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“Blackest Eyes” opens the 2002 album In Absentia with a jolt - a visceral blend of heavy riffs, melodic intricacy, and psychological tension that defines the best of Porcupine Tree’s progressive metal era. It’s a gripping introduction not only to the album, but to the darker, more complex sound that Steven Wilson and company embraced in the early 2000s.
The song begins with a thunderous guitar riff that immediately asserts its weight - an unambiguous shift from the more ambient, psychedelic leanings of earlier Porcupine Tree releases. Yet, as is typical with the band’s genre-blurring approach, the heaviness is soon counterbalanced by serene, acoustic passages and Wilson’s delicate vocal delivery. These sudden contrasts are not jarring; they’re woven with precision, offering a dynamic push and pull between aggression and vulnerability.
The chorus, with its haunting harmony and soaring melody, is one of Porcupine Tree’s most emotionally resonant. The production, handled by Wilson himself, is meticulous - every drum snap, bass line, and keyboard flourish serves the song’s mood. Gavin Harrison’s drumming deserves particular praise for its fluidity and control, threading together the track’s opposing energies with masterful finesse.
Lyrically, “Blackest Eyes” walks a tightrope between fascination and horror. The narrator appears to observe or inhabit a character who is both entranced by beauty and capable of violence - a reflection of obsession, isolation, and perhaps sociopathy. The line “A mother sings a lullaby to a child / Sometime in the future the boy goes wild” hints at buried trauma and the thin veneer of normalcy. Even the affectionate line "It's so erotic when your make up runs" has dark undertones. The juxtaposition of soft, intimate music with dark, disturbing imagery adds to the psychological depth. It’s a song that doesn’t just tell a story - it makes you feel complicit in its unease.
As the first track on In Absentia, this song sets the tone for one of Porcupine Tree’s most acclaimed albums. It showcases the band’s evolution toward a heavier, more metal-influenced sound while maintaining their melodic and conceptual core. The track has since become a fan favorite and a staple in live performances, often used to demonstrate the band’s range and technical prowess.
“Blackest Eyes” is a perfect entry point into Porcupine Tree’s more progressive-metal-oriented catalog. It’s intense, emotionally layered, and musically sophisticated - a song that demands your attention from the first note and lingers long after its final whisper. With its blend of beauty and brutality, it exemplifies Steven Wilson’s uncanny ability to find grace in darkness.
The song begins with a thunderous guitar riff that immediately asserts its weight - an unambiguous shift from the more ambient, psychedelic leanings of earlier Porcupine Tree releases. Yet, as is typical with the band’s genre-blurring approach, the heaviness is soon counterbalanced by serene, acoustic passages and Wilson’s delicate vocal delivery. These sudden contrasts are not jarring; they’re woven with precision, offering a dynamic push and pull between aggression and vulnerability.
The chorus, with its haunting harmony and soaring melody, is one of Porcupine Tree’s most emotionally resonant. The production, handled by Wilson himself, is meticulous - every drum snap, bass line, and keyboard flourish serves the song’s mood. Gavin Harrison’s drumming deserves particular praise for its fluidity and control, threading together the track’s opposing energies with masterful finesse.
Lyrically, “Blackest Eyes” walks a tightrope between fascination and horror. The narrator appears to observe or inhabit a character who is both entranced by beauty and capable of violence - a reflection of obsession, isolation, and perhaps sociopathy. The line “A mother sings a lullaby to a child / Sometime in the future the boy goes wild” hints at buried trauma and the thin veneer of normalcy. Even the affectionate line "It's so erotic when your make up runs" has dark undertones. The juxtaposition of soft, intimate music with dark, disturbing imagery adds to the psychological depth. It’s a song that doesn’t just tell a story - it makes you feel complicit in its unease.
As the first track on In Absentia, this song sets the tone for one of Porcupine Tree’s most acclaimed albums. It showcases the band’s evolution toward a heavier, more metal-influenced sound while maintaining their melodic and conceptual core. The track has since become a fan favorite and a staple in live performances, often used to demonstrate the band’s range and technical prowess.
“Blackest Eyes” is a perfect entry point into Porcupine Tree’s more progressive-metal-oriented catalog. It’s intense, emotionally layered, and musically sophisticated - a song that demands your attention from the first note and lingers long after its final whisper. With its blend of beauty and brutality, it exemplifies Steven Wilson’s uncanny ability to find grace in darkness.