Storm Corrosion Storm Corrosion- 2012
RMR Album Rating- 6
Storm Corrosion is the highly anticipated collaboration between Porcupine Tree’s– Steven Wilson, and Opeth’s– Mikael Åkerfeldt. On the surface, the sound of the album is completely minimalistic, but below the surface, it is filled with multi-layered atmospheric soundscapes.
Aside from Mikael Åkerfeldt’s vocals on the opening track “Drag Ropes,” which he repeats in a circular chorus, and his electric guitar work on “Hag,” there is not much to initially latch on to. In fact, there is a complete lack of hooks anywhere on the album. Plus, other than some slight percussion from Porcupine Tree’s– Gavin Harrison, there is very little drum work either. However, the album is filled with beautiful and subtle atmospheric elegance, but it is all very subdued, and if you don’t pay very close attention while listening— you will miss it all.
In addition to the album’s stunning atmosphere, the main highlight for me is Steven Wilson’s use of sound effects, which in some ways makes the album sound more like a movie soundtrack than a rock album; there is a very cinematic quality to the whole album. There is creaking, laughing, and I would even call the vocals sound effects, as there is no emphasis put on the words themselves, but rather the emphasis is placed on sounds the words make. All these sound effects are also buried deep in the production mix; therefore, they could easily go unnoticed by the casual listener, but they serve as a spectacular reward to the dedicated listener.
The album really should be listened to as a complete work, but there are certainly some standout moments like the repeated chorus in “Drag Ropes,” Wilson’s subdued vocals on the title track, the sheer atmospheric brilliance of “Ljudet Innan,” and lastly– Åkerfeldt’s sinister electric guitar work in “Hag,” which is followed by very eerie background laughing.
Storm Corrosion is certainly not an album for everyone, but it was not intended to be, as it is really more of a musical work of art, than a work of rock. Personally, my enjoyment of the album is completely predicated on my mood, and when I feel like listening to subtle atmospheric soundscapes, Storm Corrosion fits that mood entirely, and it does it as well (if not better) than any other album in my record collection.