AN HOUR BEFORE IT'S DARK

The album starts with some short choir arrangements and some piano and gets in a faster pace quickly with a 9 minutes piece divided into short tracks. The song as the title suggests is rougher and shows an edgy rhythm vibe. This song set the atmosphere of the whole album. I enjoy the fluidity present throughout the six tracks with a Steve Hogarth in perfect form and behind him, a groovy bass sound of Pete, a Mark Kelly that brings some nice textures, and a Steve Rothery guitar playing that is subtle but emotional. "Murder Machines" with his short electro sound at the beginning is a message of anti-technology and another highlight of the album that is not letting you down any minute. You will find influences of their past releases, but this is the first time since "Brave" that they have reached a cohesion in their music that made me think that this could be their finest album. There is a lot of piano in this album despite the energic style found throughout the songs where the quiet parts are not stretched out for too long. "Maintenance Drugs" song is a bit different with a cool and funky bass of Pete and features some exquisite guitar playing that takes the song to another level. It ends with an intense crescendo and a song that shows some hope for the human race.