Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
On June 24, 1995, "Marillion" released their eighth studio album, "Afraid of Sunlight".
This album arrived at a transitional moment in the band's career—their last under EMI and one of the most emotionally and thematically unified works of the Steve Hogarth era.
Though not officially labeled a concept album, "Afraid of Sunlight" flows like one. It revolves around the destructive nature of fame and the emotional fallout that trails behind public adoration. The writing process came swiftly after touring in support of "Brave", with most of the album created in a tight, immersive setting. The band crafted a poignant, sometimes unsettling atmosphere, shaped by characters like Mike Tyson, O.J. Simpson, Donald Campbell, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, and Michael Jackson. These figures serve as avatars for society's obsession with building icons only to watch them burn out.
The album opener "Gazpacho" lampoons the Hollywood lifestyle and seems to refer to O. J. Simpson. opens the album with ambient TV and boxing audio, juxtaposing upbeat melodies with biting lyrics about media exploitation and violent celebrity arcs.
"Cannibal Surf Babe" is a "Beach Boys" influenced track, inspired by late-night horror movies. It acts as a satirical homage to surf music, smuggling in dark subtext beneath its jangly guitars and Mark Kelly's strange keyboards, which correspond with the soundtrack of American '60s B-movie aesthetic. And listen to Pete Trewavas' bass work in the opening minutes, how much it corresponds with that of Geddy Lee.
"Beautiful", the album’s only single, and one of the "Beautiful" and melodic songs written in the Hogarth era of the band. It is a tender plea for authenticity and compassion in a world that punishes vulnerability. It reached No. 29 in the UK charts and remains a staple of the band’s live shows.
"Afraid of Sunrise" and "Afraid of Sunlight" together form the emotional center of the album. The former is soft and calm like the morning, while the latter bursts into shimmering melancholy and refers to self-destructive thrill-seekers such as James Dean.
In between them we cab find "Out of This World" - arguably one of "Marillion"'s most transcendent tracks—a deeply emotional tribute to speedboat racer Donald Campbell, whose fatal 1967 crash haunted the British psyche. This song give us chills and penetrates our bones. Such a beautiful a melody, such brilliant performance by the whole band and divine presentation of Steve Hogarth. Steve Rothery solo in 2:30 is mind blowing and the melody that comes right after is absolute perfection. The song later inspired diver Bill Smith to look for the actual wreckage, with the main part of the fuselage of Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane being recovered from Coniston Water on March 8, 2001. Both Steve Hogarth and Steve Rothery were present at the raising, and Rothery produced a photographic record of the event.
"Beyond You" pays homage to Phil Spector’s wall-of-sound technique, productions and, in homage, was mixed in mono.
"King" closes the album in majestic, sorrowful form—a soaring elegy to artists like Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, and Michael Jackson. It embodies the album’s message: we crown our icons and then crucify them.
Despite modest commercial performance, "Afraid of Sunlight" has become a fan favorite and a critical high point of "Marillion"'s post-"Brave" catalog. In 2019, it received a deluxe reissue featuring a new stereo remix, surround sound version, demos, new cover and a full live set from Rotterdam in 1995—underscoring its lasting legacy.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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