SEASONS END

Of course this was a major shock that this raging Scottsman had left so obviously the average Marillion fan was lost . I also never got used to the new voice, but something else was changed. Clearly the musicians were trying to adapt to the era and in a way, this album is the logical continuity of Clutching At Straws album - if you do not count the vocals .

If you want to investigate this new era go directly to Brave (which is clearly the best album or Hogarth-era Marillion) and if you like it work backwards (as later stuff is not really enthusiasting to my ears). All things considered, Fish-era fans (of which I was moderatly)will not like the album, but it is not a bad album.

Hardly essential - as its successor is also.

"You never miss it till it's gone"

"Seasons end" was the first of the post Fish offerings from Marillion, with Steve Hogarth taking over on vocals. Hogarth's voice and vocal style is somewhat different to his predecessor, and any remaining links with the Genesis sound were roundly eliminated with Fish's departure.

The album finds the band moving towards a slightly softer overall sound, with the title track in particular being virtually a ballad. The song, a message about global warming, starts softly then moves through powerful choruses, and a great keyboard section. Having appeared to finish, it is then moves in to a coda with a long acoustic section, which slowly builds again before the final fade. A wonderfully structure song which clearly demonstrated that this version of Marillion came with new and fresh ideas.

There is a consistency to the remaining tracks which means that you'll either enjoy the whole thing, or you won't enjoy much of it at all. "The uninvited guest" is lyrically a somewhat inappropriate, if slightly humorous dig at the departed Fish (inappropriate especially because it was being sung by someone who had not actually been in the band with him).

In all, a confident venture into the brave new world without the "fifteen stone first footer", which, while it may have caused a few of the band's fans to jump ship, reassured the vast majority (in the same way as "A trick of the tail" did with Genesis) that the band had plenty of life left in it yet.

Fish is replaced here by Steve Hoggart, who has a more mellow, less theatrical voice. This album is similar to the previous "Clutching at straws", still having many atmospheric & ethereal keyboards and guitars, and even being slightly more progressive and powerful rock than "Clutching at straws". It is the best one of the Hoggart-era so far, followed by the Brave album. The finesse and subtlety of the many dreamy mellow & ambient moments are absolutely palpable. The sax parts on the Berlin track are really interesting, giving a very refined touch to the Marillion's sound. The omnipresent clean & brief rhythmic guitar notes, like the ones on "Clutching at Straws", are, again, very catchy and addictive. The keyboards are VERY modern, floating and melodic. Rothery makes many excellent guitar solos, especially the VERY emotional and sustained one on "Easter". All the tracks are excellent. The only slightly irritating point is Hoggart's too highly pitched & moaning voice when he sings too loud. The "Seasons end" track has an OUTSTANDING finale, very majestic, dreamy, relaxing, ambient, percussive, mainly consisting in a perfect mix of ethereal keyboards and spacy guitar sounds.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

In 1990 I knew that Fish left Marillion and that the band had a new singer when I listened to the beautiful song called "Easter" in a FM Radio Station. I bought the album and I liked it very much. It is an album with some nostalgical songs like "Seasons End". This album also has songs with social comments (like "The King of Sunset Town", "Holloway Girl"). I also like "Hooks in you", with a good "ordinary rock guitar". I was surprised when in Marillion`s official website I read that the song "The Uninvited Guest" was about AIDS, and that "The King of Sunset Town" was about the killing of several people in Peking`s Tianamen Square."Easter" is a good gesture to Ireland. And as someone commented in previous reviews, the song "Seasons End" is about changes in the nature due to pollution. I still like to listen to this album, but I bought this album when I finished my University studies, so for me it was time for a change too.

Marillion - Seasons End

This was the first Marillion release after the departure of their old front man Fish. Logically people would be anxious to know in what form the band would continue to exist. Simply because I was two years old when this album was released, I never needed to be wondering about the further existence of the band, because I got to know them exactly ten years after the release of "Seasons End". This also leads to a fairly objective way of looking at the album if put into contrast to the history of the band at that moment.

When listening to this album you cannot help but notice that most of the material was written when Fish was still in the band. The sound is almost identical to the older albums, with the exception that Steve Hogarth's vocals give it a twist.

May I suggest that you listen to the second disc of the remaster of Marillion's "Clutching at Straws" album if you like "Seasons End". I mention this because there are a handful of demo tracks included on that bonus disc, which are version of songs that finally ended up on Seasons End, but with Fish performing on them. That means some different compositions with familiar melodies and completely different lyrics.

Regarding the music I can say that compared to Marillion's previous output, "Seasons End" includes more songs that I would consider as 'filler' and that I hardly listen to nowadays. I personally think the songs Uninvited Guest, Holloway Girl and Hooks in you are basic, mediocre, straightforward rock songs. I wonder what made the band decide to put these on the album, instead of for instance the song The Bell in the Sea, which is a far more epic tune that was discarded to b-side status. oh right. of course how stupid of me, a simple three letter word/abbreviation explains it all: E-M-I.

Not everything is filler of course, for instance the classic live track Easter with its lyrics about Ireland and it's recognisable guitar playing, not to mention brilliant solo! Or what about that Alan Parsonesque introduction to the album with The King of Sunset Town? Or maybe the saxophone stuff that's included on track #6 Berlin?

And the best has not even been discussed yet: the title track and the haunting closing track The Space.. Both are fairly lengthy, respectively eight and six minutes long, dark and ambient songs. Thematically seen the song Seasons End points out to us that we should be more environment-friendly, whereas The Space. is more or less about feeling insecure and perhaps being unfamiliar with your surroundings because of that feeling of insecurity.

I guess Marillion still needed to adapt to the new situation with a new singer and lyricist. Hogarth's input on this album were limited, because a lot of things were left over from the earlier "Clutching at Straws" sessions, or maybe even from before that time. It seems that they needed a bit longer, up to "Holidays in Eden" -like the album or not, Steve was indeed more of a band member then- to fully understand the potential the Steve Hogarth had (= has!)

I'm not one of those for whom the world ended the day Fish left Marillion. Indeed when I first heard Seasons End, I had no idea that it was going to be the last Marillion album that I would want to own. I thought that the opener King Of Sunset Town (power chorus and all) laid the foundation for the then new Marillion, with the familiar tones of Mark Kelly's synth and Steve Rothery's guitar layering the Marillion sound (and in some ways beginning to stretch more than they had when their erstwhile lead singer was present) and nobody could say that new boy Steve Hogarth was a weak singer. Yet, with the benefit of hindsight, I do feel that the heart was ripped out of the band. It's not often that I think a vocalist/lyricist is the strongest member of a prog band, but I have little doubt now that Fish was most responsible for the character of Marillion. At least the Marillion I wanted to listen to.

Still Seasons End is not a bad neo-prog album. The title track is a sweeping work of real power, with Kelly and Rothery doing their thing once again ... although I've often caught myself thinking that Kelly should have solo-ed more and Rothery could have found a little more variety in his lead work, I have few arguments with their work on this one. Berlin is another extended Marillion song that works, although I must confess even as I heard this one for the first time, my mundane brain kept imagining how much better it would have been had a certain Scottish gent wrapped his cords around it. And then there's The Bell In The Sea, probably my favourite track on the album, which, while hardly a prog piece, does have a mythic feel to it.

I must also put in a word for Easter, a beautiful rich ballad that must rank among Steve Hogarth's finest moments. After You is another decent piece, while The Space is an uneven song, that mixes some nice passages with some unimpressive overwrought vocal passages.

The album does also exhibit signs that Marillion were about to find a new less intriguing direction. Both The Uninvited Guest and the truly scary hair-metal single Hooks In You are way too close to the sound of Def Leppard for my liking, and The Release is one of those lame pop-rock songs that were a dime a dozen in the late 80s. My CD version of this album is actually a double disc affair with a 12" version of The Uninvited Guest and Mushfoom Farm Demos of six album tracks tagged on as bonus tracks. I'm afraid I don't consider these sort of extra tracks to be a real "bonus".

