An Hour Before It's Dark

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.

An Hour Before It's Dark
Studio album by
Marillion
Released4 March 2022 (2022-03-04)
Recorded2021
Studio
GenreNeo-progressive rock
Length54:10
Label
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]

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 ran 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 UK Albums Chart dated 11 March 2022, An Hour Before It's Dark entered at number two, 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" (instrumental)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

  • Bethan Bond – harp on "The Crow and the Nightingale", "Care"
  • Luis Jardim – percussion on "Reprogram the Gene", "Murder Machines", "Sierra Leone", "Care"
  • Kat Marsh – backing vocals on "Be Hard on Yourself", "Sierra Leone"
  • Sam Morris – French horn on "Care"
  • Choir Noir – backing vocals on "Murder Machines", "The Crow and the Nightingale", "Care"
  • In Praise of Folly String Quartet – strings on "The Crow and the Nightingale"

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
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[6] 25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[8] 7
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[9] 93
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10] 2
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 38
French Albums (SNEP)[12] 13
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] 2
Irish Albums (IRMA)[14] 58
Italian Albums (FIMI)[15] 16
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[16] 151
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[17] 32
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[18] 4
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19] 2
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[20] 9
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 29
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 6
UK Albums (OCC)[5] 2
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[23] 2
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[24] 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. Colothan, Scott (7 March 2022). "Marillion announce September 2022 UK tour". Planet Rock. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  4. 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. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  6. "Austriancharts.at – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  9. "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of March 19, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  11. "Marillion: An Hour Before It's Dark" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  12. "Lescharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  14. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Marillion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  15. "Italiancharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  16. "アン・アワー・ビフォー・イッツ・ダーク". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  17. "Norwegiancharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  18. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  19. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  20. "Spanishcharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  21. "Swedishcharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  22. "Swisscharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  23. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  24. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
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