An Hour Before It's Dark, the most recent album by Marillion, from 2022 released after a six-year break, the longest in the band's history. It is a powerful album that explores the themes of the environmental crisis and the pandemic, full of emotional charge and, in my opinion, one of the band's best works in the “new era”.
A beautiful progressive rock, melodic and modern with great keyboard parts and powerful guitar work by Steve Rothery, with a very precise and driving rhythm section.
My favorite tracks are Be Hard On Yourself with a beautiful epic orchestral introduction, Reprogram The Gene, a beautiful love song for the world, Murder Machines with dark tones and gloomy lyrics, Care in which the world is described as a sick patient under treatment and represents the spirit of the album, and finally, Sierra Leone, a beautiful track that starts very softly and grows into a very powerful phase, dealing with the “blood diamond” market and its tragic consequences.
A convincing work throughout its duration and a sort of synthesis of what Marillion have become after over forty years of career, managing to impress with a completely recognizable “Marillion” sound.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS below the article title or on the "Artists" page
Tracklist
1. Be Hard on Yourself (9:28) :
- i. The Tear in the Big Picture
- ii. Lust for Luxury
- iii. You Can Learn
2. Reprogram the Gene (7:02) :
- i. Invincible
- ii. Trouble-Free Life
- iii. A Cure for Us?
3. Only a Kiss (0:39)
4. Murder Machines (4:21)
5. The Crow and the Nightingale (6:35)
6. Sierra Leone (10:54) :
- i. Chance in a Million
- ii. The White Sand
- iii. The Diamond
- iv. The Blue Warm Air
- v. More Than a Treasure
7. Care (15:20) :
- i. Maintenance Drugs
- ii. An Hour Before It's Dark
- iii. Every Cell
- iv. Angels on Earth
Duration 54:19
LineUp
- Steve Hogarth - lead & backing vocals, keyboards, percussion
- Steve Rothery - lead and rhythm guitars
- Mark Kelly - keyboards
- Pete Trewavas - bass, backing vocals
- Ian Mosley - drums
