ALBUM REVIEW: Porcupine Tree – Closure – Continuation


“Progressive rock” is a term that can encompass a wide variety of sounds. At one point or another in their 35-year history, Porcupine Tree — the brainchild of Steven Wilson — have probably touched upon most of these. Having put out several albums of electronica-infused psychedelic space rock since their formation in 1987, the band reached a peak of critical and commercial success in the 2000s with the metal-influenced experimental songcraft exemplified by In Absentia and Fear of a Blank Planet. By the start of 2011, however, Porcupine Tree appeared to be no more, with Wilson announcing a hiatus to focus on his solo career; he stated as recently as 2018 that getting the band back together “would seem like a terribly backward step”.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Fates Warning – Long Day Good Night


 

Over 35 years ago, Fates Warning was one of the main trailblazers and influencers in the Progressive Metal movement. With so much history, there has been a lot of lineup changes throughout the years, but the band has always been known for its exploration and expansion of the scene. Even today this East Coast act is still examining their special sound. Earlier this month FW released their newest full-length album, Long Day Good Night (Metal Blade Records). These boys went big and completed 13 songs to celebrate their 13th full-length release. The group took their time to dig deep into their assorted inclinations to expose the wealth they found there.

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The Pineapple Thief Share New Single – “Uncovering Your Tracks”


The Pineapple Thief have shared a new single, ‘Uncovering Your Tracks’ from their recent album Dissolution, out now through Kscope. They also recently announced more live dates for Feb/March 2019, where they will be once again be joined by Gavin Harrison (King Crimson/Porcupine Tree).Continue reading


Music Industry Veteran Simon Glacken Ranks His Favorite Kscope Label Releases


The bastion of progressive, challenging and heavy music in the world, Kscope is celebrating ten years in business in 2018! Cheers! To help us celebrate, music industry veteran Simon Glacken of For The Lost PR has shared his favourite releases from the Kscope label.Continue reading


The Pineapple Thief – Where We Stood (Live/DVD)


In their long and storied career, The Pineapple Thief have simultaneously proven to offer a consistently excellent catalogue and yet have maintained a mostly, near cult status of being under the radar. Having garnered critical acclaim since their inception in 1999 but never truly hitting commercial peaks of some of their peers, 2016 seemed to be a major step forward for them. The addition of guitarist Darran Charles and iconic drummer Gavin Harrison also seemed to light a greater fire in the band and in part led to career highlight album Your Wilderness (Kscope) and a resulting tour which included their biggest headline show to date at London’s Islington Assembly Hall. Recorded on that very night, Where We Stood shows one of Britain’s premier alternative/progressive bands in their strongest and most vibrant form to date.Continue reading


The Pineapple Thief- Your Wilderness


The Pineapple Thief- Your Wilderness album cover ghostcultmag

 

Recent years have seen The Pineapple Thief mastermind Bruce Soord in an experimental and pace changing mindset to say the least. From the electronica driven prog of his Wisdom Of Crowds album, his reflective solo album and PT’s previous, more hard rock and riff focused album Magnolia (Kscope); charting Soord’s course has been an unenviable task. So it isn’t too surprising that, against his own omission previously, that latest album Your Wilderness(Kscope) is somewhat a return to more familiar territory.

To say that this is a return to their roots is a quite a disservice but Your Wilderness definitely fits closer to the mold of the likes of Someone Here Is Missing(Kscope); particularly in its soothing and smooth atmosphere which proves, for the most part, uplifting with hints of melancholy. Ultimately however Your Wilderness performs a happy medium between such albums and the sharper counterpart Magnolia.

There is plenty of evidence of its predecessors more refined and harder edge, such as in the way “Tear You Up” builds into a more metallic territory, or in the majority of the album’s succinct song durations and structures. Not that fans lost on the way won’t find plenty to restore their faith, with plenty of exploration and layers and the near ten minute “The Final Thing On My Mind”. The addition of Gavin Harrison on has also added a much greater dexterity and dimension behind the drum kit.

Your Wilderness has a difficult role to fulfill coming after such a polarising and somewhat unique release in Magnolia, in that it has to appeal to both the fans perhaps lost at that point yet not feel like a backwards step for them; and they do so with seeming ease. Still as accessible as their brand of prog has always been but with enough deep intricacies to offer something new each time. Some will say this is back to form, but this is also a perfect evolutionary step for one of Britain’s greatest prog forces.

8.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL

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Enter Gavin Harrison Drum Video Contest To Show us Your Groove


gavin harrison zildjian contest

Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) is celebrating the release of his new solo album Cheating the Polygraph, out now via Kscope Music by teaming up with Zildjian Cymbal Company, giving fans a chance to win a signed copy of his new CD/5.1 Surround Disc Set! How do you win? Easy .. all you have to do is impress Gavin with your drumming skills and he’ll select ten people to win! All entries must first sign up to the Z Club at zildjian.com and then upload a 30 second video of you playing your favorite, signature Gavin Harrison groove or fill. Enter here.

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Gavin Harrison Posts Video Q & A For Upcoming Album


gavin harrison cheating the polygraph

Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison, along with acclaimed British jazz musician Laurence Cottle has posted a Q & A video in regards to his upcoming solo album Cheating the Polygraph, out in North America on April 14 via Kscope (April 13 in the UK, April 17 in Germany, April 22 in Japan) here and here.

Watch an album trailer for Cheating the Polygraph here and here.

01: What Happens Now?
02: Sound of Muzak/So Called Friend
03: The Start of Something Beautiful
04: Heart Attack in a Layby/The Creator Had a Mastertape/Surfer
05: The Pills I’m Taking (from Anesthetize)
06: Hatesong/Halo
07: Cheating the Polygraph/Mother & Child Divided
08: Futile

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