B sides such as "Drown With Me", "Futile" and "Chloroform".

2 people found this helpful

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ANDREA PASQUI

album bellissimo

Reviewed in Italy on November 22, 2023

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album che ho scoperto solo da poco; veramente eccellente anche dopo molti,molti,ascolti.

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Federico Zardo

Un pasto completo

Reviewed in Italy on August 26, 2023

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Un album complesso, ricco di ispirazioni e di idee. Variopinto, ricercatamente orecchiabile. Virtuosi brani strumentali, pezzi armoniosi e onirici, note di struggente malinconia, tutti dosati con il giusto equilibrio.
Forse l'estrema bravura dei musicisti che accompagnano Wilson porta in certi punti a peccare di eccessiva pomposità, ma è un peccato veniale e un po' di piacioneria gliela si può pur perdonare.
Da avere, come gli altri.

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maurizio

Ottimo album !

Reviewed in Italy on August 28, 2023

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Essenzialmente tra i loro albums più riusciti e più maturi ! Infatti molti tra i brani che compongono l' album sono diventati dei classici spesso suonati nei loro concerti coinvolgenti, uno tra tutti, l' ottima Trains, sebbene la mia preferita sia "Collapse " che meritatamente rientra nel tour attuale. Ora fate vobis !

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César A. Perea

Gran álbum y perfecto para fanáticos de PT

Reviewed in Mexico on August 6, 2023

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La edición es fabulosa. Tiene varias canciones inéditas que no conocía y el libro es genial. Tardó más de un mes en llegar a México, pero no me urgía.

One person found this helpful

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Dei lugosi

Excelente

Reviewed in Mexico on July 21, 2023

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Gran edición de digipack. Muy recomendado. fan de las reediciones de Transmision.

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In Absentia

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Track Listings