Anathema

[?]

Alternative 4 is my favorite album of theirs

Same here!

[zxlkho]

WHBWH > Alternative 4 > AND > Judgement

imo

[faemir]

judgement last?

lolwut

And what happened to AFDtE?

[zxlkho]

I didn't rank all of the albums obviously...

[Liberation]

For now I feel it's...

1. A Natural Disaster
2. Judgement
3. A Fine Day to Exit
4. Alternative 4
5. We're Here Because We're Here

Still need to listen to the first three. Alternative 4 was "god tier" for quite a while for me, but now just somehow... I started to prefer the more catchy or sometimes ethereal feel of the later albums over its pretty raw sound. We're Here Because We're Here is definitely a nice album, but it just doesn't appeal to me as much as the others... it's more of a personal feeling, I feel it's an album of good songs (with Thin Air and A Simple Mistake being excellent), but I just can't get into the atmosphere and lyrics as much as with the others.

A Fine Day to Exit and Judgement are a bit problematic for me. Both basically don't have a weaker point, and each has two songs I absolutely love (title and Temporary Peace; Parisienne Moonlight and 2000 & Gone), and while I at least like all others, as whole albums they don't give me as strong feelings.

Unlike A Natural Disaster, which is #1 and isn't going anywhere. And has probably my all-time favourite song, which is strange enough because hardly ever my favourite songs are instrumentals...

[LCArenas]

Unlike A Natural Disaster, which is #1 and isn't going anywhere. And has probably my all-time favourite song, which is strange enough because hardly ever my favourite songs are instrumentals...

A Natural Disaster is their best for me currently. And if you're talking about Violence, you're right. It's pretty much one of the best songs ever made IMO.

[ZBomber]

Haven't heard it yet. WHBWH was kinda bland though, so I can't say I'm terribly interested.

Ian i love you and all but sometimes your musical opinions literally make my jaw drop 

[Liberation]

Unlike A Natural Disaster, which is #1 and isn't going anywhere. And has probably my all-time favourite song, which is strange enough because hardly ever my favourite songs are instrumentals...

A Natural Disaster is their best for me currently. And if you're talking about Violence, you're right. It's pretty much one of the best songs ever made IMO.

Exactly... It's just as strong experience every single time I listen to it.

[Heretic]

Violence is an amazing song, my favorite off the album.

[glaurung]

Been listening to their other album and I like it but so far nothing has come close to WHBWH.

[Ravenheart]

Judgement > everything else.

It's still one of my favorite albums ever and probably a top 10 for me.

[mizzl]

A Natural Disaster is indeed #1, and also the loneliest album I've ever heard. Do not listen when sad

[Zantera]

I can't possibly rank them to be honest, WHBWH, Judgement, The Silent Enigma, A Natural Disaster, A Fine Day to Exit and Alternative 4 all have the potential to be my favorite, add to that Eternity which is fantastic as well.

[Liberation]

A Natural Disaster is indeed #1, and also the loneliest album I've ever heard. Do not listen when sad

For me it definitely is the album to listen to when sad...

[zxlkho]

It is with regret and sadness that Anathema announce they have parted company with keyboardist Les Smith due to creative and musical differences.

All of us including Les tried our best to make the partnership work for many years through hard work together, but it was felt there was always a difficulty and the creative process was just not working. Sadly the split was inevitable.

Great respect and thanks is due to Les for all his tireless work behind the scenes for the band. It has been a very difficult few months for everyone concerned as Les is a unique character and is still much loved by all in the band. You will have noticed that Daniel Cardoso has been performing in concerts over the festival season as a live player, but the writing and recording line up will remain the nucleus of the band as it always was.

We all wish Les the very, very best for the future.

[Zantera]

It's sad news, but I must say that I felt relieved!
When I read the first sentence, I thought the band were splitting up, so even though this is sad news, that would have been even sadder news!

[?]

Having read Anathema forum for some time, I saw that coming. Actually Les left in May already but according to Danny they were looking for a way to get him back, but it didn't work.

[Zantera]

Is there any more information about why it/what exactly happened?

[Liberation]

I am really surprised... I don't know... he just felt like the perfect person for Anathema...

