After the release of Blackfield IV and a brief tour in its support, Steven Wilson, co-founder of the group, who had already played his smallest role in the project yet, announced that he intended to leave the band altogether in 2014 to focus on his solo career.[1] While this originally left the future of the band in question, throughout the 2015 and 2016, the band's social media accounts would release pictures of Wilson, co-founder Aviv Geffen, and music producerAlan Parsons in recording sessions in the studio.[2] In August 2016, it was confirmed that there would be a fifth album, Wilson was still with the project, and he even contributed evenly to the sessions as he had with the band's first two albums, before he had begun to focus more on his solo career while Geffen took over more responsibilities for their second two albums.[3] The album had been recorded on and off over the course of an 18-month period, including sessions in both England and Israel.[1] Wilson and Geffen shared vocals, guitars, and keyboard duties, while long-time drummer Tomer Z returned to play the drum parts.[4] Additionally, the London Session Orchestra was recruited for the string arrangements of the album.[4] It was also announced that Parsons had produced three of the key tracks for the album.[4]
Themes and composition
The band describes the album as a loose concept album themed around the ocean and the cycle of life, flowing across thirteen songs and approximately 45 minutes of music.[1][5]
Release and promotion
The album was originally scheduled for release on 18 November 2016 before being delayed to 10 February 2017.[6] No reason was cited beyond "circumstances beyond the band's control", though the album itself was complete at the time of the delay announcement.[6] On 8 December 2016, "Family Man", "How Was Your Ride?", and "Sorrys", the second, third, and fifth songs from the album, were released.
