FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET

This is the first time PT released an album that stayed close to the preceding one, both in style and in sound. At least that's how I hear it and for once I won't complain about it. First of all PT is one of the few bands who have brought something new with every album so they have done their load. Secondly they had achieved such a strong and personal eclectic style with Deadwing that we can be very happy indeed to have another album perfecting what was happening there.

Where Deadwing has a few dips in the song writing, this album is very coherent and unbelievably strong throughout. At least in song writing, the execution sometimes leaves room for improvement. Especially the two closing tracks fail to engage me. They sound too flat and studied. Especially when comparing them to the live renditions that ended up on Ilosaarirok, they seem to drag and stray a bit.

While I initially opted for 5 stars, I knocked one off after revisiting the entire Porcupine Tree catalogue. As on all their 21st century studio album, I miss a bit of bite and spontaneity amidst all the sonic perfection. 4.5 stars