Anathema

[Heretic]

I think the two biggest problems with Weather Sytems for me is that I had skyhigh expectations (which is partly my own fault) and the fact that it was preceded by WHBWH.
It's actually a pretty fantastic album, but I think WHBWH is slightly better. It was also more "fresh" when it came out, but Anathema have been doing this sound for a bit now (I'll include Falling Deeper), so WS wasn't as fresh or new. But still very good.

I kinda hope for a change on the next album though. Something different.

A few more instances of "darkness", i.e. what's seen on The Storm Before the Calm's second half, and perhaps more variation in the types of songs would be an interesting change. I want them to keep their atmospheric style, and I want them to continue doing uplifting and powerful songs, but they can do that with different styles, I'd say. I heard they might delve into more electronics on the next album, which would be cool for a few songs. I definitely want the orchestration to stay, too.

[Zantera]

Yeah I'm not really sure what I would want them to change, but just have the album be something new. My favorite Anathema album changes almost everyday between Judgement and We're Here Because We're Here (so I'd say they're about equal), and I guess something darker like Judgement but with the harmony-vocals and orchestrations from WHBWH would be cool.

But with that said, I doubt the band will ever write something dark again, it's all light and positive now. 

[?]

I remember Vincent saying that they feel they've perfected their current sound already and will try something new on the next album, probably going more electronic.

But with that said, I doubt the band will ever write something dark again, it's all light and positive now. 

That's quite likely, which is quite sad IMO, as I love Alternative 4 and Judgement the most, and those albums have some of their gloomiest songs.

[ariich]

I think the two biggest problems with Weather Sytems for me is that I had skyhigh expectations (which is partly my own fault) and the fact that it was preceded by WHBWH.
It's actually a pretty fantastic album, but I think WHBWH is slightly better. It was also more "fresh" when it came out, but Anathema have been doing this sound for a bit now (I'll include Falling Deeper), so WS wasn't as fresh or new. But still very good.

I kinda hope for a change on the next album though. Something different.

I don't really agree with this at all, to be honest. Falling Deeper was a very different beast, and Weather Systems has a very strong individual identity as well (much more use of acoustic guitars than WHBWH).

For me WS is the absolute pinnacle of their music, it's just such a perfect album. It'll be interesting to see where they go next.

[Zantera]

Well yeah, they are all different, but they are still very similar in some ways. More positive, uplifting, bright look on life, a new way of using harmony vocals that they didn't really use so much in the earlier days. I look at them like a trilogy almost, while they all have some traits that make each album unique, there's still that emotional core/sound which makes it sound Anathema.

[Heretic]

(I must mention that I absolutely love the harmony vocals. They're utterly brilliant.)

[Zantera]

(I must mention that I absolutely love the harmony vocals. They're utterly brilliant.)

I agree. They've certainly raised the bar for the melodic side of Anathema, and while I still love the older albums, the harmony vocals is one of the biggest reasons why I think the band has exploded in popularity now, compared to before WHBWH.

[LCArenas]

Listening to Falling Deeper right now. Hadn't listened it in months. Love it even more than when I first heard it. How has it aged for you?

[ColdFireYYZ]

Listening to Falling Deeper right now. Hadn't listened it in months. Love it even more than when I first heard it. How has it aged for you?

I listened to it a couple of weeks ago and it has held up well, especially Crestfallen, Sleep In Sanity, and Sunset of Age. I still haven't heard any of the original versions of the songs though, so it'll be interesting to compare the 2 versions when I finally get around to getting the older albums.

[seasonsinthesky]

is anyone else aware of the album Danny Cavanagh did with Anneke van Giersbergen? has a bunch of Anathema songs and some covers. just found it randomly now!

[ColdFireYYZ]

is anyone else aware of the album Danny Cavanagh did with Anneke van Giersbergen? has a bunch of Anathema songs and some covers. just found it randomly now!

I have it and its pretty good. As much as I love Lee Douglas' voice, I love the version of A Natural Disaster with Anneke singing.

[Onno]

Listening to Falling Deeper right now. Hadn't listened it in months. Love it even more than when I first heard it. How has it aged for you?

It has aged well, what a great album.

[?]

Some versions on FD are amazing (Crestfallen, Sunset of Age), but some turned out to be disappointments (We the Gods, Alone). But maybe that's just because I was already familiar with the early Anathema albums when it came out - it's a beautiful release nonetheless.

