5 Hard-Rocking Nuggets From Porcupine Tree

Over the course of recording career spanning more than 30 years, Porcupine Tree and the subsequent solo work of band mastermind/frontman Steven Wilson have taken the term “progressive” to heart. While many groups in the prog rock category are known for virtuoso musicianship, quirky time signatures, and epic songs, Wilson and company have pushed their own musical boundaries so as not to regurgitate the same sounds over and over again. A big revelation for Wilson came when he discovered extreme metal bands like Opeth, collaborating with that group’s frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, while also injecting those heavier sounds into Porcupine Tree’s music.

Whle they have a lot of tracks that are atmospheric and epic, Porcupine Tree have also delivered some meaty rockers that will get your blood pumping and energize you. The following five tracks represent that ethos very well and show how Wilson and his bandmates have always indulged their hard rock side.

“Dislocated Days” from The Sky Moves Sideways (1995)

Porcupine Tree’s third album was the first true band effort and not just Wilson solo (although this track was the latter). On “Disclocated Days,” airy synths and Wilson’s subdued vocals glide over drums and African percussion while the instrumental choruses take on a frantic Middle Eastern vibe. It’s a bit reminiscent of Ozric Tentacles, the psychedelic jam band that recently released three strong albums on IRS Records.

“Signify” from Signify (1996)

The title track to the group’s fourth album mostly works two main grooves as spots to lay over melodic and dissonant guitar solos. The instrumental tune is a mysterious sounding and compelling track with a high-octane delivery that makes it perfect driving music. If you think this would make a great way to rev up an audience, you’d be right—the group opened many 1995 concerts with it, and also placed it second for a number of ‘96 and ‘97 shows.

“Blackest Eyes” from In Absentia (2002)

Ever wanted a song with Pink Floyd dreaminess then dominated by crushing metal? You’ve found it on their major label debut for Lava Records. Wilson has stated much of this album was inspired by delving into the dark thoughts and deeds and lost innocence of unsavory characters like serial killers, child molesters, and wife beaters, and asking why these people do such terrible things. What’s interesting is how Wilson sings the lyrics so calmly, letting the roaring guitars in the chorus amplify the beast within.

I got wiring loose inside my head
I got books that I never ever read
I got secrets in my garden shed
I got a scar where all my urges bled
I got people underneath my bed
I got a place where all my dreams are dead
Swim with me into your blackest eyes

“Shallow” from Deadwing (2005)

Like “Blackest Eyes,” this track plays bombastic metal off of melodic, dreamy passages.

It’s not as thunderous as the last selection, but it effectively plays with that contrast during a song about social and sexual isolation. Many of Wilson’s mid-2000s lyrics tackled the dysfunctional relationship human beings have developed with technology, which makes this song still resonate strongly today. He has said “Shallow” is the equivalent of a big, dumb rock song, but done by people who aren’t dumb. Interestingly enough, this song was used in the action film Four Brothers starring Mark Wahlberg.

“Fear of a Blank Planet” from Fear of a Blank Planet (2007)

Heavy music pumped up with thought-provoking lyrics makes for a potent combo. Although the words focus on a person with bipolar disorder finding their personality dulled by the use (or overuse) of pharmaceuticals, it stretches into being numbed by media and technology. Let’s face it: Screen addiction can deaden your soul and produce its own sort of mental illness. Again, it’s another 2000s P-Tree song that was ahead of the curve and remains timely in its themes.

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Photo by Dana Nalbandian/WireImage