An Hour Before It's Dark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An Hour Before It's Dark
Marillion - An Hour Before It's Dark.png
Studio album by
Marillion
Released4 March 2022 (2022-03-04)
Recorded2021
Studio
GenreNeo-progressive rock
Length54:10
Label
  • Intact
  • earMUSIC
Producer
  • Marillion
  • Michael Hunter
Marillion chronology
With Friends from the Orchestra
(2019) 		An Hour Before It's Dark
(2022)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Classic Rock[1]

An Hour Before It's Dark is the 20th studio album by British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released on 4 March 2022 by Intact and earMUSIC.

Background[]

On 3 August 2021, Marillion announced the launch of their new pre-order campaign for the recording and release of a new studio album, their first since With Friends from the Orchestra (2019).[2] Frontman Steve Hogarth said "the overall feeling" of the album "is surprisingly upbeat", with the Choir Noir adding "new soul" and "colour" to the music.[3]

The album includes a behind the scenes documentary about the making of the record, and a performance of "Murder Machines" from Real World Studios.[4]

Release[]

An Hour Before It's Dark was released on 4 March 2022.[4] To promote the record, several London black cabs were decorated with the album's artwork and free rides are given if the customer mentioned a password, which was the album's title. The promotion will run from 4–14 March.[3]

On 7 March 2022, the band announced a 9-date UK tour for September 2022.[3]

Commercial performance[]

On the midweek UK Albums Chart dated 7 March 2022, An Hour Before It's Dark entered at No. 2, their highest chart position since Clutching at Straws in 1987.[5]

Track listing[]

All lyrics are written by Steve Hogarth; all music is composed by Marillion.

An Hour Before It's Dark track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Be Hard On Yourself"
  • i. "The Tear in the Big Picture"
  • ii. "Lust for Luxury"
  • iii. "You Can Learn"
9:27
3:52
2:07
3:28
2."Reprogram the Gene"
  • i. "Invincible"
  • ii. "Trouble-Free Life"
  • iii. "A Cure for Us?"
    		• 7:00
    3:31
    2:00
    1:29
    3."Only a Kiss"0:39
    4."Murder Machines"4:20
    5."The Crow and the Nightingale"6:35
    6."Sierra Leone"
  • i. "Chance in a Million"
  • ii. "The White Sand"
  • iii. "The Diamond"
  • iv. "The Blue Warm Air"
  • v. "More Than a Treasure"
    		• 10:51
    1:32
    0:53
    3:29
    2:23
    2:34
    7."Care"
  • i. "Maintenance Drugs"
  • ii. "An Hour Before It's Dark"
  • iii. "Every Cell"
  • iv. "Angels on Earth"
    		• 15:18
    4:37
    2:27
    3:18
    4:56
    Total length:54:10

    Note: After 4 minutes of silence following "Angels on Earth", the CD will play a 12" remix of "Murder Machines".

    Personnel[]

    Marillion

    Additional musicians

    • Choir Noir – vocals on "Murder Machines", "The Crow and the Nightingale", "Care"

    Production

    • Marillion – production
    • Michael Hunter – production, recording, mixing
    • Simon Ward – artwork

    Charts[]

    Chart performance for An Hour Before It's Dark
    Chart (2022) Peak
    position
    Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[6] 11
    Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[7] 7
    Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 2
    Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 38
    French Albums (SNEP)[10] 13
    German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] 2
    Irish Albums (IRMA)[12] 58
    Italian Albums (FIMI)[13] 16
    Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] 32
    Scottish Albums (OCC)[15] 2
    Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 29
    Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 6
    UK Albums (OCC)[18] 2
    UK Independent Albums (OCC)[19] 2
    UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[20] 1

    References[]

    1. ^ Everley, Dave (4 March 2022). "Marillion's new album is dramatic, hopeful, and one of the finest of their career". Classic Rock. Retrieved 10 March 2022 – via Loudersound.
    2. ^ "pre-order". 15 August 2021.
    3. ^ a b c Colothan, Scott (7 March 2022). "Marillion announce September 2022 UK tour". Planet Rock. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
    4. ^ a b Ewing, Jerry (19 November 2021). "Marillion release full details of 'upbeat' new album An Hour Before It's Dark". Prog. Retrieved 4 January 2022 – via Loudersound.
    5. ^ Smith, Carl (7 March 2022). "Stereophonics set for eighth UK Number 1 album with Oochya!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
    6. ^ "Ultratop.be – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
    7. ^ "Ultratop.be – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
    8. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    9. ^ "Marillion: An Hour Before It's Dark" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
    10. ^ "Top Albums (Week 10, 2022)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
    11. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
    12. ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 11 March 2022". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    13. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 10 (dal 04.03.2022 al 10.03.2022)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    14. ^ "Album 2022 uke 10". VG-lista. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    15. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    16. ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 10". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    17. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
    18. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
    19. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
    20. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
    Retrieved from ""