Simply put, Seasons End is still a decent listen (especially for neo-prog fans), but there was a kind of magic that was present in the early days with Grendel and Script For A Jester's Tear that was still alive (albeit in mutated form) even in the last Fish/Marillion singles like Incommunicado and Sugar Mice. It just isn't here. ... 54% on the MPV scale

I was at Batam Island accompanying a friend of mine who played billiard at our company's club house sometime in 1989. A gentleman who was my company's Process Engineer talked with me about hobbies and interests, and of course - what? - I told him that my hobby is enjoying great music especially rock with groups like Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson, and the "defunct" Marillion. Oops !!.. suddenly he stopped me talking and telling me this: What ? Marillion? Script for A Jester's Tear? I told him: Yeah - Marillion! The "So here I am once more .. " thing that BLEW me at first listen! And you know what? He told me like this: "Come on Gatot, Marillion is not defunct. They are still alive and I got the CD of their latest album"; and I interjected: "You mean . Clutching At Straw..?". "Nope! It's called xxxxx End" (at the time I could only caught the word "End"). I was shocked because approx a month before I read an article that the band about to be disbanded due to Fish leaving the band. I could not believe Marillion was still alive!!! Horraaaaayyyy ...!!!! The problem was then; who is the lead singer? Will he sound like Fish? What about the music? Would it be still a heart-bleeding, touchy and killing like before? (I remember vividly how the "So here I'm once more .." or "Peace on earth and mercy mild" or "On the outskirt of somewhere on the ring road to somewhere.." or "Leave me alone with my thoughts oh runaway -duk-duk-thak!" or "I was flicking through the channel on TV .." melodies have killed me whenever I listen to the CD of old Marillion albums). Good that finally that Process Engineer gave me a cassette containing the album songs.

Oh man .. if you ask me what was my first reaction about this album - I could not even rate it because I was totally disappointed to the drain! Really. I mean it. Why? My feeling was that: How come a great band like Marillion who had been a very important part in my life created this kind of totally mellow music? I did not have the patient to enjoy the album really. Where is the killing melody or energetic style or beautiful and smooth transition piece? Gone man. Gone . And I did not want to enjoy the album at all.

Well , that was then and this is now . (after I have ventured into wider ranges and spectrum of progressive music and let my mind being open to any style of music).

"The King of Sunset town" (8:02) is a very very slow growing track with a too long ambient style at the opening. But it then it grew with me with couple of spins especially when I observed the beauty of Mark Kelly keyboard work and stunning guitar by Steve Rothery. Their styles remain intact only that the composition has required them to play it differently - with a sort of "sustained" play. "Easter" (5:57) hit me at first listen because the track has an excellent melody with nice acoustic guitar work. It reminds me to their "Chelsea Monday" of debut album. "The Uninvited Guest" (3:52) has a guitar fills that you can refer to their earlier albums but with different composition and nuance - especially the adjustment with Hogarth's different voice timbre compared to previous singer, Fish.

"Seasons End" (8:07) is to me like "Sugar Mice" from Clutching At Straw album. The melody is great. The only different one is that it lacks the "bleeding-heart" parts like what I heard from early album. On the peak that I expect the band would deliver such a killing melody like "so if you want my address is number one at the end of the bar" it does not really happen here. Fortunately, the guitar solo in the interlude part is pretty similar. Excellent! "Holloway Girl" (4:27) is a free flowing song with powerful voice of Hogarth at opening part and great howling guitar work by Steve Rothery.

"Berlin" (7:43) is a good track that the band experimented with the use of sax in its composition. It's an excellent exploration. "After Me" (3:19) acoustic guitar intro reminds me to "Easter". "Hooks on You" (2:54) is a rocker and I think this is Marillion's answer to Van Halen because it's basically a hard rock music. "The Space" is really an excellent track and I like the symphonic nature of this song. It rekindles Marillion early albums.

Having enjoyed with many types of prog music, I finally conclude that this album is an excellent addition to any prog collection. Yes, it's different with early Marillion but it's still excellent. The band's spirit to go on with their music is really a good. Fish's gone and Marillion had to move on . Bravo Marillion! Keep on proggin' .!

Progressively yours, GW

Excellent Steve Hogarth's debut album with Marillion. But not a masterpiece, of course.

This album it's in the style of the previous with Fish, with a sound close to Misplaced Childhood and Clutching at Straws, but maybe a little more rock-oriented (The Uninvited Guest, Hooks On You...). The main guitar of The King Of Sunset Town reminds me a lot to some parts of Misplaced Childhood, but songs like Easter (the best Marillion's songs in my humble opinion...) and Season's End are different, and we can see the great influence of Steve Hogarth in the band's sound. Maybe a more pop oriented in this album and the later Holidays In Eden, but still very progressive in works like Brave and the recent Marbles.

I don't give this album five stars because there are some songs thatn I don't like very much. Season's End I think it's a little boring, as much as Berlin, while other songs like The Uninvited Guest and Hooks On You aren't bad, but there's not the kind of songs I like from Marillion...

Great songs for me: The King Of Sunset Town, Easter (everyone should hear this absolutely beautiful song, one of the best songs I've heard in my life...), After Me (very nice acoustic guitar...) and The Space... (with insteresting Pink Floyd's echoes...)

Very recommended, but maybe not for Fish's fanatics...

Fish vs. Hogarth. Seems to be the catalyst for any heated discussion with Marillionites worldwide. Some online groups ban the mere mention of a comparison for fears of an all out e-war clogging servers and computers. I don't claim to be a Marillion purist, as I came on rather late in the game; but, if there's one thing Hogarth brought to Marillion, it was a powerful lead voice with excellent range, and (eventually) a thought-provoking lyricist. Much of Seasons End was collaborated with John Helmer, so I consider Brave to be the first real testament to what Hogarth did to Marillion as a band. With that said, Seasons End still sounds great to these ears.

King Of Sunset Town: The bands introduction of H to the world...and what a way to do it. The first minute and a half or so is this swirling keyboard, bass, percussion interplay that is manufactured to tease the listener. At it's peak, Rothery breaks into a introductory solo as to reassure the listener that Marillion rises triumphant and ready to begin another chapter. We get a good idea as to what Hogarth is capable of as a vocalist, as his voice reaches heights never before heard in Marillion. An awesome choice to open Seasons End.

Easter: Hogarth's gift to the band, and as it turns out, to the rest of us. I remember hearing this for the first time and hitting the 'repeat' button on the player several times. Just absolutely beautiful, with a classic guitar solo by Rothery (This could be one of the greatest solos ever). The song just ebbs and flows in 3/4 time until the powerful ending sequence kicked off by Trewavas slamming the bass pedal. Brilliant!

The Uninvited Guest: Very sinister in feel and moods. It reminds us that we all have little skeletons that need to be pushed back into the closet now and then. "I'm the evil in your bloodstream. I'm the rash upon your skin. You made the biggest mistake of your life the day you let me in. And you can fly to the other side of the world, you know you'll only find I've reserved the seat behind you. We can talk about old times." Footnote: the only track on Seasons End that the previous vocalist could've pulled off.

Seasons End: In the same vein as "Easter", just a seemingly quiet song with a powerful layer throughout. And yet another brilliant solo bestowed upon us by Rothery.

Holloway Girl: Along with "King Of Sunset Town", this really showcases Hogarth's voice. Although a fine vocalist, Fish never gave me goose flesh the way Hogarth can. One of the songs on his debut with Marillion where he simply steals the show. "In deepest darkness, the faintest light looks bright".

Berlin: As H says on the Stoke Row DVD, this song became a "quiet nostalgia" given the collapse of the wall several months prior. Still, a moving song that is as dark and brooding as it's subject matter, the band simply launch into an all out assault that gives us a sense of the brutality and bleakness in Berlin.

After Me: A beautiful acoustic track with touching and sensitive lyrics. Again, Hogarth presents vocals unheard in Marillion music. Just a nice little addition to Seasons End.

Hooks In You: Pop. Pure and simple. Probably one of the shortest Marillion songs, it was the choice for Marillion's first single with H. Not sure I agree with that choice. I've read where people thought it was Bon Jovi at first. Not sure if I'd go that far, but it is what it is. Still, great guitar work by Rothers. Kelly's keyboards sound uncharacteristically dated, but it doesn't overpower and one might not even notice it.

The Space: A song that didn't strike a chord with me at first, but I've grown to like. Exquisite keyboard work by Mark Kelly and the slicing guitar of Rothers, Hogarth is actually overshadowed a bit on this song. It's not like on "Berlin" where the music is as equally powerful as H's voice. "The Space" just sort of flows along vocally, and the musicians make an impression. It's not until the end when H's signs off with soaring declarations of unity and how the world can truly be a small space.

