Anathema

[senecadawg2]

A couple interesting songs on their setlist last night. I hope they stick.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/anathema/2014/hala-orbita-wrocaw-poland-63cc3a6f.html

[Onno]

That's awesome!

[?]

I thought they'd pick some more surprising songs, since Sleepless, ADW and Angelica are the only songs they've played from the first three albums since WHBWH came out. Judgement coming back is pretty sweet, though!

Also, Anathema just announced that they'll do extended old-school encores again in Finland next week, which means I'll get to see one! They're asking us to request 5 songs, and I posted the same wishes as last time, except Make It Right instead of Restless Oblivion. It'd be cool if they played something more obscure than in Poland, especially if they'll tour wih Darren and Duncan next year, but I'm totally stoked already.

[Zantera]

Seeing them live tomorrow, and I'm listening through their albums. So much greatness. Since Distant Satellites isn't AS fresh anymore, I feel it's easier to rank the albums more properly now. I would rank them something like this:

--5/5--
1. Judgement
2. We're Here Because We're Here
--4.5/5--
3. Alternative 4
4. A Natural Disaster
5. The Silent Enigma
--4/5--
6. Distant Satellites
7. Weather Systems
8. A Fine Day to Exit
9. Eternity
--3.5/5--
10. Serenades

Serenades is really the only album that I'm not the biggest fan of, mostly because it doesn't feel very much like an Anathema album. Sleepless is amazing and would probably be a top15-20 Anathema track IMO, but overall the album is a bit samey. If they remade the album with Vinny on vocals and changed the vocals a bit, I probably would appreciate it more. Just from Sleepless alone I'm bumping it from a 3 to 3.5, the rest is good but nothing too special. I do think pretty much everything they have done since The Silent Enigma has been a hit though. When their ninth best album is still an 8 out of 10, that speaks volumes of how good they are IMO.

[senecadawg2]

Yeah, they've creeped up on me over the past couple years and slowly become my favorite band. Completely agree about Serenades, it's the only one that I'm not very interested in. It's hard to argue with your rankings, too, although I would put Weather Systems up there with Judgement and Alternative 4 as my top 3.

Hopefully the concert surpasses all of your expectations. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. 

[Sacul]

When their ninth best album is still an 8 out of 10, that speaks volumes of how good they are IMO.

I'm blown away by how consistent they are. Even their last album, after 20 years of musical career and another 9 albums, it's still awesome.

[Zantera]

Yeah, they've creeped up on me over the past couple years and slowly become my favorite band. Completely agree about Serenades, it's the only one that I'm not very interested in. It's hard to argue with your rankings, too, although I would put Weather Systems up there with Judgement and Alternative 4 as my top 3.

Hopefully the concert surpasses all of your expectations. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. 

I really hope I get the extended encore with old songs. Not because the old songs are necessarily better than the new ones, but it's nice with that contrast, and it's always nice with the unexpected.

[Zantera]

So the concert was amazing, and I might even go as far as saying in my top5, or even top3 best concerts I've been too. The audio was superb, the setlist was fantastic, the band was on fire and the audience was pretty darn great, and that really resulted in a special show.

The setlist tonight was:

The Lost Song, Part 1
The Lost Song, Part 2
Untouchable, Part 1
Untouchable, Part 2
Thin Air
One Last Goodbye
The Lost Song, Part 3
Anathema
The Beginning and the End
Universal
Closer
--Encore--
(Firelight intro)
Distant Satellites
A Natural Disaster
Fragile Dreams

As a whole it was really spectacular, but if I'm going into the biggest highlights, Universal would be nr1. My favorite Anathema song by far, I'm happy they played it (but it's a staple I guess) and seeing it live made me appreciate it even more. Maybe even up there among my 10 favorite songs ever. Apart from that, Closer was really epic and much better live, which says a lot considering the studio version is really good too. And I mean just look at that start, with The Lost Song (p1 and p2), Untouchable (p1 and p2) and Thin Air. I don't think you could get any better start to the concert, those five tracks are all amazing and I could not have asked for any other songs there.

