Artist: Porcupine Tree Album: Nil Recurring Label: Transmission Records Website: http://www.porcupinetree.com Reviewers: Paulo André (PA), Bill Knispel (BK), Chris Piccirillo (CP)

Track List: Nil Recurring (6:08) Normal (7:07) Cheating The Polygraph (7:06) What Happens Now? (8:23) BK: Early 2007 saw Porcupine Tree release their third major label release, Fear of a Blank Planet. Debuted over a series of concerts in late 2006, the 55-minute album flowed like a true concept album, with themes lifted from modern life (alienation, disaffected youth, drug culture, violence, et cetera). With a sound that drew as much from the band’s earlier space rock-influenced progressive albums, FOABP would be a bit of a polarising release for the band’s growing fan base. Newer fans, familiar with the heavier rock/metal sound of In Absentia or Deadwing found the lengthier, more synth-based tracks to be less immediately accessible and approachable, while longer term fans embraced the return to that sound, even if it was but a component of the group’s sound. Not long after release, word began to circulate about a potential second release from the band. Made up of tracks that had been recorded (and in one case, played out live) yet not included on the original album. This rumour was verified with the announcement of the September release of Nil Recurring, a 4 song, 28-minute EP that clears those remaining tracks from the pipeline. Examining the same themes as its parent album, Nil Recurring meshes well with FOABP while continuing to show growth in the band’s sound. We’ve decided to do something different with this review…you (the reader) are getting essentially three reviews for the price of one. The ProgScape review staff (Paulo André, Bill Knispel and Chris Piccirillo) are all offering up views and criticism of this new release, in what we believe is the first (hopefully of many) ProgScape roundtable reviews. Nil Recurring PA: A an unmistakable Crimson influence, by way of Robert Fripp's lead guitar work, along with an infectious rhythmic idea presented right from the start, amounts to an incredible all instrumental song to kick off this EP of the same title. The song is bookended by two “hard parts,” with a lot of distortion while the middle part is a little more ominous in the vein of a lot other songs Porcupine Tree have put out in the past. While it's true that the guitar work by Fripp and Wilson plays a fundamental role here, as always the percussion of Gavin Harrison is stellar and completely holds the song together. What comes across after these six minutes of outburst is a band totally in control of what they do, tight as tight can be. BK: This is not balls to the wall rock; it’s balls through the wall rock. We all know that the band has changed sound since the departure of Chris Maitland in 2001, though it is likely that this was the progression the band was taking anyway. The past three PT albums have all exhibited a penchant for the heavy and powerful, and “Nil Recurring” takes those building blocks and adds in a distinct King Crimson sensibility to them. I’d be saying this even if I didn’t know that Robert Fripp was soloing on the track…the song opens with an off-kilter rhythm and riff that would have not sounded out of place on THRaK in 1995. And Fripp’s solo is hair raising, buzz saw fuzzed and dripping with venom and vitriol. But don’t think this is a mindless stomper…while it’s heavier than lead, there’s still room for the band to shift through some moods and styles. It’s great to get a full-fledged instrumental again, and the band rips though this one like there’s no tomorrow. CP: Being out of the Porcupine Tree loop as of late, I’m going into this EP with “fresh ears” so to speak. I haven’t really loved the last couple of PT CD’s – don’t get me wrong, they weren’t terrible but they just didn’t do much for me. This has changed with PT’s latest release of Nil Recurring. These are 4 terrific songs and I’ve found myself back among the PT faithful. Starting off the disc is the strong instrumental “Nil Recurring”. Guitarist Robert Fripp of the legendary King Crimson plays on this track adding some of his signature sound to this powerful and multi-layered composition. Speaking of layers, this song is begun by an intricate drum pattern in 6 and a faint guitar riff. As the song progresses a heavy guitar is added along with some dissonant guitar squealing; think electronic whales communicating. We’re then met by a wall of heavy guitars and busy drums only to be abruptly thrown back into a mellow mix of bass guitar and sounds as well as an excellent use of frippertronics (I can only assume) ratchets up the tension and mysterious feeling of this track. The next striking section is in 7 time and shows of Gavin’s excellent drum prowess via quick and precise fills accenting the odd time signature. The track closes on a heavy riff showcasing Fripp’s lead skills and more tremendous drumming from Harrison. A quick 