Coma Divine: The Music of Porcupine Tree - Part IX

Fear of a Blank Planet – 2007

“Stoned in the mall the kids play. And in this way they wish away each day “

How could it come to this? That is the question I ask myself when I’m listening to this apocalyptic opus. But strangely, a quote from a rather famous 80’s movie springs to mind as this album plays, “I weep for the future”. On Fear of a Blank Planet, Porcupine Tree has managed to capture the decay of our youth culture onto a single disc. Quite the feat if you ask me. Little did I know when I bought this record that Mr. Wilson was talking about me. I have an iPod, but I don’t let this fact hinder my search for rare CD’s. In a weird way, it took this album to wake me up to what I was becoming at that age, (17). iPod’s are just one of the myriad of topics Fear of a Blank Planet addresses. Prescription drugs, Xbox, the internet, and the seemingly abandonment of their parents are a big lyrical component to this album. This record is about the decay of our society at its very core and how the youth of the world are adapting to that decay. I get a sense that Steven and co. have a very cynical view of the world. They have expressed this anger and resentment in Fear of a Blank Planet. These feelings are expressed on the records cover. A blank slate of a face illuminated by the unnatural glow of technology. A lovely photo Lasse, good work! Right away you can tell this is going to hit you and hit you hard. It sweeps through you and wears you out. Yet after its gone you want it back. To a new listener, this album may overpower them Porcupine Tree have crammed nearly a whole societies existence onto this album. I don’t think I need to go on praising it. The music speaks for itself. The riffs captured here are MUCH heavier then Deadwing and the mood is even darker then In Absentia. And while some tracks tone down the music and introduce acoustics, (now a Porcupine Tree mainstay), the songs still carry that end-of-days vibe with them. One gets a sense that this is the album Porcupine Tree was born to create. It’s certainly played a major part in their current popularity. I think Fear of a Blank Planet will stand right up on that pedestal with In Absentia as the band’s signature albums. One thing’s for sure though - When the end of the world finally begins, I’ll have this album on repeat.