1989 was a transitional year for Marillion. Fish had just left the group to pursue a solo career, and the future of the band was uncertain. In come Steve Hogarth, who (along with the rest of the band) ushered in a new era of Marillion in terms of sound and artistic direction. The first album released by this new incarnation of Marillion was the eponymous Season's End, which takes the classic Marillion sound and gives it a more upbeat and creative spin.The group took a more poppish route with this album, with Hooks In You and The Uninvited Guest being drenched with pop tendencies, but these pop songs are well written and they give a hint to the direction Marillion would go to with the next album. The entire band plays well on this album, from the creative and catchy guitar of Rothery, to the thumping and driving bass of Trewavas, to the lush and intuitive playing from Kelly, to the precise and concise drumming from Mosley, all topped with strong vocal performances from Hogarth.

The King of Sunset Town opens the album with electronics and minor ambient effects. Once the band gets into full swing, the feeling of the song is completely changed. Rothery really shines here with a magnificent riff that has a very catchy feeling to it. Easter is arguably the strongest track of the album, with maginificent acoustic work from Rothery (and a brilliant 3/4 arpeggio-based riff), some great vocals from Hogarth, a phenonemal emotional guitar solo from Rothery, and a stunning 5/4 outro. One could not ask for more with this song. The Uninvited Guest is the first pop song on the album. It is catchy and has a nice upbeat chorus despite the kooky lyrics.Season's End is the second longer song of the album, and it sparks memories of songs like The Web with it's catchy riffing and powerful keyboard work. Kelly really shines on this track. Berlin has some nice riffing to it, but the song tends to drag, and that feeling of energy that the band sustained when Fish was the frontman was gone, and their attempts to replicate it come up short. I do really enjoy the saxophone on the song, as it shows that Marillion were willing to dabble in new instruments and territories.

Halloway Girl continues the pop trend of the album, but that is all it really is, one of the weaker songs of the album. Berlin has some nice riffing to it, but the song tends to drag, and that feeling of energy that the band sustained when Fish was the frontman was gone, and their attempts to replicate it come up short. After Me is another acoustic based ballad of sorts. Rothery is no slouch on the acoustic guitar, showing that he can create powerful emotive riffs when electrified or in an acoustic setting. Hooks in You is definitely the pop single Marillion had in mind for the album. Despite it being overdone pop, I really enjoy the nice 7/8 intro and the chorus is astonishingly catchy. The Space... concludes the album, and it really does what the title suggests, it fills the space that the rest of the album needed. Despite the nice chorus and bass work, I can't really get into this song all that much.

Overall, Marillion was treading into more pop territories with this one, and that would become full circle with Holidays in Eden, one of their weakest albums to date. If you love Fish era Marillion, you may find some things to like about this album, but you may feel a bit disappointed because that feeling of despair and sorrow that Marillion once had in their music was now gone. But for me, I liked this album and I feel that it would fit nicely in any collection of music, provided you have some tolerance for pop music. Despite faults such as needless noodling and filler, the album holds up strong even today. 4/5

Seasons End is the disk that marks the beginning of the Hogarth era of Marillion, and the one where I started to lose interest in the band. The late 80's were also the end of the vinyl age for many music fans, and this was one of the first works I bought on cassette instead of album.

To me Fish always seemed like he was just one step away from coming unglued at any time, and the band's music with him reflected that free-fall spirit. That's what I found so appealing with the early Marillion, even at those times when they really did seem to be copping their sound straight out of early Genesis. That intangible edge is missing here, but also gone is that hint of plagiarism that was always lurking on the edges in the band's earlier works.

With Hogarth the band seems more like they are searching to find some kind of significance to their music. In "The King of Sunset Town", Hogarth tells of how the song came together quite early in his relationship with the band, and that it was supposed to be just a fictional fantasy tale. The lyrics were changed later to refer to the Tiananmen Square protests, which is a worthy enough subject, but I can't really see Fish penning a song without a very definite goal in mind from the start. It's a subtle difference I suppose. This song also runs on for eight minutes, although the band proved with their five minute version on Live at the Borderline that the extra weight didn't really add much.

One comment on Hogarth's voice - in my opinion it is not as striking as Fish's, but by about halfway through the album it starts to kind of grow on you, and I suppose it's unfair to try and compare the two of them anyway, so that's all I'm going to say about that.

"Easter" is an excellent coming-out song for this second iteration of Marillion, and it was a very fresh sound for them at the time. Steve Rothery's guitar passages here are as good (or better) than anything else I've heard of his before or since. Hogarth could have sung the lyrics in Punjabi and the song still would have brought a lump to my throat.

I'm not sure if "the Uninvited Guest" is supposed to be a humorous number or not, but either way it seems like a rather trite topic for a band of Marillion's caliber. I could see Phil Collins doing this one with a straight face though. This and "Hooks in You" are the two songs that definitely should have been left off the album, as both are pretty much straight-forward rock numbers with nothing in particular to distinguish them.

The title track is something of an environmental song, or at least I think it is. This is a sad, slow tune, and one which I can't help but compare to the more mellow parts of Wind and Wuthering.

I really don't like "Holloway Girl" much, a song about unfairly imprisoned young women (and what a strange topic that is). I don't mind political songs, but this one is more of a social statement, and not a particularly strong one at that. The lyrics here are probably more suited to a European sensibility than to some other societies. Even Hogarth's accent is more noticeable here than in most of his other work. Musically, the choruses have a nice balance of wistful singing and understated but powerful guitar backing. It's a good song, but not really in the same vein as the first half of the album.

If "Easter" is one of the real jewels on this album, then "Berlin" is the other. For the younger generation that did not have to grow up with the Cold War, it's important that we all remember this time when those who lived in the surreal 'Land of Oz' and those who suffered in emotional chains of oppression, were one within ready view of the other. The human drama this song portrays equates to similar situations that exist in the world today - the Korean DMZ, the Mexican border towns of North America, contrived native 'homelands' of South Africa, and any small civilian community that lies outside the gate of a major military base. These are all places and situations where the social norms become distorted realities that approach madness, due to the blunt segregation of two wildly different cultures. What an incredible achievement for the band to capture that emotion in this music!

Why "Hooks in You" follows "Berlin" and frankly why this song is even on the album is a mystery to me. This is a straight-ahead trivial rock song that must have been intended as a radio-play single. This song underscores the fact that there is a really uneven delivery of quality that spans this album.

I've heard the story about the scene where a tram (what is a tram - is that a bus? a train? not sure). Anyway, this 'tram' thing hits a parked car, basically just destroys the thing. "The Space" is about those times in life where we are just completely and unequivocally crushed by the weight of something totally overwhelming. I'd like to think the album ends on the high note of getting back up from such an encounter, dusting oneself off, and continuing on, but I get the impression this song doesn't quite make it that far. This kind of seems like a thought left hanging as the album fades out. This is another example of the latter Marillion tendency to produce outstanding music, but sometimes without the lyrical or emotional sense of purpose that the early Marillion had in spades.

I'm not sure about the vinyl or CD versions of this record, but the cassette has a little "bonus track" called "After Me", which is a fluffy little love song of sorts. Not sure why the band went though the trouble of adding it, except that maybe it was to balance out the playing time on both sides of the record.

When Seasons End first released I actually hated it, largely because it doesn't sound anything like the band's first four studio recordings. Over time Hogarth and the more mainstream sensibilities of the band kind of grew on many its fans, and on me as well.

When taken simply on its own merits, this is a very solid album that has a couple of weaker tracks, but offers enough great music and thoughtful lyrics with "Easter", "Berlin", "Seasons End", and probably even "King of Sunset Town" to make this a worthwhile addition to any music lover's collection.

