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Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning



8.2 | 271 votes |
Release date: 26 September 2011
Style: Progressive rock

Owners:

277 have it
23 want it


Disc I [Deform To Form A Star]
01. Grace For Drowning
02. Sectarian
03. Deform To Form A Star
04. No Part Of Me
05. Postcard
06. Raider Prelude
07. Remainder The Black Dog

Disc II [Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye]
01. Belle De Jour
02. Index
03. Track One
04. Raider II
05. Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye

Disc III [The Map] [deluxe edition bonus]
01. Home In Negative
02. Fluid Tap
03. The Map
04. Raider Acceleration
05. Black Dog Throwbacks
06. Raider II [demo]

Guest review by
K✞ulu
Rating:
8.6
I do not consider myself qualified enough to review an album by now a living legend, Steven Wilson. Neither do I know his works with Porcupine Tree well nor his side projects and not even his debut as a solo artist Insurgentes very well; however, I simply can't help writing about this opus that Steven has created. Dedicated to his late father, Grace for Drowning is a very capacious record: there is place for both serenity and aggression, stretched out pieces of ambience and straight-forward heavy riffs or even convoluted sax and key solos. This, more or less, summarizes the first two tracks, but there is a lot more thought-provoking material on this double album.

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published 30.12.2012 | Comments (2)

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Comments: 55   Visited by: 869 users
04.10.2011 - 20:13
Rating: 6
Prometheus
Remember the 3 forget now its 7 i listened and even if its not metal i like it it might grows on me i just need to listen to it one more time
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04.10.2011 - 20:13
Rating: 6
Prometheus
Remember the 3 forget now its 7 i listened and even if its not metal i like it it might grows on me i just need to listen to it one more time
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04.10.2011 - 23:16
Rating: 9
Acidjunkie
Written by Prometheus on 04.10.2011 at 20:13

Remember the 3 forget now its 7 i listened and even if its not metal i like it it might grows on me i just need to listen to it one more time

Hahah at your current rate we will see a 9 soon...but good to see you open up to it. Now if this guy puts a proper metal track on his next album we even have a good excuse to keep talking about it at MS...;-)
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06.10.2011 - 11:33
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Elite
There are some amazing tunes here, 'Deform to form a star' is one of Steven's best performances.
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07.10.2011 - 19:35
Rating: 6
Qube
Well done but lacks energy even taking into account that it is rock.
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08.10.2011 - 21:57
Rating: 9
ravendeath
Written by Acidjunkie on 04.10.2011 at 23:16

Written by Prometheus on 04.10.2011 at 20:13

Remember the 3 forget now its 7 i listened and even if its not metal i like it it might grows on me i just need to listen to it one more time

Hahah at your current rate we will see a 9 soon...but good to see you open up to it. Now if this guy puts a proper metal track on his next album we even have a good excuse to keep talking about it at MS...;-)

I knew it!
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14.10.2011 - 23:50
Grody2themax
Written by Illwill on 02.10.2011 at 17:59

By proxy, then ->METAL<- Storm should add and rate Black Eyes Peas because Fergie worked with Slash and there are tons of other examples.
Keep it real, keep it METAL

..Slash =/= metal
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25.10.2011 - 11:37
Rating: 9
BehzadSh
Great album, but why should he release it separately by himself? It sound like porcupine tree
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http://www.last.fm/user/behzadsh
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25.10.2011 - 16:11
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Milena on 03.10.2011 at 22:44

Hell, Alcest and the similar are barely black metal

Alcest Ep "Le Secret" which is the work that put Niege in the map and make every metalhead who was into black at the time wake up and see what was going on... That EP is Black metal all the way through, same with the demos and more than half the second album.

Back on Steve, Like you said... Steve Wilson is pretty damn important for the reason you already said, he is quite an important figure in metal. Did a lot of stuff for Opeth albums since Blackwater Park.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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25.10.2011 - 20:40
Milena
gloom cookie
Staff
Written by X-Ray Rod on 25.10.2011 at 16:11

Written by Milena on 03.10.2011 at 22:44

Hell, Alcest and the similar are barely black metal

Alcest Ep "Le Secret" which is the work that put Niege in the map and make every metalhead who was into black at the time wake up and see what was going on... That EP is Black metal all the way through, same with the demos and more than half the second album.

Back on Steve, Like you said... Steve Wilson is pretty damn important for the reason you already said, he is quite an important figure in metal. Did a lot of stuff for Opeth albums since Blackwater Park.