If I were to make any complaints, and this is just minor nitpicking really, the setlist COULD have been 2-3 songs longer. I believe they played for roughly 90 minutes, and that's fine. When you're a band with 10 albums, you could throw in another 10-15 minutes if you want to, and they could have gone a bit deeper in those 10-15 minutes with some more old stuff. I totally understand them for focusing on WHBWH/WS/DS with a few minor appearances of old stuff, but yeah, something more from the magical catalog of Anathema would have been great. A true oldie like Sleepless, Sunset of Age or A Dying Wish, or maybe something from Eternity. I even think A Fine Day to Exit gets overlooked way too easily, because it's a great album, and most songs would totally fit under the new Anathema style.

While not related to the concert itself, I had a bit of a realization during the concert, a minor detail I should have picked up way sooner, but for some reason I haven't. I find it very interesting how Anathema re-use some lyrical themes, and how The Lost Song centers a lot around the lyrical phrase "YOU feel ME", and Untouchable centers around the phrase "I feel YOU". I'm no lyric-digger and I don't claim to fully understand all their lyrics, but to me it felt kinda like approaching a topic from different perspectives somehow. I just found it cool how two albums in a row (WS and DS) both opens with a two-part song and both having such a similar center-phrase. Kinda blew my mind a little bit. I also got a little similar vibe between thinking about Flying and Universal when Vinny sings "defy the limits and fly", but that's probably more unintentional. The Untouchable/Lost Song comparisons feel more valid because there might be something to it.

Anyhow, I waited 5 years to watch them after not being allowed in last time, and it was worth the wait. 

[senecadawg2]

Sounds like an awesome show! I'm glad you got Universal- it's one of my favorites too. I was a little bummed they didn't play it when I saw them. Even more bummed to not get One Last Goodbye, but I expect it next time I see them. Plus I did get Internal Landscapes and a few other favorites, so I was definitely more than satisfied. I feel ya, about the length, though. A couple more songs would really put that setlist over the edge.

I never noticed that about the lyrics in Untouchable and Lost Song- neat inversion. Quite possibly a coincidence, but it's fun nonetheless. You've got me listening to Universal now, so thanks!

[?]

The setlist tonight was:
*snip*

According to setlist.fm they've played Ariel everywhere else instead of OLG, so you got a slightly different set. Ariel is one of my favorites from the new album, but I like OLG even more so I can't say I'd be disappointed if they kept it that way for my show next Saturday.

[Zantera]

They said they wanted to dedicate One Last Goodbye to the road team or something like that, but I can't complain. I think Ariel is a solid tune, but One Last Goodbye is one of their classics, and it was nice to get something from Judgement. 

[Lolzeez]

FINALLY seeing them next year. Hopefully OLG sticks.

[senecadawg2]

Yeah, OLG is either my first or second favorite Anathema song, depending on my mood. Interchangeable with Internal Landscapes. Such an emotional song

[crawl_away]

Long time lurker (who hasn't posted in a very long time) posting here... is anybody going to the Stockholm Anathema show this Wednesday night?
Would be great to meet up with someone else who is going!

[?]

I'm finally seeing Anathema live tonight! According to setlist.fm the extended encore in Helsinki was slightly shorter than the one in Poland, but luckily Judgement and A Dying Wish are still there, so hopefully I'll get to hear those songs. I'll post a report tomorrow.

[?]

What a great show! This was the setlist:

The Lost Song, Part 1
The Lost Song, Part 2
Untouchable, Part 1
Untouchable, Part 2
Thin Air
Ariel
The Lost Song, Part 3
Anathema
The Storm Before the Calm
The Beginning and the End
Universal
Closer

Encore:
Firelight
Distant Satellites
Take Shelter
A Natural Disaster
Fragile Dreams

As you can see, they broke their promise about the special encore, but the show was amazing nevertheless. I was surprised at how well The Storm... worked live - it got everybody moving and the ending was glorious. It's a song I wasn't too crazy about on Weather Systems (or even the Universal DVD), but now it absolutely blew my mind. THIS IS FUCKING INSANE, THIS FUCKING INSANE! However, the highlight of the night was without a doubt Closer: it sounded amazingly intense and powerful, and lots of people (including yours truly) clapped their hands throughout the whole song. Fragile Dreams was a perfect closer, and I also really liked Distant Satellites and AND.