For older Marillion fans this is probably a 2.4 effort, but on its own it just barely merits four stars. I'm inclined to give it three stars just because of "After Me", "Uninvited Guest", and especially "Hooks in You", but I don't suppose the superior tracks here should be degraded just because of the lesser efforts - that's what 'seek' and 'fast- forward' are for.

peace

Hmmm...well, I've had the remastered edition of this for about a year, and just gave it a good listen. Fish's distinctive vocals and his larger than life personality that gave Marillion such a strong image are gone, so what are we left with? Steve Hogarth's performances demonstrate that he has grown a lot since '89, because on this album I'm afraid I'm reminded most of Lou Gramm and Foreigner, very middle of the road AOR-type vocals, and even the songs are fairly bland, with the exception of the environmentalist anthem Season's End and N. Ireland-tackling Easter, which are beautiful and heartfelt songs that are almost worth the price of admission alone. The rest of the material is forgettable to me, with overwrought but not very deep lyrics and ponderous arrangements that don't really go anywhere except AOR-land and usually overstay their welcome by a couple of minutes. I think Hogarth really grew into his role as leader and lyricist in the 90s, culminating in Brave and Afraid of Sunlight, which are excellent albums. This one feels like a band unsure of what direction to take and a singer who hasn't quite found his voice yet. The second disk contains demos and a couple of unreleased tracks, of interest to Marillion "Freaks" only. A star each for the title track and Easter, but the rest of the album I can do without.

Seasons End is the fifth, and possibly the most important album by Neo-prog leaders Marillion. I say most important as this follows on from the departure of Fish from the Marillion line-up, an event that would prove to be more than just the loss of the charismatic front man. With this album they had to prove that they could go on without Fish, the genius behind the bands writing and, effectively, their sound. Enter Steven Hogarth, or "H" as he's sometimes known.

First off, the biggest difference from the previous album. Hogarth is a very different singer from Fish, none of the theatrics that led to the numerous Genesis comparisons, but brimmed full with souring and powerful vocals that will come to characterise the band for the rest of their career (so far). The other major difference is that Hogarth's lyrics aren't as symbolic, at least not in the same way, but they are equally effective to the music and whatever it is he's trying to say.

Musically this is a very strong album with only a couple of exceptions. Hooks in You is a pretty bad song for this album, clearly it seems to have been written as an attempted single, something that Marillion were very good at doing with Fish (think Garden Party, Kayleigh and Sugar Mice) but this has iffy lyrics and a constant driving riff that gets very boring very fast. The only other low song on here is After Me, which is an acoustic led song that isn't bad per say, but it lacks the feel and dynamic of the other songs on this album.

Seasons End does have a lot of great songs on it, though, and the best is almost certainly Easter. To me this song has a very folksy sound to it, but it contains what is quite easily Rothery's best ever solo, something that is completely unforgettable. Add to this Trewaves and Mosley's great bass/rhythm lines and you have one of Marillions best ever songs. However, Easter isn't exactly a prog song, probably closer to folk/pop but with proggy tendencies. Don't let that put you off though, it's a great song and worth getting this album for this song alone.

One thing that many of these songs have is a big, epic feeling to many of them, most notably the title track Seasons End, Berlin and The Space.. This is quite clearly something that the band do well, and have done throughout there career, showing that, musically, there's nothing wrong with this album. Throughout this album Pete Trewaves continues to show us that he is one of the best bass players around. His lines are never overshadowed by the keys/guitar and he seems to be the one driving many of the songs forward whilst working brilliantly with Mosley's effective drumming.

Overall this album is a match for its predecessor, Clutching At Straws, and confirmed that Marillion could continue just as effectively without Fish as they could with him. It isn't a masterpiece due to the two aforementioned songs that really add nothing to the album, but the rest is brilliant, a solid four star album.

Easy access - I never expected that from Marillion

I was introduced to Marillion at the end of the eighties, around the time La Gazza Ladra came out. Within a record time I went to try all their albums, and I really liked what I heard. So, like many, I considered the announcement that Fish was going to be the beginning of the end for the band. To some extend, the release of this album, Season's End came as a positive surprise, it turned out that Steve Hogarth was, no matter how much it is debated. actually a pretty good singer. This album is a lot more accessible than the four studio albums with Fish, and it's definitely different in style. The guitars and keyboards are still as present as they always were, but the songs are less dark and with The Uninvited Guest and Hooks in You we get two rock songs that are as unlike Marillion as the band themselves can get. Steve's talent as a singer and, less fortunately, his musical ideas put the band onto a different track.

The album opens with The King of Sunset Town, a song that caught my attention right away when I first heard it. I'll never know whether that is because of the fact that it was the first Marillion song without Fish that I heard, or because of the image of a Chinese student trying to hold of the tanks at a Beijing's Tiananmen Square. A song that gets me every time, lyrically and musically. Following is Season's End, a semi acoustic ballad in 3/4, which even my wife likes to hear every once in a while. Downside is that it gets boring rather quickly. It's follower, The Uninvited Guest is something Marillion would never have done with Fish - the 'I' character is the opposite of the victim Fish considered himself. It's a rocking tune, and not very complicated. I use this track to reminds myself of how my customers (I'm a consultant) could feel if I present my message in the wrong way. Still, although I like the song when my I'm in a certain mood, it's not a Marillion worthy effort.

Season's End and Holloway Girl are two somewhat emotional tracks that reveal some interesting things when listened to very carefully. However, the songs take very long to gather speed and momentum, so it's easy to get bored and skip to the next track. Berlin is a longer track, with some great saxophone work going on about halfway. It contains a number of mood changes and could be considered a mini epic, that suffers from the same lack of energy as the previous two. Hooks in You is, as far as I know, a one time experiment by the band, a straightforward, catchy guitar rock tune. Love it or hate it, it's far from what Marillion stands (or stood for), but at times it feels great to be driving a car with this one blairing from the speakers. The Space finally is a 6 minute track, that I always feel lasts 12 minutes. The tempo and volume go up and down, and musically it shows what the band can do, but again, it gets boring after a while.

My original vinyl didn't include the track After Me, which I later found on the CD release. A short half acoustic/half electric track that doesn't do much for me. The lyrics are almost a continuous repetition of the track title.

All in all, this album shows that Marillion was not dead after Fish left, although for many, including myself, they would go into a coma about one or two albums after this one. Steve Hogarth's influence on the band shows already, and it makes the album good, but not a masterpiece. Marillion gets very accessible on this album, and it's hard to forget the dark beauty of what preceeded it. I could give this 4 stars, as an essential mile stone in the history of Marillion, but music wise I have to keep it at 3 - good, but not essential. After so many years it still hurts that the biggest source of musical energy in this album is in the two least Marillion-like tracks, something that is barely compensated by the opening track and the sax in Berlin.

Marillion's first album with Steve Hogarth is so different from its predecessors that comparing them directly is almost a worthless proposition. "h" has a completely different singing style; his phrasing, timbre and inflection are very unique... and honestly, much more controlled and professional than Fish's. Moreover, the band itself is actually starting to sound like a refined and calculating unit. They seem much more in control of their music and sure of themselves, interesting considering the shock the departure of Fish caused amongst their fan-following.

As for the songs, they are all top-notch. "King of Sunset Town" is a monstrous introduction for their new singer, while "The Space..." closes the album with just as much power. Fan favorite "Easter" and "Uninvited Guest" are good examples of the band's changing sound (with only "Berlin" and "Holloway Girl" sounding anything like previous albums. The songs are infectious and artistic, oozing with great playing and emotional singing. Great listening for all but the most jaded Fish loyalists.

Songwriting: 4 Instrumental Performances: 4 Lyrics/Vocals: 4 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4

Marillion´s first post Fish album was a shock for most fans. Released in 1989 it showed the band taking a more pop/alternative turn, leaving much of their prog roots behind. At the time I hated the record. It sounded to me like nothing Marillion has done before. It looked like they decided to be another AOR band like, say, Foreigner. A few months later Fish released his solo effort, the brilliant Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors, which sounded much more like Marillion than Marillion in Seasons End. I was so disgusted I sold the LP a couple of months after I bought it. I gave up upon Marillion for many years after that. The band was finished for me since Clutching At Straws

Things would remain the same until 1997, when a friend of mine put a cassette recording of Marillion´s Made Again live album during a car conversation. I was impressed by some of the stuff and decided to give the band another shot. That brought me back, in the end, to Seasons End. By the new millennium I was able to see Marillion with Steve Hogarth as entire new band. If you don´t compare their earlier work and you´re not a pop music hater, then you can enjoy it. I did, at least in parts.

