Metal Reviews

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I found this album kinda boring. It's not a CD you can listen to in one session.

Wow, believe it or not, I didn't even know PT had a new album out. I'll definitely check this out.

I kinda found the same thing... the first time I listened to it all the way through, the second time I turned it off after Anesthetize and then the third I just listened to Anesthetize.

Stephen Wilson's vocals and lyrics annoy me so much.

Pretty solid album, although it's not "progressive metal" or metal at all.

Actually, Porcupine Tree is like an overblown alternative rock band.

I'd just call them progressive rock since that sums them up pretty well... they definitely still have a Pink Floyd influence on the albums I've heard (and apparently their earlier stuff is basically ripping Pink Floyd off).

I'd actually never heard of them before this came out.

1. Are they REALLY any good, or should I stick to Rush, Dream Theater et al...

2. What's their best album?

If you like Rush you may find Porcupine Tree enjoying. I´m not saying that there are big resemblences between Rush and PT but, I do think that PT´s music appeals to Rush fans as well.

The three albums I suggest you to start checking em out with are:

* Deadwing
* In absentia
* Stupid dream

I think those albums sums up quite well how PT basically sound. Awesome albums if you ask me;)

I listened to the songs on myspace, pretty good stuff, I've been planning to check them out for ages. Quantitively, the vocals annoyed me. I don't think it's that progressive though...

Well, Deadwing had a definite alternative influence. The title track even had a subtle Nirvana influence. While Shallow had a definite Tool influence. And let's not forget all the Radiohead influences scattered around the album.

What's interesting about Porcupine Tree is that, despite being called "progressive rock", they're actually not a very technical band. Generally, prog rock and math rock are almost interchangeable. But Porcupine Tree is actually fairly simple/straightforward as far as their musicianship is concerned. Steve Wilson himself once admitted that in an interview around the time Deadwing was released.

Meh, I agree with the vocals being annoying and the music itself is pretty boring.

They're a lot more like Pink Floyd/Radiohead/Tool/Muse/Oceansize than any of the more technical prog rock band. They're worth checking out because the music is well done, its just kind of whiny and cliche. In Absentia or Signify are probably their best albums.


They're not very technical, but they're very dramatic, which I think is a key thing to prog rock alongside technical playing. They also have the occasional long song

I think math rock is separated from prog by its lack of any intense/dramatic shifts in the music (and from jazz by its lack of solos).

i have Deadwing and In Absentia and don't find either of them too interesting. they have their moments but the sogns just seem to drag on infinitely.

also i don't know why people call it prog, it's just soft rock with long songs in my ears.

I don't get how so many of you can't stand Steven Wilson's but can listen to Geddy Lee's whinny vocals....

Wilson's vocals are far from being whinny.

The occassional long song ?

6 out of the ten songs on Deadwing are over 7 minutes
they actually have quite a few if you ask...

Who cares about how long songs are anyways?

Yeah, but Wilson also sounds like a real nerd/geek.

I don't care either it was just misinformation I had to correct.
If people criticizes a band they might as well get their info right.

How does one person go about sounding like a nerd/geek ?
maybe his lyrics are a little geeky , but vocals can't really sound geeky. Anyways for those who haven't heard a porcupine tree album before I'm sure the vocals won't be a problem. check them out the have some great material.

Stupid dream, In absentia, and Deadwing are highly recommended.