“My Ashes”, the second track on Fear of a Blank Planet, is one of Porcupine Tree’s most emotionally resonant and introspective compositions. Functioning as a fragile moment of reflection amid the album’s broader themes of alienation, technological numbness, and existential dread, the song stands as a requiem - not just for a person, but for lost identity and disintegrating human connection.
Musically, “My Ashes” is understated but rich. The arrangement is centered around a delicate piano motif, supported by orchestral swells, restrained guitar textures, and Gavin Harrison’s subtle percussion. Richard Barbieri’s atmospheric soundscapes add a deep sense of space and melancholy, wrapping the track in an ambient haze that enhances its introspective tone.
Steven Wilson’s vocals are hushed, almost conversational. His delivery captures a quiet resignation, filled with weariness and a longing for meaning. The lyrics are poetic, somber and sometimes simply brilliant - “And my ashes fade among the things unseen / And a dream plays in reverse on piano keys”. The title itself, “My Ashes”, is metaphorical - perhaps a symbolic scattering of former beliefs, relationships, or identities.
Lyrically, the song continues the conceptual thread of Fear of a Blank Planet, an album deeply concerned with a generation adrift in a digital, disconnected world. But where other tracks on the album rage or retreat into numbness, “My Ashes” quietly mourns. It feels like the inner monologue of someone who has finally stopped trying to escape and instead sits still, sifting through the emotional wreckage.
One of the most poignant aspects of the song is its restraint. There’s no dramatic crescendo, no cathartic release - just a steady, mournful progression toward silence. It feels like a candle slowly burning out, beautiful in its final flickers.
“My Ashes” is a deeply moving moment in Porcupine Tree’s catalog - elegant, sorrowful, and emotionally unflinching. It doesn’t aim to comfort; it aims to express the truth of a spiritual and emotional void that modern life often leaves in its wake. As a standalone track, it’s haunting. Within the context of Fear of a Blank Planet, it’s devastating. A quiet masterpiece of melancholy, “My Ashes” is the sound of reflection after the noise has died down - and it lingers long after the final note fades.
Musically, “My Ashes” is understated but rich. The arrangement is centered around a delicate piano motif, supported by orchestral swells, restrained guitar textures, and Gavin Harrison’s subtle percussion. Richard Barbieri’s atmospheric soundscapes add a deep sense of space and melancholy, wrapping the track in an ambient haze that enhances its introspective tone.
Steven Wilson’s vocals are hushed, almost conversational. His delivery captures a quiet resignation, filled with weariness and a longing for meaning. The lyrics are poetic, somber and sometimes simply brilliant - “And my ashes fade among the things unseen / And a dream plays in reverse on piano keys”. The title itself, “My Ashes”, is metaphorical - perhaps a symbolic scattering of former beliefs, relationships, or identities.
Lyrically, the song continues the conceptual thread of Fear of a Blank Planet, an album deeply concerned with a generation adrift in a digital, disconnected world. But where other tracks on the album rage or retreat into numbness, “My Ashes” quietly mourns. It feels like the inner monologue of someone who has finally stopped trying to escape and instead sits still, sifting through the emotional wreckage.
One of the most poignant aspects of the song is its restraint. There’s no dramatic crescendo, no cathartic release - just a steady, mournful progression toward silence. It feels like a candle slowly burning out, beautiful in its final flickers.
“My Ashes” is a deeply moving moment in Porcupine Tree’s catalog - elegant, sorrowful, and emotionally unflinching. It doesn’t aim to comfort; it aims to express the truth of a spiritual and emotional void that modern life often leaves in its wake. As a standalone track, it’s haunting. Within the context of Fear of a Blank Planet, it’s devastating. A quiet masterpiece of melancholy, “My Ashes” is the sound of reflection after the noise has died down - and it lingers long after the final note fades.