The album was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve Rothery, believing himself to be vulnerable, was not comfortable in being in the studio with the rest of the band for much of the period and contributed his parts from home until conditions changed sufficiently for him to feel confident to return. Otherwise, however, the writing and recording followed the established jam-record-compile approach of previous albums.
h wrote in a pre-release update how he had initially tried to avoid writing about the pandemic, but, "When
push came to shove though, it was impossible not to reference it. It
has become part of life so there’s no ignoring it creatively just as
there's no ignoring it, period." Murder Machines and Care both touch on the pandemic, though Care is much wider in scope.
h also stated that he believes that mass-extinctions and climate change are
more pressing issues than COVID and will demand a change in how people behave.
These themes are explored in a number of the album's tracks, principally
Be Hard on Yourself and Reprogram the Gene.
The Crow and the Nightingale is about Leonard Cohen, known to be one of h's musical heroes, while Sierra Leone concerns a man that finds a large diamond.
When Be Hard on Yourself
was released as the first taster of the album, many commentators were
quick to note that it sounded like it was cut from the same cloth as FEAR, and it's hard to deny that there are some chord sequences, harmonies and arrangements that strongly recall The New Kings.
Yet, it's equally true to say that the song is much less dense
lyrically and by being considerably more pacy than anything on the
previous album, it is much more accessible.
From then on, the album sounds lighter and brighter than its predecessor. Reprogram the Gene
is a very decent rock song, musing on environmentalism and whether
COVID might be an opportunity to do things differently in future. Murder Machines, with the short Just a Kiss introduction is their finest rock song for a good few albums - many will prefer Power, but I find this vastly superior - and the lyric is genuinely moving.
Less densely produced despite, in songs such as The Crow and the Nightingale,
having real strings, horn and harp and a choir, the overall quicker pace
to the album felt very welcome to me. There are many moments of real beauty
on this album, where the listener feels moved (yet not manipulated to be
so), and the middle section of The Crow is one of them. It certainly doesn't sound like Leonard Cohen's chansonnier style
(many might say an acquired taste - there's a reason his best known
song is from a cover version), but it does convey Hogarth's admiration
for his words extremely effectively.
In interview I did with him for the Web UK, Mark Kelly seemed to downplay Sierra Leone.
He didn't suggest it was awful - indeed, he said it had some interesting parts - however, he was less enthused than some of the
other tracks. Perhaps it's not so interesting for a keyboard player,
but I was particularly taken with it. I could hear some similarities
with The Sky Above the Rain in terms of the palette used, but where Sky has
never really connected, this one did. There's a very effective section
at the end where h is multitracked that really reminded me of something
off the How We Live album.
Closer Care had been
talked up by the band, with many people arguing it might be the finest
song they'd ever written; some comparisons were made to Neverland.
It certainly connected with certain recent events in my life, and the
lyrics made me weep before I'd heard a note of music. When I felt
confident to try it, I didn't really get Neverland vibes at all. I did get a strong Anoraknophobia
feeling from the opening section with its funky, insistent bass into
the euphoric chorus. The later sections are a slow build, with lots of
layering and repetition. If you have lost someone you love, prepare to
shed tears, and if somehow iii. Every Cell doesn't tip you over the edge, then the call back to the 'She put her arms around me' line surely will.
For all the paranoia and pessimism of FEAR, An Hour Before it's Dark provides an antidote with some of Marillion's most uplifting songs.
The pre-release round up of news for AHBiD has been moved here.
The entire cover is by Simon Ward who has been responsible for many of Marillion's studio album covers since Sounds that can't be Made.
Songs with a link have explanations.
- Introduction
- Be Hard On Yourself
- Reprogram The Gene
- Murder Machines
- The Crow and the Nightingale
- Sierra Leone
- Care
Incredible album, I can stop playing side three. Through care right through to the end in unbelievable.
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