Before the show I'd wondered how Vincent will pull off the intense vocal moments in The Lost Song Pt. 1 and Anathema, but those songs were played in a lower key and he nailed them. In fact, only Thin Air, The Lost Song Pt. 3 and The Storm... were played in their original keys/tunings. Both Vincent and Lee sang beautifully throughout the night, and all the harmonies were just perfect. Lee also did a stunning vocal improv(?) at the end of AND. I also liked how Danny added some extra flavor to Closer and DS with additional guitar parts, and Lee did some harmonies in songs she didn't originally sing on, like DS and Fragile Dreams.

The lighting was probably the most remarkable I've seen at any concert - at the very start of the show the lights were red like the DS album cover, and during the second verse they started to move to the rhythm of the music. For the first half of AND there were no lights, and Danny told us to lighten the place with our cellphones like on Universal. Although the guys didn't talk to us too much, Danny had a good control of the crowd, telling us to sing, clap our hands, jump and so on. It can be difficult to connect with a Finnish audience, but they did a great job. Vincent even told us this gig and the preceding one in Helsinki had been their best Finnish shows to date, but it felt honest and genuine and didn't come across as ass kissing. Danny also noted that his custom guitar has been made by a Finnish guy, and it allows him to create controlled feedback.

All in all, I had a great time and the show felt magical. I only wish they'd played at least one 90s song besides Fragile Dreams - One Last Goodbye or Judgement in place of Take Shelter would've made the night perfect. But either way, anyone who gets to see Anathema live is in for a treat, no matter what they play!

[senecadawg2]

I'm glad you had a good concert!

There are now official grumblings of a 'Resonance Tour', with a lot of the older material, this next year. Featuring Duncan Patterson and Darren White.

I just hope that it includes some North American dates within 500 miles of my house.

[Sacul]

Anathema To Play Special ‘Resonance’ Set at Roadburn Festival 2015; To Be Joined By Former Members Duncan Patterson and Darren White.
 
 “Roadburn festival is a hugely respected institution and has to be the most fitting launch for the Anathema 'Resonance' tour. It will be a celebration of the band's entire history, and to be joined by our old friends and comrades Duncan Patterson and Darren White for these exclusive shows will be a very special, potent and positive event for all of us. We hope you can join in this once in a lifetime celebration” - Danny Cavanagh.

[Zantera]

This sounds really cool. I doubt they'll play anywhere near me, but I'm glad for anyone who gets to see it.

[PixelDream]

I wasn't planning on going after the last gig I saw was only so-so, but since I did really like DS and that they have switched drummers.. that kind of restores my hopes a bit. I'm seeing them this wednesday in Utrecht.

[PolarizeMe]

I hope they film that Resonance show at Roadburn for a live DVD/BluRay. It'd be a shame if they didn't capture that once in a lifetime performance on film/audio.

[Onno]

Wow. That Resonance show should be amazing.

[?]

Another event in London:


I won't be able to attend either of these shows, but I also hope there'll be a DVD!

[PixelDream]

Saw the show tonight with my mother and my gf. We left disappointed. Vocals overall were not convincing enough, at times quite off key,  and the loud bassdrum drowned out the subtle emotional moments. Opening with The Lost Song and Untouchables was too much of the same and the enthousiasm of the band felt forced. Like they've lost their edge. And basically zero interaction between the band members.

Modest highlights were:

Thin Air
The Storm After The Calm
Anathema (not as good as I hoped but still)
Universal (also lacking,  but the song is just really good, even when its performance isn't the best)
The Beginning and the End
A Natural Disaster (best performance of the night, finally felt something here)

Having seen Opeth a few days ago,  the difference in professionalism and quality was painfully obvious.

However, a gig they did on the whbwh tour still stands in my top 5 gigs ever. I don't know what happend to Anathema.  Maybe it's me? I'm holding off on their gigs for a while. I'll just play their records at home..

Don't get me wrong, the gig wasn't bad but with Anathema you hope and expect to be blown away.

[senecadawg2]

That's interesting. A Natural Disaster was probably my least favorite song at the show I attended. Though, that's not really saying much, considering how much I loved every song. Still my favorite concert.