Yeah, but that is only one quarter or so of their work...
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7.0 means the album is good
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25.10.2011 - 22:39
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Milena on 25.10.2011 at 20:40

Yeah, but that is only one quarter or so of their work...

Hmmm not really tbh.
Tristesse Hivernale demo (Black)
Le Secret (Black)
Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde (not Black)
First split (Black)
Second Split (two songs: Percées de Lumière which is a bit black, not the other song though)
Écailles de Lune (Half Black)
Re-release of Le Secret (Black)

Not trying to be an asshole here but just like to point things out.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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25.10.2011 - 22:53
Milena
gloom cookie
Staff
Written by X-Ray Rod on 25.10.2011 at 22:39

Hmmm not really tbh.
Tristesse Hivernale demo (Black)
Le Secret (Black)
Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde (not Black)
First split (Black)
Second Split (two songs: Percées de Lumière which is a bit black, not the other song though)
Écailles de Lune (Half Black)
Re-release of Le Secret (Black)

Not trying to be an asshole here but just like to point things out.

I agree about the demo and Le Secret, but the split with Les Discrets and Ecailles had veryyyy little black to it, just some fairly identical passages that could have frankly been left out, they kinda lose their purpose when the third one appears. Or at least that's due to me not being a black fan...
But if they didn't have any connection to metal whatsoever, they'd be a shoegaze band, which means half of their metal fans wouldn't have heard of them. So I guess this is good for them
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7.0 means the album is good
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25.10.2011 - 23:15
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Milena on 25.10.2011 at 22:53

I agree about the demo and Le Secret, but the split with Les Discrets and Ecailles had veryyyy little black to it

Just to make sure we are talking about the same split:
The first split is just a re-release of the first demo so it is black. The split with Les Discrets... oh well I'll give you that because Percées De Lumière is indeed not really a Black song BUT it does have some obvious metal (black or not) on it. About the latest album: The first two songs has some obvious metal (specially the second one) amost all the way through. You not digging those moments due to you not liking Black metal doesn't change the amount of black metal influences on the album at all.
The point is... Alcest does have more Metal that people seem to think which amuses me because comparing proportions... Alcest has more metal material than Anathema and no one questions Anathema being here for the obvious reason of having some obvious metal in their discography.

Last but not least.... This comment is at the very least... confusing:
Quote:
But if they didn't have any connection to metal whatsoever, they'd be a shoegaze band, which means half of their metal fans wouldn't have heard of them.

It almost feels like you can say the same thing about other bands that play metal combined with something else.... If they didn't have a connection with metal... they'd be a "something else" band........which is obvious.

The botomline of my comment is: Alcest has every right to be here just like Cannibal Corpse XP. Alcest has at least half of their material being directly connected with metal instead of "a quarter" (as a math freak I take numbers literally) and Steven fucking Wilson can stay here
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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25.10.2011 - 23:44
Milena
gloom cookie
Staff
Written by X-Ray Rod on 25.10.2011 at 23:15

*comment I won't leave in so this thread won't bulge, but I remembered all points in it*

Sorry for saying a number which is not precise, I know how to deal with math freaks but I didn't know you were one And excuse the comment that baffled you, I had a point there but I kinda lost it.
Anyway, I brought up Alcest as an example why Steven Wilson SHOULD be on the site, so there's no disagreement. Guess I should have done Les Discrets instead, since they're even lighter in metal elements, but I've figured that Alcest is more famous and that their metal influence isn't the dominant sound they do, or the thing people know them for.
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7.0 means the album is good
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25.10.2011 - 23:59
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Milena on 25.10.2011 at 23:44

Written by X-Ray Rod on 25.10.2011 at 23:15

*comment I won't leave in so this thread won't bulge, but I remembered all points in it*

Sorry for saying a number which is not precise, I know how to deal with math freaks but I didn't know you were one And excuse the comment that baffled you, I had a point there but I kinda lost it.
Anyway, I brought up Alcest as an example why Steven Wilson SHOULD be on the site, so there's no disagreement. Guess I should have done Les Discrets instead, since they're even lighter in metal elements, but I've figured that Alcest is more famous and that their metal influence isn't the dominant sound they do, or the thing people know them for.

