Porcupine Tree – The Incident

It seems like yesterday, when I first heard of Porcupine Tree. It was 1996 when ”Signify” was released, the album that was the major breakthrough for the band, making them known to all those never heard of them (including me, you, or even more people).

Thirteen years and six albums later, the quartet returns with what I think is the most ambitious work they’ve done. At least Steven Wilson must be thinking somehow like that. I can’t give other explanation why the title track is contained in its whole in the first cd of this two cd set release. ”The Incident” is a long song, divided into twelve units, with six of them lasting less than three minutes, being more like interludes to the other six full songs. ”Time Flies” is for sure the main part of the first cd, an eleven minute opus that shows the talent of Wilson to create phenomenal moments in music. Also, accompanied by the last part, entitled ”I Drive The Hearse”, they are the most memorable moments of the first half of this release.

The second cd contains four songs, in the typical mood of Porcupine Tree, producing more the mellow side of the band. Of course, there are some heavy outbreaks that point straight to bands that Steve likes, like Opeth, or even Meshuggah (discover where on your own, it will be more fun this way). The problem is that this album seems like it was made in order to be considered something special, while I surely prefer the three previous albums of the band (”In Absentia”, ”Deadwing” and ”Fear Of A Blank Planet”).

For the likes of Porcupine Tree, it is one of the very few times that we can say that they could offer us more. I don’t know how these tracks could work live. It is not the easiest album of them to get to know, it will take you some more time maybe, to exam its form and purpose. It is still well played and created by a strong mind, always in creation orgasm. Only this time we could friendly tell him ”Steve, something just don’t fit here”.