6 minutes, indeed. Sentimental PA: A nod back to Fear of a Blank Planet and “Sentimental” in many ways, “Normal” has the Steven Wilson trademark written all over it and, for my money, is definitely the most beautiful track on this EP. The fantastic acoustic guitar intro lays the groundwork for everything that comes after it and the “Sentimental” references are obvious in the chorus (same lyrics and vocal melody). Again, Gavin Harrison's drumming is outstanding, completely unpredictable, but totally fitting to the song. While in “Sentimental” the vibe lent itself to a little “Trains” reprise, in here a beautiful coda takes its place, with Wilson singing “Wish I was old and a little…sentimental” in what is marvelous vocals interplay. BK: It’s always nice to see Porcupine Tree working in a more acoustic arena. Some of my favourite tracks have features some extensive acoustic parts (“Trains,” the acoustic “Nine Cats,” et cetera), and while I know both of my reviewers have also referenced the stylistic nod to “Trains” in their overviews of the album, well…I have to do the same thing. It’s a nice tie-in song in a lot of ways, giving a knowing nod to music from the past while reiterating some of the lyrical themes from Fear of a Blank Planet. I love the alternating light and shade/up tempo rock sections, which shift into gentle, pastoral ambience before thrashy hard rock/metal kicks in. “Sentimental” works through a range of styles and themes, keeping the listener just a bit off balance. Definitely worth noting is the almost Gentle Giant-esque vocal arrangements about 5 minutes in, with multiple layers of vocal overdubs playing off each other. This is a solid song…perhaps not quite as strong as the others, but certainly offering the potential of being a crowd pleaser with room for audience participation and sing alongs. CP: Next up we have “Normal” with its “Trains” middle section-esque introduction of solo acoustic guitar. However, the track goes somewhere unexpected for me, to a quick, moderately heavy pre-verse with a great ascending bass riff from Colin Edwin, resolving in a quiet verse, with a riff similar to the intro. Toms and snare rolls make up an interesting and different drumbeat for the verse. The chorus arrives with a gorgeous and extremely catchy vocal and use of mellotron strings. The classic 70’s prog sound continues into the next verse as strings swirl around Steven’s hypnotic vocals. The seemingly standard PT track reaches it’s apparent end when all of sudden the band kicks into high gear with an intense, heavy and thick section with furious drumming and Opeth-like riffing. As suddenly as this aural beating began, it recedes back into the soothing realms of acoustic guitar, strings, and vocal harmonies. One plus of this EP that really has drawn me in is Steven’s wonderful vocal lines and harmonies. So far this CD is 2 for 2… Cheating the Polygraph PA: This is a Gavin Harrison penned song, co-authored by Steven Wilson as is usually the case, even darker in mood and lyrical content. One thing Porcupine Tree and Wilson in particular have always excelled at is in how the vocal effects and filters are applied and this song makes a good point of that. Not only the “Feel my soul going/Feel my soul colder” choruses are amazing that way, both guitar solos (very different in tone between each other), perfectly rhythmically backed up by Harrison and Edwin, really work in the context of the song. BK: Listeners who saw the band on their Arriving Somewhere DVD tour heard most of the material that would make up Fear of a Blank Planet well before release. One of the six songs played in concert never made the album; it’s released here for the first time. Long, chiming fuzzed guitar chords, plaintive SW vocals, and a nice synth line (sounding like a fat analogue Moog) tie things together over the first minute or two before the song shifts gears and squeals into much darker realms. Vocals sound phoned in (in traditional SW form), while the band continues to show how beefed up they’ve gotten since the arrival of Gavin Harrison on the drum stool. It’s nice to see Barbieri and Edwin featured so much on this song…Edwin’s bass solo is warm and inviting, with a rounded tone that is easy on the ears, and a delivery that is fluid and effortless, while his bass tone at 4 minutes is crunchy and almost Zeuhl in sound; Jannick Top would be proud indeed. CP: “Cheating the Polygraph” begins upbeat with a driving pulse and whirring drums. Gavin really shines on this EP as he does in PT’s catalog but something about his playing on this CD really connects with me. It’s a great display of taste, power, little accents and nuance. The interesting clean guitar solo after the first gritty chorus evokes Spock’s Beard and Steve Howe; it’s got a wonderful tone and is superbly played. The chorus returns with a fervor; it’s mix of distorted vocals, eerie keyboards and thick, almost Devin Townshend like guitars give a feeling of