Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part VII

In Absentia – 2002

“It’s so erotic when you’re makeup runs…”

After the spit-fire release of Lightbulb Sun, several key things happened to the Porcupine Tree camp. One: Drummer Chris Maitland leaves the band, Two: New drummer Gavin Harrison joins as a session drummer, Three: Steven Wilson produces Opeth’s Blackwater Park in 2001. And in 2002 all these events combined to create the masterwork that is In Absentia. From start to finish, every composition is flawless. It also appears to be a fan favorite judging from the reviews all over the internet. This is the album that introduced the world to Porcupine Tree and helped make them the successes they are today. But enough fanboy-ism, down to the nitty-gritty… In 2001 Mr. Wilson got a taste for metal when he worked with Opeth. So it shouldn’t be surprising when some of his work with Opeth transferred into Porcupine Tree’s next album. In Absentia is a damn heavy record. Right away the listener is greeted with a jaw-dropingly monstrous riff that can be heard on no other PT release. It’s like the last 10 years of the band never happened and this new group has immerged seemingly out of nowhere with this incredible debut. Everything previous to In Absentia sounds like it came from a completely different band. But we are still talking about Porcupine Tree here. There are still the soundscapes provided by Richard and Gavin’s style of drumming fits in surprisingly well with the bands new sound. This is a dark and sensual album. The casual listener is quickly warned off by the albums cover provided by Dutch photographer Lasse Hoile, (it’s his face too), and would be the beginning of a partnership that continues to this day. For those that weren’t scared off, they are rewarded with some of the best songwriting I have ever heard. Mr. Wilson has really outdone himself this time. Each song is a little slice of horror leading to a rather unhappy ending. It may be hard to believe but this album tells a story. A dark little small-town style secret that most people simply pretend isn’t there. But there are moments of beauty on In Absentia. The second song Trains has become the bands signature song and is a loving rendition of the nostalgia of days long past. It’s defiantly one of the brighter moments of the album. It should also be noted that this is the first appearance of singer-songwriter John Wesly who provides his soulful voice and guitar work to the album, (another collaboration that continues.) So it seems that the new century brought a whole new sound to Porcupine Tree. This marks the beginning of the bands third era and it has a very sunny outlook, (actually its more overcast.) With In Absentia, the band created a monument to modern music that will probably end up becoming their essential album. This is hands down my favorite Porcupine Tree record and I can’t see myself getting tired of this album anytime soon.