Porcupine Tree – “Blackest Eyes”
From the album: In Absentia

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Why this song doesn’t suck:
Porcupine Tree has been a non-metal favorite of mine for quite a long while now. While they often do get pretty heavy with their material, the majority of the time I would consider their work to be more along the lines of progressive heavy rock. Porcupine Tree mainman Steven Wilson certainly knows how to write some intricate, rocking tunes; of that I have no doubt. Many of their songs have a sprawling, airy, atmospheric quality… one of my favorite of which is “Anesthetize” from the band’s newest album Fear of a Blank Planet. If it wasn’t for the near 18 minute runtime of that specific tune, I would have posted it here.  However, I chose to post one of my favorite gems from the band’s 2002 album, In Absentia, entitled “Blackest Eyes”.

In Absentia is widely considered by Porcupine Tree’s fans to be a concept album which investigates “the causes of insanity and serial killing told through the story of man from childhood through marriage.” While a grim topic to explore in an album, for the most part, the songs themselves come off as haunting and often beautiful. The album’s opener “Blackest Eyes” is a perfect example of this. While this song has a lighter, nearly cheerful quality to it, the lyrics suggest a very sinister and unsettling sequence of events. This of course does nothing to dampen the ambiance and beauty of the music itself.

This song is a good representation of what Porcupine Tree has to offer… I would highly recommend adding their extensive music catalog to your immediate listening rotation.

“Blackest Eyes” Lyrics: www.darklyrics.com
Official Website: www.porcupinetree.com