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Hammill's creative progress for another solo album begins immediately after the release of the genuine ''The silent corner and the empty stage''.He stated that with every new work he wanted to explore something different and this time he decided to work on a project more or less by himself.Around the same time his younger brother Andy fell into coma after an accident with his bicycle and Hammill put all his stress into a creative process.He performed his arrangements on guitars, bass, piano and keyboards and received help in a number of tracks by ex- and present Van der Graaf Generator's drummers Judge Smith and Guy Evans, famous prog-related graphic artist Paul Whitehead on percussion and recording engineer David Hentschel on ARP synthesizer.The album, titled ''In camera'', was released on Charisma in June 1974.

After a vocal-heavy Art/Psych Rock effort and a dark Prog Rock masterpiece, ''In camera'' finds Hammill performing somewhere inbetween these two works, it is definitely his most sinister and haunting album of his early works, filled with dark piano lines, eerie synthesizers and muddy guitars to go along with Hammill's expressive and unique vocals.With no so many comforts regarding the sessions of an album by multi-instrumentalist, this one sounds more minimalistic, instrumental naked and extremely lyrical with only a few sections executed on three or more instruments, so it moves a bit away from the very complex and dense arrangements of the previous album, still holds series of interesting, atmospheric qualities noone except Peter Hammill could offer.''In camera'' is actually led by Hammill's vocal depth and a set of different musical backgrounds, including synth lines and piano movements, lots of acoustic soundscapes and some more regular moments with drumming and an effort closer to a normal group.Consider this more of a lyrical, theatrical and mystic delivery of orchestral, folky and cinematic arrangements with a poet leading the way.An original album in its own way with a powerful contrast between vocals and music and the first few attempts by Hammill on Experimental Music as proposed on the 17-min. ''Gog Magog'', the first part of which is a Gothic-like, intense Prog Rock opus with a full keyboard sound and dominant percussion, where the second 10-min. segment is filled with sound effects and noises, definitely one of an acquired taste, still seeing Hammill doing what he stated, developing his musical horizons.

Dark Art Rock by Mr. Hammill here.Impressive album for a work practically composed and executed by one man back in 1974, slightly too minimalistic and vocal-oriented, still containing the genuine values of Van Der Graaf Generator's offerings.Recommended.