[?]

https://soulreaper.net/showthread.php?6858-quot-Falling-Deeper-quot-new-album-out-on-5th-sept&p=117423&viewfull=1#post117423

The split with les was really really painful and almost ended anathema permanently
You'll never be able to know the full story but I'm still dreaming at night and wondering about this every day
it's going to take months and months for anathema to recover from this and I'm very sorry for thus unfolding of our lives

[Pyroph]

I think I listened to Judgment a while ago, but I don't remember it. Anyway, with the new album coming out I figured I'd just jump headfirst into these guys, so I ordered Judgment, WHBWH, and the new album.

Sucks to hear about the keyboardist.

[Zantera]

I think I listened to Judgment a while ago, but I don't remember it. Anyway, with the new album coming out I figured I'd just jump headfirst into these guys, so I ordered Judgment, WHBWH, and the new album.

Sucks to hear about the keyboardist.

You will love them! 

I also don't think this has been posted here before, but:

Guitarist/singer Vincent Cavanagh of the U.K. atmospheric rock band ANATHEMA has told Greece's Rock Overdose web site that the band is in the studio recording 14 songs for its next studio album, which is tentatively due in April 2012.
https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=163261
audio avaliable in that blabbermouth location.

I am psyched.

[?]

Damn, the local store didn't have Falling Deeper yet!

[Zantera]

I got my copy yesterday.
I must say, I love the artwork.. so relaxing, and really fits with the music. 

[Liberation]

I just hope the release date isn't as certain and unlikely to be delayed as it was with WHBWH.

[Zantera]

I don't think it will.
For starters, it was meant to be an EP, seeing as they had some leftover songs from WHBWH, but according to Danny it grew pretty fast and turned into a full size album.
I can't complain, if anything I think this is fantastic news, because I think WHBWH and Falling Deeper has been brilliant releases, and I am really excited about Anathema's future.

Plus, a new album means a new tour, and this time (if they come here), age restriction won't be a problem for me like it was last time, when it was a week before my 18th birthday. :/

[Liberation]

I'm also looking forward to the new album, definitely. Though I admit I'd love it if it was a bit darker...

Age restriction on a concert? Here as far as I know you need to be with a parent if you're below 18 if I recall correctly... Age restrictions on perfectly normal concerts like Anathema sound really dumb.

[Zantera]

Dumb indeed. 

[zxlkho]

They really really need to tour the US again. A headlining tour would be cool actually.

They put on such a fantastic show...

[ariich]

Finally listening to the new album, it's gorgeous and very atmospheric. Not nearly as good as WHBWH, but it's a really interesting listen. I don't know the original songs that well really (some of them I don't know at all) so it feels like new music to me.

[Zantera]

Yeah, even though I know the original versions, most of the songs aren't very typical, seeing as most are rare songs from the old days, and it really feels like new music to me as well.

[AndyDT]

I can't possibly rank them to be honest, WHBWH, Judgement, The Silent Enigma, A Natural Disaster, A Fine Day to Exit and Alternative 4 all have the potential to be my favorite, add to that Eternity which is fantastic as well.

Still my favourite i'd say.

[?]

I bought FD yesterday along with Opeth's Heritage. I like how they've turned songs that make you headbang into songs that make you feel relaxed! My favorite is Sunset of Age, it stays true to the original despite having a different arrangement. However, the new version of We the Gods was a HUGE disappointment as it only includes the weakest part of the original version and not the epic ending which is the climax of the song. I understand shortening the other songs as they have heavy riffs that don't fit the current Anathema anymore, but that melody with guitar harmonies in WTG is so great IMO that this version didn't do justice to the song due to the cutting of that part. The rest are good, except that Alone could be shorter.

[Zantera]

Interesting, because I've seen a lot of people praise the new version of We, The Gods.
Personally I might prefer the original as well, my only complaints with Falling Deeper would be: A bit too short. It's about 35-40 minutes or so I think, and I don't think an additional 10-15 minutes would have been bad.
And, I think the album is a bit too much instrumental, I would have loved a few more songs with vocals, to kinda make the mix even stronger.
Would have loved new versions of Sleepless and The Silent Enigma for example.

[?]

Yeah, more vocals could have been nice, that's why Sunset of Age is my favorite and Kingdom is also great. I guess they didn't include Sleepless and TSE as the former was re-recorded in the Eternity sessions and there's an orchestral version of the latter, which is IMO very beautiful and probably better than the original. Both can be found on the reissue of The Silent Enigma (which I have).