An Hour Before It's Dark

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An Hour Before It's Dark
Studio album by
Marillion
Released4 March 2022 (2022-03-04)
Recorded2021
Studio
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

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 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. 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. ^
      Loudersound
      .
    5. ^ a b "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. Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland
      . Retrieved 13 March 2022.
    12. ^ "Lescharts.com – Marillion – An Hour Before It's Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
    13. 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. 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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