Afraid of sunlight was Marillion's first real progressive album since
Fish had left the band. While it does not rank as high as classics like
Script for a Jester's Tear or Fugazi, it still has some very strong moments. "Cannibal Surf Babe" is a tribute to the '60s (sort of). It starts off like the Beach Boys' "California Girls" before turning into the nightmarish tale of a cannibal woman! But the best moments are in the second half of the album, with tracks such as "Out of This World," "Afraid of Sunlight," and "King." As usual with
Marillion, the keyboards stand out the most. There are some very beautiful melodic moments and perhaps a better mix between calm and agressive melodies than on previous albums made with
Steve Hogarth. ~ Alex S. Garcia