dread and darkness. The ensuing solo section only enhances this feeling. Odd piano chords, manic double bass fills, a looping groove that envelopes you and spins you around support a wah-infused guitar solo until all is stripped leaving a droning bass and volume swells. The anger returns with a staccato guitar riff and syncopated drumming dragging us in chains to the final chorus and killer outro. “Cheating the Polygraph” is a brilliant, dark masterpiece of a band melding atmosphere, brutality and technicality into a seemingly way too short 7 minutes. What Happens Now? PA: The longest track on this EP and probably the hardest to really get into. This to me feels like it starts really contained and then unravels throughout its eight minutes in true progressive fashion, definitely in the uncanny Porcupine Tree style. Lyrically we get even more desperate and it seems there's no happy ending for this “story” but this song is yet another reminder of why Porcupine Tree are so great. In this, as in every other of this EP's tracks, the production is as good as it gets, another SW trademark I would say. “What Happens Now?” sounds big. Especially the power chords towards the end along with the wah-infused crazy guitar solo and weird sounds, which wrap this EP perfectly. Oh and did I mention how great Harrison's drumming is? BK: I thought “Sleep Together” was a good album closer for Fear of a Blank Planet, but it still felt somewhat…incomplete. When you compare it to pieces like “Collapse the Light into Day” or “Dark Matter,” well…it doesn’t quite measure up. “What Happens Now,” on the other hand…I can easily see this fitting onto FOABP after “Sleep Together” and closing things out nicely. It does have a bit of an epilogue feeling to it, and there’s an incredibly infectious groove underpinning the piece that I haven’t heard the band work through since pieces like “Tinto Brass” or “Voyage 34.” I know a lot of newer fans have had a difficult time coming to grips with the FOABP material due to it’s somewhat less immediate, spacier feel, but for me, the last album, and songs like this, showcase the side of the band I grew to love in the first place. Lots of space, groove and fantastic Barbieri synth contributions make “What Happens Now” not only the strongest track on this EP (and that’s saying a lot), but one of the most enjoyable tracks the band has released over the past 5 years. CP: “What Happens Now?” is the album closer and is also the longest song, at 8 minutes, 23 seconds. Beginning with tribal percussion, keys and vocals this song has a soundtrack vibe to it. I like the up-tempo feel of the drums while the keys try to drag it back to the doldrums. The drums enter; militaristic marching sounds push back against the keys and eventually win out as the band kicks in with a very tasty groove, anchored by the bass’ simple yet catchy riff. This section is tremendous with layers moving in and out of space, echoing and ping ponging their way across our soundscape. A very classic PT lead section bridges the gap between the beginning material with an absolutely brilliant musical passage. Off time drums (check out the ride cymbal’s pulse fighting against the beat) and ostinato guitar lines loop and twist their way in and out of meter sounding perfectly uncomfortable in the maelstrom. Heavy up front chords resolve the tension and slam the listener as guitar and keyboard solos scream and wail above the fray. IN CONCLUSION: CP: This EP comes as a huge surprise to me. I immediately fell in love with its mix of technical prowess, songwriting and overall production. The songs are dense yet accessible, the vocal melodies and overall theme of the songs connect with me more than previous efforts and the playing seems to rise a notch above. A great collection of songs and I might have to go back to Fear of a Blank Planet and Deadwing to see if my opinion has changed! PA: Many argue these songs should have been released along with the rest of Fear of a Blank Planet. While a case can be made for that considering the overall vibe and lyrical content is pretty much in the same wavelength, I think it would be a shame to lose both a great no-fat 50-minute album and a fantastic 28-minute EP, if you know what I mean. Personally I think having a CD crammed to the top is never a good idea, no matter how excellent the music is, as it can be a draining experience to listen to it repeatedly. I know I love The Wall dearly but hardly ever listen to it in its entirety. Granted, prog lovers would definitely enjoy the little references and themes shared between songs, but Steven Wilson's artistic integrity prevails as I think he did with Fear of a Blank Planet exactly the album he wanted to make. And after all, in the MP3 era, everyone can have their own "Fear of a Nil Recurring Planet", am I right? Band: Steven Wilson – guitars, vocals Colin Edwin – bass guitar Richard Barbieri – keyboards, synthesizers Gavin Harrison – drums, percussion