[crawl_away]

Saw the show tonight with my mother and my gf. We left disappointed. Vocals overall were not convincing enough, at times quite off key,  and the loud bassdrum drowned out the subtle emotional moments. Opening with The Lost Song and Untouchables was too much of the same and the enthousiasm of the band felt forced. Like they've lost their edge. And basically zero interaction between the band members.

Modest highlights were:

Thin Air
The Storm After The Calm
Anathema (not as good as I hoped but still)
Universal (also lacking,  but the song is just really good, even when its performance isn't the best)
The Beginning and the End
A Natural Disaster (best performance of the night, finally felt something here)

Having seen Opeth a few days ago,  the difference in professionalism and quality was painfully obvious.

However, a gig they did on the whbwh tour still stands in my top 5 gigs ever. I don't know what happend to Anathema.  Maybe it's me? I'm holding off on their gigs for a while. I'll just play their records at home..

Don't get me wrong, the gig wasn't bad but with Anathema you hope and expect to be blown away.

It's interesting that you made this observation, as I felt the same after seeing the band in Stockholm. The whole performance had an air of less-than-professional. Danny seemed to be in a super bad mood and didn't smile or look happy almost the entire show. He also got really angry at a fan who kept requesting Sleepless, and it was really awkward. It really felt like the show might stop at any moment from the bad vibes coming from the stage. However, I thought that Lee Douglas was very professional and sang brilliantly the entire show. She seemed much more into the show than Danny.

[seasonsinthesky]

Saw the show tonight with my mother and my gf. We left disappointed. Vocals overall were not convincing enough, at times quite off key,  and the loud bassdrum drowned out the subtle emotional moments. Opening with The Lost Song and Untouchables was too much of the same and the enthousiasm of the band felt forced. Like they've lost their edge. And basically zero interaction between the band members.

...

Having seen Opeth a few days ago,  the difference in professionalism and quality was painfully obvious.

However, a gig they did on the whbwh tour still stands in my top 5 gigs ever. I don't know what happend to Anathema.  Maybe it's me? I'm holding off on their gigs for a while. I'll just play their records at home..

Don't get me wrong, the gig wasn't bad but with Anathema you hope and expect to be blown away.

have you seen the live DVDs they put out pre-WHBWH? i'm afraid the one gig in your top five is a rarity for this band – sloppiness and forced enthusiasm are the regular. they're as bad as Katatonia have been on these terms (though, like Katatonia, i had thought they were taking a turnaround for the better after watching Universal. clearly not an accurate example...).

[?]

Interesting comments... As I said in my earlier post, both Vincent and Lee sang incredibly well at the Tampere show. I also saw Danny smiling quite a few times and he seemed happy at the reception they got. There was even a bit of laughter on stage when Vinnie asked Danny if he was going to say something and I think Danny joked that he usually talks too much. They also played two more songs (The Storm, Take Shelter)  than at most shows, although that may have been (and probably was) planned beforehand. Hopefully there were less bad nights than good ones on this tour!

[Nekov]

Anathema just announced their South American leg which makes me the happiest person ever! Also, it's just a couple of days before I go on vacation so lucky me 

[?]

Duncan Patterson has just launched a PledgeMusic campaign for an orchestral release called The Eternity Suite: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/duncanpatterson

I have been playing and composing music for over 20 years, transcending genres and moonlighting with various artists. After releasing 12 albums as a band member (Anathema, Antimatter, Ion, Alternative 4) I am now working on a trilogy of orchestral albums, containing cinematic versions of my songwriting discography.

First up is ‘The Eternity Suite’ based around and including the ‘Eternity’ tracks that I have written, parts 1 to 24 (including the unreleased ‘missing’ parts), more from the album, plus brand new compositions.

This is a challenging yet exciting project, and I need your support to help it see the light of day. Here you can be part of the process by pre-ordering items and helping to raise money for the project. I’m keeping prices low, and I will sign items on request at no extra cost. Every pledger will receive a digital download of the album plus exclusive access to regular updates and bonus content during the creative process. All prices include P&P plus each pledger receives a digital download of the album.

The money raised will go towards:
Musician’s fees
Mixing/mastering
Licence fees
Artwork
Manufacturing

All support is greatly appreciated!

