Porcupine Tree
Closure/Continuation

Release Date: 2022 | Tracklist

“Closure/Continuation” is the eleventh studio album of Porcupine Tree and was released in 2022. The line up on the album is Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison. The album also had the participation of Lisen Rylander Love and Suzanne Barbieri.


Porcupine Tree is a British progressive rock band that was formed in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England in 1987. This is a musical project of great success and very popular, as can be evidenced by the great popularity of the band. It consists of a mix of progressive rock, psychedelic rock, avant-garde experimentalism, heavy metal and pop. The leader of the band Steven Wilson mentions that his band’s music is very simple, without complex elements. The complexity lies in the production, in the way the albums are constructed. Their first studio work was released in 1992. Between 1992 and 2009 the band released ten studio works before they suspended their activity in 2010. With some surprise, they reappeared with their activities in 2022 with the release of another studio work, “Closure/Continuation”.

So, it’s been a long time since Porcupine Tree released a new album. “The Incident” was released in 2009. The fact that thirteen years seem so short is probably due to the fact that band leader Steven Wilson has already released five studio albums during this time. He was also involved in other band projects such as, Blackfield, No-Man or the collaboration Storm Corrosion with Mikael Akerfeldt. So, it’s really surprising that Porcupine Tree managed to work on a new album.

Thus, with “Closure/Continuation” the masters are back. They were able to create a veritable cornucopia of progressive rock. “Closure/Continuation” isn’t a rehash of “The Incident”. With this album, Porcupine Tree proves again why they are hailed as one of the biggest, best and most influential prog rock bands of the 21st century. “Closure/Continuation” proves to be pleasantly varied and always a surprising work. “Closure/Continuation” is a very solid album, another great album in their career, and it's also probably one of the best progressive rock works of that year. This is also due to the fact that they have reduced themselves to the essentials and do not dare to experiment too much and cause unnecessary constraints. With only seven tracks, “Closure/Continuation” is a relatively short work, but is never boring.

“Harridan” opens the album with a groovy bass line. With interesting vocals and catchy choruses, this is a progressive and experimental track, featuring an excellent jazzy drumming. The song leans a bit much on atmospheric synthesizers, but there are some heavy guitar sounds throughout. “Of The New Day” is the album’s most popish offering. This is a mellower piece, and at first glance, a ballad of hope, but is very pensive and dark. It has quiet verses alternating with louder distorted guitar passages and swirling keyboard patterns. “Rats Return” is a heavier song, more pleasant to the progressive metal fans. It brings the energy level up full force, and shows off the band’s command of jazz-influenced progressive rock. This is the album’s most obvious reference to the Porcupine Tree of the “In Absentia” era. “Dignity” is the album’s second ballad, but it's more varied and interesting than “Of The New Day” feeling more like a proper Porcupine Tree’s track. The melody is more engaging and there’s a good gradual build throughout all the song. A nice ballad, indeed. “Herd Culling” is built on a memorable guitar riff and uses Barbieri’s talents and other effects to create tension and atmosphere. Combining electronic pulse and heavy riffs, it moves at a brisk pace, features an interesting repetitive chorus that adds some variety to Wilson’s vocal style. This is nice music with interesting lyrics. “Walk The Plank” is a more experimental electronic track, featuring drowsy vocals. This is probably the most original sounding cut on the album. This is the track on the album that most clearly refers to the music Wilson has made in the recent years. It also has a lot of the atmosphere of Barbieri’s solo works. “Chimera’s Wreck” is the longest and perhaps its finest song that recalls the hazy material of Storm Corrosion. It’s a delightful track with its many different sections. In some ways, the closest thing to the basic idea of progressive rock of any song on the album. This is a great closing to the album.


Conclusion: Once more, Porcupine Tree didn’t disappoint us with well arranged music and virtuoso musicianship. It features a lot of the characteristics that we are used to in the band. Of course this isn’t a perfect album, but overall I like “Closure/Continuation”. With well arranged music and virtuoso musicianship, “Closure/Continuation” features some very good music, but with nothing new to offer. Still, it’s a very good work and it’s what I expected, but I wish there was an element of surprise like I’ve found in previous Porcupine Tree’s works. But, above all, “Closure/Continuation” leaves us with a sensation of curiosity. The mysterious title raises questions about Porcupine Tree’s future. Is it an ending, a crowning of their long and very successful career, a goodbye of sorts, or is it a new beginning, a fresh start. We’ll see.


Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)

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