COMING UP TO CONSCIOUSNESS

If there is a whole subgenre of progressive metal that could be called "we want to sound like Tool," then there is definitely a corner of modern prog that could be labelled "we want to sound like Porcupine Tree." Among these groups, Pure Reason Revolution easily stands out as one of the best. That is definitely a good thing, considering Porcupine Tree is my favourite band. Coming Up to Consciousness, refines what Pure Reason Revolution have been doing since their comeback. Drawing more parallels with Steven Wilson's band, you could say Coming Up to Consciousness is their version of The Incident. It is especially clear in the album's structure. It clocks in at a tight 40 minutes, but the tracks flow seamlessly, stitched together by smooth interludes. There is no single "epic" because the entire record is the epic, much like The Incident, though Riverside's Love, Fear and the Time Machine also comes to mind as another album that flows effortlessly despite being made up of distinct tracks. Sonically, the album leans heavily into Riverside territory too, especially their more recent material: crystal-clear keyboards and electronics right up front, with occasional flashes of heavy guitar that would feel out of place on something like Hand.Cannot.Erase.. The softer moments nod towards Marillion's Marbles, particularly in the guitar tones, which often echo Steve Rothery's signature, emotional playing and atmospheric sound One area where Coming Up to Consciousness really improves on Above Circus is in the development of the melodies, both vocal (the obvious highlight here, with the now-classic male/female interplay) and instrumental, and in the emotional punch they carry. Thanks to the shorter track lengths, everything feels tighter, more focused, and more deliberate, without losing any depth. In short, Coming Up to Consciousness shows that Pure Reason Revolution are still in excellent shape. It is not a revolution, but a smart evolution: staying true to their modern prog roots while deepening the emotional layers and exploring intricate, rewarding sounds. When it ends, you just want to hit play again, and honestly, what better praise is there than that?.

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