Duncan Patterson

[The Letter M]

anyone get The Lost Song pt. 3 digital single? "Coda" sounds somewhat familiar... (the remix is pretty lame though)

Anyone else get "Coda"? Does it actually fit in with the album at the end (as a coda would?), or is it merely an afterthought? I'd like to know the story behind it because if it does belong at the end of DS, I can put it there on my playlists.

-Marc.

[Sacul]

I've got it. It's a nice instrumental piece, with a huge ambiental sound, and hummings from Vincent and Lee.

[seasonsinthesky]

anyone get The Lost Song pt. 3 digital single? "Coda" sounds somewhat familiar... (the remix is pretty lame though)

Anyone else get "Coda"? Does it actually fit in with the album at the end (as a coda would?), or is it merely an afterthought? I'd like to know the story behind it because if it does belong at the end of DS, I can put it there on my playlists.

-Marc.

well there's a dinosaur post 

i would say it's worth having in your playlist but perhaps not at the end of the record; i'd put it earlier, perhaps after "Ariel." there are so many rich, emotional songs in a row ahead of "You're Not Alone" that this little track makes a nice breather.

[?]

Danny has taken the crowdfunding route for his solo cover album, just like his ex-bandmate: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/dannycavanagh

Hello. My name is Daniel Cavanagh.

Welcome to my first PledgeMusic campaign!

For those of you who don’t know me, I am lucky enough to be part of a musical family called Anathema. For many years together with my band mates I have composed and performed many heartfelt songs, always with absolute sincerity.

Like all musicians, I am part of a long chain of discovery, as influences are infused into our work and that in turn is passed on to the listener, and so on, and so on…

Finally the time has come to pay tribute to a few of my key influences growing up.

I also crave a more direct, personal and sincere communication with the listener. I believe PledgeMusic can be used in such a way. That is why I am offering personal, unique and irreplaceable performances of my Anathema songs, personally dedicated to anyone you wish. If you have connected ‘Untouchable’ to a loved one, ‘One Last Goodbye’ to a friend, ‘Are You There?’ to your own life… Whoever you would like to dedicate a ‘once in a lifetime’ recording of an anathema song… You can do that here, and only here!

Here is the only platform that the album ‘Memory and Meaning’ album is available from. This album is performed entirely live in the studio with no overdubs of any kind whatsoever. What you hear is what was performed. Simultaneous guitar, vocals and loops… Every breath and nuance is captured at the source.

Also I want to tell you that I will be donating a portion of the money from this record to charities that support people suffering with mental health difficulties. These donations will be my contribution back into the world and shall continue in my future work.

I hope you appreciate the record, and I hope you’ll join me on this new adventure on PledgeMusic. I promise to do my best for you.

Yours sincerely,
Daniel Cavanagh

By ordering your copy of the Album here on PledgeMusic, you’ll gain access to updates, bonus content, video clips and much more.

On top of this, you can pre-order any of the items listed below, including the ultimate Danny Cavanagh product; The Hamper.

Tracklist:

1. Big Love – Fleetwood Mac
2. Running up that Hill – Kate Bush
3. With or Without you – U2
4. Song to the Siren – Tim Buckley
5. How to Disappear Completely – Radiohead
6. River Man – Nick Drake
7. Smile like you mean it – The Killers
8. Romeo and Juliet – Dire Straits
9. Wasted Years – Iron Maiden
10. High Hopes – Pink Floyd

I'm not a big fan of cover songs, but I like the idea of this release. I'm not sure if I'll pledge, though.

BTW, Duncan Patterson reached his goal already, but you can still pledge if you're interested in the Eternity Suite: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/duncanpatterson I may be totally crazy, but I got myself the handwritten lyric book. I own pretty much all the albums Duncan has released (except the Ion ones) and I like his lyrics, so I thought it would be a cool item to own.

[senecadawg2]

That Tim Buckley song is one of my all time favorites. I'm really interested to see what Danny does with these songs. Also, cool idea to dedicate performances of Anathema songs to the highest pledgers, but that's way out of my price range. I'll probably buy the album, at least, though.

I wish they would announce a NA tour for this upcoming year. There's about a 2 month window of time between Progpower in Atlanta and Cruise to the Edge leaving from Miami which I imagine they might utilize for at least a handful of dates... Might just be wishful thinking on my part though.