The band's prolific back catalogue, with works ranging from psychedelic to pop, aside; Fear Of A Blank Planet is somewhat of a misnomer.

Its terrific moments are often starkly contrasted against its less appealing moments, and lyrically it does tend to repeat itself. The now tried and true "vague-conceptual" formulae, which has been present on several of Porcupine Tree's works is in full swing, referencing mostly from Bret Easton-Ellis' book Lunar Park. While using the characters (namely, a child) from Easton-Ellis work, it extrapolates the story into looking deeply into what Steven Wilson sees as a growingly apathetic "Xbox" generation. Its name itself is an obvious reference to Public Enemy's 1990 album Fear Of A Black Planet.

As Wilson sees it, racism is giving way to apathy as a major societal inhibition.

His usual criticisms of manufactured music lie only in metaphor. While the press surrounding the album's launch featured Wilson heavily bashing iPods and speaking of the internet revolution being behind modern music's disposability, the actual album looks more into drug use and the now enhanced sexuality of younger and younger age groups with each passing year.

Musically it is a much darker album than predecessor, 2005's Deadwing, sounding a lot closer to the musical catacombs of 2002's In Absentia. Its playing is very intelligent, it rocks when it needs to, is introspective when it needs to be and all the while finds the stylized ground that Porcupine Tree fans have come to expect.

Opening tracks "Fear Of A Blank Planet", "My Ashes" and the token epic number "Anesthetize" are very strong numbers, both lyrically and musically, which hold their own with the band's prior works.

However after the 17 minute long third track, which gloriously shifts between ambient, rock, and psychotic progressive metal, the album fails to hit its stride. Lyrical themes predominantly wind up repeated in different guises, with track four "Sentimental" almost feeling like a rehash of the title track. The ending track "Sleep Together" offers some redemption with the lead characters ascension to sexual maturity handled startlingly well, but sadly it's too little too late.

Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory has proven that clichéd and often immature lyrics; in a strong conceptual framework can be successful. And at least Wilson has the construct on his side: the entire album is written from the point of a drug-addled teenage mind. The problem with it is he layers it all on far too thick lyrically. Constant recurring imagery of being stoned in a mall, holding a gun, taking perscription drugs, etc. is labored unnecessarily, with it often feeling like the subject matter wasn't enough to carry the album.

Drummer Gavin Harrison puts in a glorious performance, never afraid to show what he can do, yet always respectful of the song.

My issues with the lyrics aside this is still in my top five albums of 2007, and Wilson and co. as always remain somewhat untouchable in the modern prog arena. Looking at their whole catalogue leading up to now, you still never know what will come next from Porcupine Tree, and that is their inherent strength.