Thoughts on new Porcupine Tree and Megadeth

Here are some of my initial thoughts on the new releases from Porcupine Tree and Megadeth:










Porcupine Tree - The Incident

I'd give this 8.5 out of 10

I have been a fan of this band since hearing their 2002 release "In Absentia". I've had the pleasure of seeing the band twice, and they are amazing. Main songwriter and frontman Steven Wilson has not only released a fantastic solo album in 2008, but also continue to work with numerous other bands and projects. I was a bit skeptical about how good this new Porcupine Tree would turn out, considering how busy Steven has been.

The first time through the disc was a bit of a disappointment. I had read it was going to be a concept album, but they have been doing some of that lately anyway. However, "The Incident" is much more of a layered piece, compared to past releases. The version I bought has two discs. Disc one is a continuous piece that is framed as "The Incident". This entire disc lacks a typical "song" structure that I expected, but has more of a "story" flow to it. Sections flow together, and some tracks are just over a minute, while others are over 11 minutes. Their previous "Fear of A Blank Planet" featured longer songs, but they seemed more structured. So, this has taken me some time to get comfortable with, but after a few days, I can now say it's very good and fits with their past work. Disc 2 features a selection of individual songs from the same recording sessions. However, these supposedly did not fit within the "Incident" story. These tracks are good, but do need to be taken separately. The entire disc 1 comes across a tad more "down tempo" than I expected, but they mix up things pretty good during the 50 minutes.

I would say this is a release that simply takes a few listens and time to get familiar with it. Steven and the band have created a project that both catches me off guard, while also finding enough familiar ground to keep me connected. I like that they were able to find that middle ground, and challenge my expectations. It's an impressive release, and will probably continue to grow on me.











Megadeth - Endgame

I'd give it 9.75 out of 10

For most of us, Megadeth hit their peak with "Rust In Peace". The couple following releases were good, but the band continued to lose momentum. In recent years, band founder Dave Mustaine has marketed each new release as a return to the "Rust In Peace" sound. However, in my opinion, he fell short. Until now.

This is the Megadeth release most of us have been waiting for. With almost an entirely new band (nobody left from the "Rust In Peace" days), Mustaine and company finally correct the recent past shortcomings. "Endgame" opens up with a brief instrumental piece called "Dialectic Chaos". This is basically a 2 minute old school thrash piece, with some great solos. This certainly takes you back to the early days with Marty Friedman. Finally, I don't find myself missing Marty. Afterward, we get into ten more classic Megadeth compositions.

Mustaine has managed to recapture his snarling vocals, and also brought back all the elements that fans have been looking for. Few ballads and no more of the "modern" sounds, help lift this new release to almost classic status. The drums are pummeling, the guitars are crunchy, the solos are amazing, and the songs are fantastic.

My only reasons for not giving it a 10 rating is that Vic Rattlehead is missing from the cover, AND I still wish Marty Friedman was still around. I realize those are minor issues, when compared against how well this release delivers on the expectations. Oh, and this is WAY better than the latest Metallica, as good as that one is.

If you've been waiting for the proper follow-up to "Rust In Peace"/"Countdown To Extinction" era Megadeth, this is for you.