In fact, I found the record to be very good, specially what was the vinyl's first side: King Of Sunset Town, the beautiful ballad Easter, the rocking Uninvited Guest and, specially, the title track (one of the only two real prog songs in the album). Things got a little worse by the second side: Halloway Girl is a weak pop song and Berlin has that alternative/pop structure that goes nowhere (unfortunately it showed the path Marillion would follow in the next years), but the very worst is Hooks In You, a Bon Jovi pastiche hard rock, one of the few Marillion songs I can´t stand hearing it even today (and, no, I don´t hate Bon Jovi!). Fortunately, the last track is The Space, a fantastic prog piece that starts slowly, building up to a great climax, showing off Hoggarth´s best vocal performance to this day. Great tune!

So, I found this record not to be the crap I once called it, neither the essential masterpiece few (very few) praise. It has some very fine songs, at least two of them excellent, but, please, just don´t compare Seasons End to any Fish era CD. From then on Marillion became a completely different band (I heard they even considered a change of name at the time) and things would never be the same again, like it or not. I rate this record now 3,5 stars.

AN ERA HAS ENDED INDEED !

After the cataclysm we all know, how could Marillion survive ? IMO, Marillion was Fish and Fish was Marillion. After an attempt from Fish to sack Marillion's manager, the members of the band decided to proceed the other way around : they just sacked Fish ! In the game on whether to know if the Fish era was better than the Hogarth one, I will play as well. My vote goes definitively to Fish.

His charism, his personality, his voice, his song-writting has nothing to do with Hogarth's one. While Fish was all emotion, Hogarth is all mellow.

Marillion Mark II is a completely different band. I guess that the shock was enourmous amongst the fans when it happened. If only they had done like Genesis when Peter left ! Trying to find a singer that could remind some of the grandeur of their frontman (even if Genesis won't find it and opt for Phil). Nothing as such for Marillion, I'm afraid.

There are a few good songs on this album, but do not try to find any epics nor great tracks. IMO, the best are the opening number "The King of Sunset Town" although a bit too long, "Easter" and "Season's End". "Uninvited" and "Hooks" will break the melancholy.

But songs as "Berlin", "Holloway Girl" (the worse of all) and "The Space" are rather dull and all very similar. During my Marillion mania (which took place very late as I have already mentioned), I bought a great lot of their work. All in their remastered and double CD format.

At least you'll get a nice packaging with useful information for about the price of one CD. This bonus CD won't have the flavour of the ones from the Marillion Mark I era. A couple of single releases (not bad actually) : "The Bell in the Sea" and ..." The Release" are OK songs. The demo tracks are not really useful.

The change of lead singer has drastically influenced the sound of the band. Not only in the voice but on the style as well.

Marillion Mark I had recreated the passion one could have felt for another great prog band (I guess you know which one I'm talking about). Marillion II will be an unemotional band displaying mellow and dull music for most of their work. This effort not being their worse.

Two stars.

The album may be called "Seasons End" but this is really a new beginning for the band. And where did they find Steve Hogarth ? His vocals, especially on the mellower songs could melt a stone. I don't think I will ever tire of hearing him sing. I like what it says in the liner notes, that Hogarth is no Fish, but then Fish is no Hogarth either.

"The King of Sunset Town" opens with spacey keys and synths as the song slowly builds. A great solo from Rothery, and drums come in passionately.Then Hogarth ! His vocals are so uplifting just after 7 minutes. "Easter" is about Ireland, and it opens with acoustic guitar and beautiful vocals. The guitar solo that follows is gorgeous ! This really is music for the heart. The vocal melody with keys is cool. "The Uninvited Guest" has another stunning guitar solo from Rothery. The longer this song plays out the better I like it.

"Seasons End" has this haunting keyboard intro with fragile vocals. I swear he can draw out emotions simply by using his vocals.This is a slow paced, beautiful song. Yet another amazing solo from Rothery. Ok, now he's just showing off. This song is actually about global warming, although it makes me think of the end of the summer and the sadness associated with it. "Holloway Girl" has reserved vocals, almost sad until the chorus arrives and then his vocals change. It's like the sun coming out from behind a dark cloud, it's so uplifting. Great tune. "Berlin"is both sad and emotional,and features some sax 2 minutes in. "After Me" is a mellow song with some emotion. "Hooks In You" is an uptempo tune that would be good to hear live. "The Space..." has another fantastic guitar solo followed by Hogarth crying out the vocal lines.

This album like "Misplaced Childhood" really strikes a chord with me. Especially "The King of Sunset Town" ,"Easter" and "Seasons End". Unlike "Misplaced Childhood" though, this has some weak tracks.

Marillion was a band I came to late in the game, and our relationship remains tentative as of this writing. I started with "Seasons End" based on comparisons between the Collage album "Moonshine" and this, the first post-Fish effort. Well, the similarities seem superficial to me, mostly based on Rothery's guitar, which is really mostly Hackett's influence anyway, and Marillion's effort seems a lot softer. The brilliant Moonshine wins out easily, but "Season's End" is pretty weak even when measured against less exemplary yardsticks.

My big problem with it is the general ersatz sound of several of the songs generally considered to be highlights - "King of Sunset Town", "Hooks in You", even "Uninvited Guest", lyrically strong though they may be, or not, they really never take off, characterized by musical cliches and without much to recommend from a melodic standpoint. Even "Holloway Girl" , blessed with a great hook, doesn't develop much upon it. Luckily, "Easter" is a gem, with Rothery and Hogarth teaming up to produce a work of aching beauty, and the title cut delivers as pleasant ambient ballad. In terms of the suite type pieces, "Berlin" soars to life on impressive sax from Phil Todd, and then changes direction for one of the harder rock segments of the album, which unfortunately is a bit aimless. The original closer, "The Space" starts off a bit muddily as "Berlin" ended, improves with a spacey element introduced mid-song, and ends emotively with a powerful tune sung by Hogarth, even if it borrows lyrically, verbatim, from BJH's "For No One"'s - "Everyone is Everyone Else".

The bonus cuts are, as per normal, relegated to the superfans, although "The Bell and The Sea" does make me feel like I'm being tossed around a bit with the tide, and not in an entirely bad way. But most of these are old original versions of songs that appeared on the original disc, for completionist's sake.

If you want to pick up something from Rothery era Marillion, this might not be the best place to start, although having not heard anything else, I can't say for sure. I only hope there is a bit more substance behind the hype.

Seasons End marked a new era for Marillion as this would be their first album without frontman Fish. Their new lead singer took the form of Steve Hogarth (formerly keyboardist and singer of The Europeans), who joined the band during the Seasons End recording sessions after a lot of it had been finished. The most notable difference other than Hogarth's vocals, was the nearly complete abandonment of Genesis influences in their music. Many of the songs clearly were aimed at being accessible for radio play, which Marillion had been evolving towards ever since Fugazi. I can imagine Hogarth's voice may have been really annoying for die-hard fans during this transition, but it never bothered me any as Seasons End was my first purchase from Marillion, slowly acquiring albums backwards through their catalogue. Hogarth had a more theatrical style of singing and had a very emotional delivery, not to mention a very different tone compared to Fish's voice. It took some getting used to, but all these years later, I think Marillion found themselves quite a skilled vocalist who's unique style sets him apart from any other singer I've ever heard.

With Seasons End, Marillion became more of an art rock band (more rock than art) with symphonic progressive tendencies in places. Lyrically, they became better than ever (sorry Fish fans). Whether this transition in musical style was a good idea or not can be quite debatable as I really miss the instrumental escapades of their first two albums, but at the same time admire the Hogarth era for creating a unique sound that is all Marillion's. I even question whether you could call the Hogarth era neo-progressive as it is often labeled. The band would have some hits and misses after this album, some remarkably well done and some only worthwhile to fans.

If you are into accessible, song-oriented prog rock, you can't go wrong with Seasons End, a new foundation for the rest of this band's career. However, if you're looking for symphonic prog rock (or the neo-prog version of it), you won't find it on this album. Definitely a three star album. Good, but not essential. A must-have for Marillion fans.

While the departure of Fish (now heading to a solo career) really shocked Marillion, the rest of the band had to move on, as some material for a fifth album was already written and the contract with EMI was still active.In early 89' they recruited ex-Europeans and How We Live keyboardist/singer Steve Hogarth, an artist with a New Wave/Pop-Rock background and far from Progressive Rock's knowledge.The new album ''Seasons' end'' was released in September 89', featuring a nice cover with the four seasons, partly produced by future Genesis producer Nick Davies.

