All these reviews point to many aspects of this album...good or bad. Plain and simple, this album is a triumph. Musically, it is deeply textured and diverse, creating an atmosphere of sound that paints a vivid backdrop for the theme. Vocally, Hogarth hits home. He delivers the lyrical content with a true balance of emotion and power. There are some parts that could be removed without missing them...but not enough to detract from the over all strenght of the album. If you didn't see it in the initial Marillion albums with Hogarth, then this album, by far, punctuates the fact that this band is capable of so much more, leaving Fish behind.