It is another emblematic group of the progressive scene which is tackling the health crisis with a title that says a lot, 'An Hour Before It's Dark', I named the English of 'Marillion' who gave us immense pleasure with their latest album ' With Friends from the Orchestra' from the end of 2019 followed by the live 'With Friends at St David's' from 2021. Admittedly, the last two years have given inspiration to quite a few bands and progressive rock has been well spoiled, but I must say that this album is particularly captivating, and 'Steve Hogarth' was able to put strong words in the face of more or less tragic events, with of course, among other things, the health crisis and illness. At the same time, it was also necessary to have an adapted musical approach and we can say that the whole immerses us in engaging and moving atmospheres. The album is therefore divided into 4 suites and 3 other titles for a short hour of listening.
The 10 minutes of 'Be Hard On Yourself' (see the video above which is also shot live here) welcomes us with a 'Flyodian introduction ' and moving choruses in a cry of despair, the title highlighting the catastrophic state of our planet and the poignant interpretation of 'Steve Rothery' which can remind in places of the emotional force given off by 'David Bowie'. The three parts follow each other perfectly and all show a different face, with this magnificent relaxation in 'Lust for Luxury' which is framed by moments of enormous tension, worthy of 'The Wall'. 'Reprogram the Gene' tackles the thorny problem of genetic manipulation with this last part which comes into its own now with this unanswered question: 'a Cure for Us?' and the intensity is still there in this new suite which has catchy melodies with this parallel to the sounds of 'U2' in the second part of 'Trouble Free Life'. Follows the short comma 'Only a Kiss' very quiet which introduces 'Murder Machine' (see the video here) and which opens another heated debate on the fact of transmitting a virus to those which one likes by a gesture of affection, certainly the most direct title from the album. With 'The Crow and the Nightingale', the atmosphere is less serious but just as moving because it is dedicated to 'Leonard Cohen' and it is with a ballad that 'Marillion' decided to pay tribute to the Canadian singer, certainly one of the most beautiful songs of the 'English' which uses the words of 'Nightingale', from the album 'Dear Heather' by 'Leonard Cohen' released in 2004 and which was itself a tribute to the singer 'Carl Anderson'. Make way for the last two suites with, first of all, 'Sierra Leone' and its 5 parts, each quite short, whose theme is the exploitation of diamonds in Africa, but which is a pretext to talk to us about freedom and human respect. It's still a highlight of the album and time and time again 'Steve Hogarth' conveys a remarkable emotional force that triggers that characteristic thrill of immense pleasure as in the short second part 'the White Sand'. And it is with the longest piece of the album, also in 5 parts, that we end this magnificent album with a final progressive saga on an equally very sensitive subject which is the end of life and which contains all the ingredients that one wishes to find in this style of music, a variety of different atmospheres as well in the multiple changes of tempos and intensities but also in mixtures of sounds and different periods making cohabit for example in the first part electro with more traditional symphonic which makes it, for me, a perfect example of a title integrating a subtle blend of influences from several decades of progressive.
In summary, this latest album from 'Marillion', which is their twentieth album, is certainly one of the strongest on an emotional level, both vocally with a moving 'Steve Hogarth' from start to finish but also musically. with touching melodies that have repeatedly made me feel the immense pleasure that every progressive lover seeks when listening to a new album; 'An Hour Before Its Dark' will undoubtedly be a staple of 'Marillion' but beyond that, should take a good place in the future in essential progressive albums... | |