The audience was really sceptical about Hogarth, but the new album was the proof that Marillion were alive and well and Hogarth's voice fit perfectly with the band's style.While his voice was far less theatrical than Fish'es, he had a beautiful, crystalline and sensitive approach on singing with a nice range of expressions.Musically ''Seasons' End'' seemed like an amalgam of Marillion's previous albums.It contains both song-based material and semi-long dramatic epics as presented on ''Clutching at straws'' and ''Script of a jester's tear''.''Easter'', ''The Uninvited Guest'', ''Holloway Girl'', ''"After Me" (only on the CD and MC releases) or ''Hooks in You'' are mixes of lightweight tunes with incredibly memorable choruses, good arrangements, fantastic guitar work by Rothery and dreamy keyboard parts by Kelly, all great tracks in the vein of catchy Neo Progressive Rock.The longer compositions are even greater and stand easily next to the Fish-era epics.''The King of Sunset Town'' is a fantastic opener, awesome guitar work by Rothery along with flashy synths by Kelly and Hogarth's impressive first performance.The eponymous track is fully FLOYD-ian, a melancholic long soundscape with grandiose symphonic keyboards and crying guitar solos.Hogarth's voice seems more sensitive than ever.''Berlin'' is another winner.Dramatic Neo Prog with some light saxes thrown in, characterized by Rothery's bursting solos and a structure split between vocal performances and energetic soloing.The closing ''The Space...'' is a total masterpiece.Opening with an orchestral section, this will give room for a Kelly/Rothery groove next to Hogarth's melodramatic vocal delivery, to return before the end, as Hogarth comes back in the most atmospheric tune of the album, supported by a full-blown symphonic background.

Not only Marillion managed to welcome a great singer, but ''Seasons' End'' ended up to be a future masterpiece of Neo Progressive Rock with no weak tracks at all.A band that just made a fresh start, creating an album among the milestones of the genre.Not to be missed in any version or at any cost.

Having recently posted a review of Happiness is the Road, the band's latest opus, I thought the time was right for a reappraisal of all the Hogarth albums. This was the first, and it is a worthy 4 star LP.

Like most Marillion fans, it was Fish who drew me to the band in the first instance, from the early Marquee days I was a huge fan. This LP went a long way to persuading me that the new incarnation might be worth sticking with.

The album opens with a bang as King of Sunset Town bursts into life. A frenetic and powerful song about Tianammon Square, it is the perfect showcase for a band obviously enjoying a new creative phrase with a bloke who can sing well.

Easter is simply the finest ballad I have in an extensive collection, and if you get the chance to see the live version in Dublin on You Tube, do so.

The title track is again moving, sad, and powerful, with all band members stretching the limits.

The Uninvited Guest & Hooks in You are fun tracks which showed that the band had not lost their touch in writing catchy singles to attract a wider audience than the prog core.

Berlin & Holloway Girl are interesting songs, which hint at a future direction. The only trck which, to my mind, prevents this LP being more than a 4 star is The Space, a track I have always found unconvincing and over long.

If readers are looking for an introduction to the band still the finest post prog outfit around, they could do a lot worse than start with this. An exciting, new, and still remarkably fresh sounding LP after all this time. Yes, we loved Fish, but, by God, Hogarth is a great successor.

In comes new singer Hogarth and out goes most of what made Marillion special. At least that's how I recall my first impression of this album. I remember buying this for my brother's X-mas in '89 and how enormously disappointed we were when listening to it. It sounded so bland. It was Marillion, but reduced from stellar to ordinary with the passing of just one album. But the blame should not be put on Hogarth, he's a fine singer that would gradually integrate well with the rest of the band.

20 years after its release I can appreciate it a lot more. There are some songs like Berlin and Seasons End that reveal some of the potential of what the Hogarth-fronted Marillion would become but most of it is still pretty disappointing, especially where they sink down into pop territory. Hooks In You and The Uninvited Guest simply make me cringe.

The unbearable lightness of pop music...

Let us cross the border into the new frontier in Marillion's development. Towards the end of the '80s the band went from the peak of their career to the all time low. How could they ever replace their front man Fish who left the band towards the end of 1988 taking with him all the pre-written lyrics for the fifth studio album? Not to mention, his unique vocal style and front man image made the band almost seem like a simple backing band without him. Then comes John Helmer and Steve Hogarth to the rescue and deliver the material just in time for the belated September 1989 release of Seasons End.

Marillion's fifth studio album is generally considered a letdown and it's not until the 1994 release of Brave that the band would once again receive unanimous recognition from both the fans and critics alike. But is Seasons End really as bad as the ratings and reviews might suggest? Well it's definitely a drop in quality compared to the magnificent streak that began with Misplaced Childhood but we all knew that it couldn't last forever and considering all the changes that Marillion had undergone with the departure of Fish and Mark Wilkinson I still think that they made a great transition album. It might not be a consistent release since the quality of the compositions fall towards the end of the album but the band still pulled together enough highlights to make Seasons End stand out in, what will become, a long album streak that the band spanned since then.

I don't really see a point in comparing Hogarth to Fish since their styles shift the music into completely different directions but that is exactly what memorable front men are suppose to do. The music on this album still sounds a bit like the other Marillion records from the '80s but the new vocal twist makes it difficult for most people to actually recognize those wonderfully subtle moments. The album begins with a 2,5 minute intro of The King Of Sunset Town that must have made the long time fans impatient to hear how the new vocalist would turn out to sound. It almost feels like the band is teasing the audiences here but once Hogarth gets his first moment in the spotlight he definitely makes the most of this performance.

Considering that this is supposed to be a transitional album the band still managed to deliver one of my all-time favorite Marillion compositions. I'm talking about the brilliant album closing number titled The Space.... I always thought that they tried to recreate the magic of Happiness Is a Warm Gun where the band put together three sections of different songs and made them work as a coherent piece of music. First part ends at (2:53) and third part begins at (4:10).

The few instances where the band truly shines on Seasons End still makes this mix bag of an album into an excellent release well worth the investment for anyone who is interested in exploring Marillion's catalog and a definite must-have for the already established fan base!

***** star songs: The King Of Sunset Town (8:02) Easter (5:57) The Space... (6:14)

**** star songs: The Uninvited Guest (3:52) Seasons End (8:07)

*** star songs: Holloway Girl (4:27) Berlin (7:43) After Me (3:19) Hooks In You (2:54)

Transitional & Uneven

When I found that "Derek W Dick (Fish)" had left MARILLION, started to fear that as GENESIS, the band would soon start a long and tedious process that would lead to turn them into another boring Pop Adult Contemporary ballad based band, and the time proved I was right. But as in other previous cases in which the most charismatic and inspired member left, I knew we could at least expect a transitional process in which one or two good albums would be released and again "Seasons End" proved I was right.

This very good album was released when "Hogarth" still hadn't time to impress his balladesque seal in the band and in my opinion sounds more like a "Fish" era album played with a different vocalist who was still trying to find his own sound, and for that reason singing more or less in the vein of his brilliant predecessor.

The album starts with the atmospheric introduction of "The King of Sunset Town" and as usual they manage to enter to the song with the usual sound of the band, until this point, nothing new has happened,. the good old sound is alive and the music is still great. Of course the voice of "Hogarth" is a shock, even when he is a good singer, the usual Scottish accent is missed, but the guy manages to maintain the style alive (As Phil Collins did in his first two albums as GENESIS lead vocalist). Very good opening, it's obvious there's a change, but no damage is done.

Strangely "Easter" sounds as a Scottish/Celtic folk tune, something I could had expected from the previous vocalist but is a bit odd with "Hogarth", but the song flows nicely without falling into boredom, the choirs are well worked and when the band has to add their strong ouch, they still do it. A special mention to the brilliant instrumental section, soft and delicate but yet interesting and haunting, not a single bad note in the track.

"The Uninvited Guest" is a little gem, sounds like a classic MARILLION song even when the vocals are not in the level, but at least "Hogarth" tries to adjust his voice to the versatile style of "Fish" and does a good job, Rothery's guitar work is delightful and "Kelly" maintains the sound we learned to love.