Oh I understand perfectly and I actually agree with your reasons to why Steve should stay here.
As a side note: Before Alcest released their debut they were actually very well known for their EP Le Secret. You can see that on the first pages on their thread here in MS which was created before the debut and in many websites like Metal Archives so while it's not their dominant sound like you said, it is something metalheads know them/him for.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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26.10.2011 - 00:31
Milena
gloom cookie
Staff
Written by X-Ray Rod on 25.10.2011 at 23:59

Oh I understand perfectly and I actually agree with your reasons to why Steve should stay here.
As a side note: Before Alcest released their debut they were actually very well known for their EP Le Secret. You can see that on the first pages on their thread here in MS which was created before the debut and in many websites like Metal Archives so while it's not their dominant sound like you said, it is something metalheads know them/him for.

Should brush up on my history then.
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7.0 means the album is good
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10.11.2011 - 11:32
Rating: 9
NocturnalStalker
Metal Addict
Excellent album! Has the same familiar Wilson's touch but still sounds different.
I can understand that some people are bothered by the fact that this album is featured on Metal Storm but why not? This is a great record, Steven's music is an inspiration for many musicians (including metal musicians) and, really, many progressive metal bands out there could learn a thing or two about songwriting from him.
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"And we are not who we think we are
We are who we're afraid to be"
- Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
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13.11.2011 - 21:51
Rating: 8
Introspekrieg
Totemic Lust
Elite
Written by [user id=39762] on 02.10.2011 at 12:48

Wilson has never set a trend; he's just followed it. And this album is a well done mixture of unoriginal and old (VERY old) ideas that could manage to satisfy a lot of nostalgic fans; or maybe just those who don't know what progressive rock is and where it comes from. He's over 40 and still tries to rehash King Crimson, Floyd, Hammill, Wyatt (and Canterbury-ish sound in general), Drake, Radiohead and sometimes even Massive Attack (oh, cool influences, aren't they?) without providing new insight, and of course without reaching the same levels.

THAT SAID. This album is... Pleasant, perfectly produced and played (as ever), elegant, varied and rich, but because of the aforementioned reasons it deserves nothing more than a 7.5 for me. Not exactly my album of the year.

I can see what you are saying, but the overall experience is very nostalgic and if anyone has never listened to prog rock they will probably hate this one. "Index" has an industrial rock tinge to it (like some Porcupine Tree songs, which seem to be influenced by Nine Inch Nails). The album from beginning to end should be enough of a musical journey through the different territories, I think as a whole this gives a different insight.

It took me awhile to fully digest (I had it rated as a 7 at first), but now I'm starting to realize that it gets better with every listen. If I get tired anytime soon of it, I'll adjust the perfect rating.

EDIT: Rolling back to an 9, after more and more listens I feel that is what it deserves. It doesn't have the lasting appeal that I was hoping for.
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19.11.2011 - 17:55
musicalkaratekid
An album that, despite not being to everybody's taste, certainly pleased me upon first listen. It hasn't got boring for me ever since, and ive listened to it many many times. An album to be heard without distractions of any kind. Mind you, the fact that its even on metal storm is strange in itself...
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03.12.2011 - 15:45
fabregassed
Account deleted
This yawnfest is getting too much love.
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03.12.2011 - 17:07
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Elite
Written by [user id=115335] on 03.12.2011 at 15:45

This yawnfest is getting too much love.

Everyone needs a good nap from time to time, and this is a mighty fine nap for some. Some of Steven's most creative stuff here I think.
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18.04.2012 - 21:34
Music4TheSpirit
MetalForTheSpiri
Elite
I didn't listen to this album till few days agos, since i attended to his concert! This really a awesome album, and live it was really great, someone told me he was a perfecionist but it was till i listen on the concert i realize what he mean, the sounds was just right, great stuff!
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In this days we seem to be limited by scientific knowledge
"I'm a good man... while that don't interfere with my interest" Anonymous , taken from the low moderm and post-moderm consciences
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19.06.2012 - 17:09
Rating: 9
K✞ulu
Seeker of Truth
Just got myself to listening this album (three times in the last three days). Being moderately familiar with prog rock, I find this album quite enjoyable, especially the longer tracks: Sectarian, Remainder the Black Dog, and Raider II are quite impressive. On the other hand, I don't find much value in those shorter "interlude" tracks.
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Savor what you feel and what you see
Things that may not seem important now
But may be tomorrow

R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner

Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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18.02.2013 - 07:30
Rating: 8
CobiWan1993
Secundum Filium
Awesome album, Raider II is a beast of a song!

This is by far my favorite of Steven Wilson's solo albums hands down.
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Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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24.02.2013 - 19:58
Rating: 8
InnerSelf
proofread free
Appreciating this a lot lately, I've been digging Steven's more experimental stuff and now I'm psyched about checking his new one.
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He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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