Sadly the previous song marks the peak and everything starts to go downhill after it, "Season's End" is not bad, Rothery's work is outstanding but "Hogarth's" voice lacks the emotion required for such a beautiful melody. A similar problem occurs in "Holloway Girl", nice howling guitar and keyboards but the voice is simply not in the level.

"Berlin" is my first disappointment, yes the band experiments and the song has bright parts, but that cohesion and magic of previous days is lost, for our luck it's followed by "After Me" which is not original being that the band starts to imitate themselves (In this case "Easter"), but at least it's good music.

"Hooks on You" simply sounds out of place, it's like a bland copy of "Van Hallen", what sounds good in a metal band, sounds caricaturesque in a band that tries to play Progressive Rock.

The album ends with the very Symphonic "The Space", extremely dramatic and full of emotion but again "Hogarth" ruins it because the band is making us shiver with emotion and he just sings without the necessary strength, the band does an spectacular job, but the vocals are far behind.

I believe that "Seasons End" is a relatively good but extremely uneven album, some tracks are brilliant, others are bellow the bar MARILLION set for them, maybe 3.5 stars but not being possible, will go with 3.

When Fish left the band some magazines wrote that Marillion were disbanded so I've been surprised to see a new release with a new singer. I went immediately to a shop and bought the album. I didn't know what to expect, and effectively it didn't convince me totally.

The slow instrumental crescendo of the first track, "The King of Sunset Town" was already sounding "different", even before the first touch of Steve Hogarth's voice. Not bad until the first guitar solo. After it, a guitar harping came and the high pitched voice of Steve Hogarth was a shock. Nothing to do with Fish, even if good. Something to make the ears more used. The song is an average neo-prog song, also seen with today's eyes. Too few to decide if I like Hogarth or not. I liked the song actually, and I still like it, but the first impact was light- years beyond any album of the Fish era.

Then it came "Easter". The song, of course. Now it was clear that Marillion were a totally different band. There's nothing of the old band in this song apart of the keyboard part followed by the guitar solo. They are more melodic respect to the Fish age. The odd signatures and the Genesis flavour are gone.

"The Uninvited guest" was the album's single, the first videoclip featuring Hogarth. To my ears it sounded like an attempt to give continuity to the band. What's the real difference between this song and Garden Party?

The title track starts with a guitar harping similar to "Three Boats Down". Slow and based on minor chords. The guitar solo is at the level of Rothary's best but it's too short. I find this song too pop-oriented. The coda lasts about half of the whole track so I don't know if it can be called a coda even when Hogarth sings the last stanza once more.

"Holloway Girl" is in line with the previous albums from a musical point of view, but it looks like it was written thinking to Fish. Hogarth is a good singer. I don't like much when he picks the highest notes with the throat, but he's not bad. The problem with this album is that Marillion are not completely Fish-independent in the songwriting, even if Hogarth is co- author or author.

"Berlin" is very similar to "Season's End" in the structure and in the chords. Phil Todd's sax is unusual. I think it's the first time for a sax in a Marillion album. Good performance anyway. It's th efirst song in the album on which the voice of Hogarth sounds approrpriate. Also in the "throat" finale.

"After Me" wasn't on the vinyl edition so I can't say anything of this song. I'm conservative, at the end of the 80s I still hadn't purchased a CD reader.

Now comes the hit single....I'mm not sure but I suppose then "Hooks on You" was a flop. It failed to conquer Top of the Pops as previously done by "Kayleigh" or "Incommunicado". I remember it as opener of the Alpine ski world cup runs. The initial guitar riff was exceptional in commenting the images of Stenmark, Girardelli, Tomba and Zurbriggen.

"The Space" is a nice song that doesn't add much to the album. I have to say that I had the possibility to see them live one month before Fish and I've been impressed by a great Hogarth's performance. This album represents a transition between the two singers, too different to sing the same things so I can't rate it highly, but this doesn't mean that Hogarth is poor. After all those years this is an album that I still spin up sometimes. A thing that I don't do with the most celebrated "Script...". It was a 3-stars waiting for the following album, actually. I keep this rating.

Marillion's first album of the Hogarth era probably has the worst cover of any of their studio albums. The four elements concept isn't bad, but what irks me is the almost gleeful destruction or effacing various Fish-era symbols as part of the cover. Under the circumstances, it can't avoid looking like a mean-spirited stab at the former frontman - and even worse, it means that the cover ends up saying more about what the new Marillion is *not* about, when it really needed to state what the new band *was* about.

It's a particular shame because musically speaking the album is actually a pretty decent reinvention of the band's sound, evolving the direction taken on Clutching at Straws and diverting it into something a bit more esoteric and contemplative than might have been expected with Fish fronting the band. The way I see it, both eras of Marillion often come back to the same sort of subjects; you have a mix of songs commenting on various real-life issues of importance to the band, and you've got songs exploring people's emotional inner lives. In the former case, Fish had the likes of Forgotten Sons and White Russian, whilst H has Out of This World, Estonia, and on this album tracks like The King of Sunset Town, Easter and Holloway Girl. On the emotive side, you've got Fish era tracks like The Web, Sugar Mice, and Script for a Jester's Tear lined up against H-era material like, in this album's case, The Space or After Me.

What the crucial difference between the two singer's styles is not, then, the subject matter they choose to turn their attention to. Nor is it really Fish's tendency to thesaurus-like verbosity, because whilst that is a habit of his it isn't a constant - the lyrics of Kayleigh use fairly simple and effective language to make their point for instance. No, the way I see it the difference between Fish and H is that Fish's style is theatrical and performative, whilst H at his best is a lot more naturalistic and intimate. Fish always comes across as though he is putting on a drama, or giving a speech, or regaling a large group of friends at the pub with an anecdote; H, on the other hand, often sounds as though he is confessing something to the listener, or taking you personally aside to tell you a secret.

This is not a criticism of either performer's styles, but it is a fundamental difference in approach which Marillion adapt to on Seasons' End marvellously - in fact, I would not be surprised if they picked H for their new singer precisely because they wanted to move in this direction. The weakest songs on the album are probably The Uninvited Guest and Hooks In You - attempts at boisterous rocking out which don't suit H's performance and which were presumably included to present EMI with suitable material for a single. The other shorter song on the album, After Me, I think is actually quite good, transitioning from an acoustic confessional to an energetic exorcism and in doing so charting a course for the H era's more successful rock-out tracks; I do wonder whether the band's post-Fish fortunes wouldn't have been markedly improved if After Me had been released as the lead single from the album, since it feels to me like it chimes well with the direction many bands on the UK indie scene were taking at the time.

As it stands, I can't deny that this album doesn't quite hit the level of consistency of the four Fish-era releases; in particular, The Uninvited Guest is unremarkable and mildly repetitive whilst Hooks In You just doesn't sound like it belongs in the company of the rest of the material. But the other songs on here - King of Sunset Town, Easter, Berlin and After Me in particular - are so successful at charting a new course for Marillion and exploring the possibilities of what they could achieve with Steve Hogarth as a frontman that I can't not give it an enthusiastic thumbs up. It scrapes into the four-star category by the skin of its teeth.

The departure of Marillion's eccentric Scottish frontman marked the beginning of a new era for the band, and Seasons End is the first album where the then-new lead singer Steve Hogarth could prove his worth. Hogarth may have seemed like a rather odd replacement for Fish, with his clear, melodic voice sounding vastly different than his predecessor's dramatic, heavily-accented delivery, but time would prove that the choice couldn't have been better. Although the Hogarth era of Marillion does generate some controversy, I'm of the opinion that this long period of the band's history is every bit as good as their highly-acclaimed time with Fish - and right from the beginning of Seasons End, it's clear that the quality of the band's music didn't suffer without their iconic frontman. This album does have a few rather mediocre cuts, but overall it's an absolute gem. Seasons End was an excellent way to introduce the world to Steve Hogarth, and it's also likely to appeal to neo-prog fans more than many of their later albums.

Seasons End opens up on a high note with the melodic progressive rock masterpiece "The King of Sunset Town"; this song immediately makes it clear that Steve Hogarth is not only an extremely gifted vocalist, but a distinct one as well. Though the opening cut sounds very much a track that could've been on a Fish-era album, Hogarth's vocals are delivered in a way that Fish never would've done. "Easter" is another absolutely beautiful track, as is the thought-provoking "Seasons End", a song that reflects upon the ultimate effects of global warming. These three songs are my personal favorites from the album, although "Holloway Girl", "Berlin", "After Me", and especially "The Space..." are all top-notch. "The Uninvited Guest" and "Hooks In You" are both decent pop tunes, but nowhere near the standard set by the rest of the album - these feel more like attempts to be successful on the single charts than to create music as excellent as the band is capable of. Although I could've done without both of these tunes, neither are weak enough to severely damage my enjoyment of Seasons End. The rest of the album is so excellent that it's difficult to let two iffy efforts ruin the experience.

As we're used to from Marillion, the musicianship here is melodic and professional, with most of the emphasis on well-structured melodies and lush arrangements. Steve Hogarth's vocals sound totally inspired, and all four instrumentalists are at the top of their game as well. Steve Rothery's Gilmour-esque guitar solos are breathtaking, Mark Kelly's keyboard palette gives the compositions a rich and developed feeling, Pete Trewavas's basslines are powerful and well-written, and Ian Mosley's drumming is always rock-solid. Marillion would later distance themselves from the eighties' sounding production and arrangement style of their earlier albums, but Seasons End is very much an album from the 1980's. The production has that lovably synthetic sound, and the songs contain just as many digital keyboard sounds as Marillion's albums with Fish - this, and the general style of the songwriting, gives Seasons End a neo-prog flavor that would be largely absent from Marillion's sound within a few years. This album probably has the highest probability of pleasing a fan of the band's first four LP's who were dissatisfied with their later alternative/art rock efforts.

Seasons End was a major turning point for Marillion, but this new lineup proved that they were still ready to create excellent progressive rock music with or without Fish behind the microphone. This is an inspired, memorable, and fresh album that ranks up there with the very best in eighties' prog. Although it is a small step down from the band's two previous efforts and has a few flaws, Seasons End is a stunning album that comes highly recommended to every neo-prog fan. Though I can't quite hand out the 'masterpiece' score, Seasons End is very much deserving of the next-best thing. I've been enjoying this CD for years, and it still sounds every bit as exciting as it did when I first opened it - that is the true mark of a great album!

When this one came out I had been a Marillion fan for approximately three years, and had already started to prefer the prog classics of the 70's. But it was still inevitable that I would buy the new Marillion album, introducing the new vocalist Steve Hogarth. I'm far from being a puritanist in my relationships with bands: for example I have no trouble enjoying Yes' 90125 - not to mention the excellent Drama - or post-Gabriel Genesis, as they are, without feeling bad that they sound so different from the big classics. So I gave a warm welcome to mr. H. And after all, we still had Fish too: a win-win situation! This new leaf in the band's story tasted fresh.

'The King of Sunset Town' is a great opener that deliciously grows from the quiet instrumental beginning into a solid prog song with pop tendencies. 'Easter' is an emotional, folky ballad which is improved by the more lively final section. The freshness! Then comes the weakest track: I have never enjoyed 'The Uninvited Guest', it sounds nothing but a boring wannabe hit. The title track is fantastic. It has both emotion - approaching sentimento in the underlined environmental message - and the kind of intimate instrumental ambience Marillion was so good at later on (especially on Brave). I love the bright keyboard sounds in it.

'Holloway Girl' and 'Berlin' are rather mediocre tracks that attempt to continue the Fish-era style songwriting including a plot. These songs might work better with Fish on vocals (and in charge of more powerful lyrics, of course). I remember noticing that in the intensive section of 'Berlin' H sounds occasionally like Jim Kerr of Simple Minds. The simple, down-to-earth 'After Me' feels nice - and fresh - at this point of the album. 'Hooks in You' is the catchy hit, quite OK as such but I can live without catchy pop hits. The dramatic closer 'The Space...' is another proggy highlight with 'The King...' and 'Seasons End'. Hogarth's high notes are not always very succesful to me either, but this is definitely one of those Marillion songs I couldn't imagine being done with Fish. Of course with time their style moved further and further away from their original style.

A good start for H-era Marillion, followed at first by a poor, poppy Holidays in Eden, and, through the decades, by a massive discography with a striking uneven-ness. 3½ stars.

After the turbulent departure of frontman and lead singer Fish after a string of majorly successful albums interpolating progressive rock into the synthpop and new wave laden 80s, MARILLION didn't even think of calling it a day and opted instead to reinvent their sound with a new singer with Steve Hogarth, former keyboardist / vocalist of The Europeans. The differences are striking from the very first track on SEASONS END, an appropriately titled fifth album that signifies a change of guard in the lead vocalist department and an abrupt change from the energetic raucous 80s MARILLION into a more placid, gentle and breezy version of the band.

Unlike the previous albums, this one is not a concept album of any kind and is simply nine tracks that are unified only by their overall sound which eschews the synth new wave leanings of Fish and emphasizes progressive rock aspects placing the keyboard runs to be a subordinate underpinning to lush melodic developments and gentle pastoral passages through chord progressions and less metaphorical allegories and more on tangible real life situations ranging from the Tiananmen Square protests to climate change.

While i admire the band's desire to continue down the road of progressive rock, this is where two very separate paths diverge, namely those who love Fish-era MARILLION and find a successor impossible to live up to (this is my position) and those who see the band as a totally new incarnation that shouldn't be compared to the previous era. While i am by no means a purist when it comes to bands evolving and replacing key members, i have never found myself connecting to the Hogarth era of MARILLION. His performance style is more subdued and he lacks the magnetic persona that Fish projected with authority. While his vocal abilities do fit in well the band's new style of progressive rock, the problem i pretty much have with this post-Fish era IS the style itself.

While this first Hogarth album does attempt to rock at points it is apparent that the band have gone for a softer and more laid back approach creating a lush fluffosphere of prog that i don't find particularly appealing. As much as i try to get into these Hogarth era albums, i just find myself bored to tears as the diverse elements that i loved about Fish-era albums always bring me back to those instead of wanting to hear the newer ones. SEASONS END is probably the album i can connect to the most of Hogarth era albums simply because at this point the band hadn't toned down all the parts to a whisper yet. There are moments of grandness here and there and despite my not digging the Hogarth vocals nearly as much as Fish, this is a decent reinvention of the band that unfortunately would go in a direction that i haven't had the desire to follow.

It was a gloomy outlook for Marillion after the difficult departure of singer and frontman Fish following the successful "Clutching at Straws", creating uncertainty about the band's continuity. But Steve Rothery and his bandmates shuffled their cards again, rearranged themselves and called in a little-known Steve Hogarth for the complicated task of replacing the Scottish giant. Predictably, the expectations and the spotlight were on the band's fifth album and first of its second life: "Seasons End", and above all on what the new singer could bring to the table. And Hogarth's landing was soft and comfortable, partly because the album's instrumentation bears similarities to the structures and musicality of previous works (after all, except for Fish, the musicians were still the same and their formula was already working), partly because many of the songs were developed previously, and partly because the new singer was just starting out and his influence at the time was minor.

The band would thus begin a new stage, respecting their recent past but determined to oxygenate it with new airs. Hence, the pieces show that fusion of recognisable notes in a more calm and suspenseful atmosphere, sprinkled with dramatic touches and nourished by a reflective theme on politics, the environment and human relations. That tessitura is present practically throughout the entire album: from the opening and soaring "The King of Sunset Town", the beautiful acoustic and arpeggiated beginnings of "Eastern" and "After Me", the forceful half-time of the intense "Seasons End", one of the jewels of the album along with the sordid "Berlin" and the suffocated saxophone of guest Phil Tood, to the martial "The Space". The band's tucking in of Hogarth's expansive vocal range and histrionics is remarkable, with Rothery flawlessly executing his clean, sustained guitar solos, accompanied by Mark Kelly's typically eighties synths to create a crystalline musical layer, both backed by Pete Trewavas' bass and Ian Mosley's consistent drumming.

The transitional "Seansons End", beyond the change of command that generated controversy among the band's followers (similar to what happened with Genesis and Peter Gabriel), is a good album and deserves to be evaluated considering the context in which it was conceived. From the next album onwards, Hogarth's preponderance would start to gain much more space in the decisions about the musical direction Marillion should follow.

3,5 stars