BTW, I just finished my OSI/Chroma Key top 30, so if SeRoX is unable to do his Anathema top 25 right now, then I could start mine.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Got an email from Burning Shed today about this. I like spoken word passages in songs, like on Internal Landscapes, but I'm not sure how a whole album like that would be like. I'm definitely going to check this out next month as it does sound interesting!

Daniel Cavanagh & Joseph Geraci - The Passage

Graceful and atmospheric, The Passage is the unique result of a collaboration between Anathema's Daniel Cavanagh and writer Joseph Geraci (the voice on Internal Landscapes from Anathema's celebrated 2012 release, Weather Systems).

Mainly comprising ethereal textural and evocative piano backdrops to readings of Geraci's work (by Geraci, Cavanagh and Heather Leah Huddleston), the album also contains two new songs by Cavanagh. Within (Part 2) and Brief are also based on the words of Geraci and in their heartfelt and emotive delivery, the songs act as an ideal coda to the more tender moments on Anathema's recent albums.

Presented as a 17 part continuous suite of textures, poetry and songs, The Passage is a seductive and unpretentious marriage of spoken word and music that highlights the growing sophistication in Daniel Cavanagh's compositional capabilities.

Released on the Burning Shed label, the cd is presented in a dvd-sized digi-book and includes striking Carl Glover images in addition to the poetic texts.

Pre-order now for 15th April shipping.

1) Metamorphosis
2) Alone
3) The Orbit
4) Within
5) Yet To Be
6) Freedom
7) The Return
8) Within Part 2
9) The Islands
10) Water Fire
11) I Am You
12) Brief
13) Childhood Lost
14) Color
15) By Myself
16) The Beginning
17) The Passage
https://www.burningshed.com/store/label/product/138/4648/

[?]

Sounds interesting! Like you, I'm not sure how an album full of songs with spoken word samples will work, but I will check this out.

[Man-Erg]

I got into Judgement and it's absolutely awesome. What do you think, where should I go next?
The vocals are oooh so lovely.

[Zantera]

Quality-wise I would suggest We're Here Because We're Here and then Weather Systems, but both those albums are fairly different from the early stuff and Judgement. Perhaps not so much musically since they're still sort of Alternative/Progressive, though they use vocal melodies more effectively, but if need the music to be darker like on Judgement, I'd say any of Alternative 4 or A Natural Disaster would work.

[?]

I'll never get tired of recommending Alternative 4! Since you love Judgement already, I bet you could easily like A4 too. It's more keyboard-driven and most of the songs are written by their bassist at the time, Duncan Patterson, but I still think it sounds closer to Judgement than their other records, since they took a more alt rockish approach on the next album already and the latest 2 records, while really good, are much less dark.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Another new Danny Cavanagh project! We now have the Joseph Geraci collaboration coming out on April 15 and this one on May 20th. Plus there's the Anathema DVD which will probably be out this year too!

Leafblade - Daniel Cavanagh and Daniel Cardosa from Anathema, plus Sean Jude and Kevin Murphy (both ex Valle Crucis) - create a powerful, yet subtle combination of lush symphonic atmospheres, anthemic refrains, potent guitar work and inventive percussion.

Valle Crucis were contemporaries of Anathema on the Liverpool music scene and Daniel was a long time admirer of the band. Leafblade - formed in 2003 - offered the musicians a chance to explore new sonic possibilities outside of their other band's remits.

Produced by Cavanagh, the band's Kscope label debut The Kiss Of Spirit And Flesh extends Leafblade's dynamic range and includes elaborate orchestration in addition to idiosyncratic lute-like nylon strings and unusual multi-range vocals.

Daniel feels that the album has found a natural home at Kscope, a label he has worked with extensively over the past few years and says, "The writing is absolutely top class and the Progressive nature of the music makes it very much part of Kscope's orbit."

He continues, "We feel the album is a special one thanks to the beautiful lyrics, superb arrangements and excellent musicianship. It should appeal to Anathema fans and Progressive fans alike."

Pre-order for 20th May release.

Tracks
1. Bethlehem
2. The Hollow Hills
3. Sunset Hypnos
4. Fuschia
5. Oak Machine
6. Thirteen
7. Beneath A Woodland Moon
8. Portrait

https://www.burningshed.com/store/kscope/product/272/4664/

[?]

Now that my list is over, I can finally post this nice live clip of Lost Control that has a hilarious beginning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9VPAvNc0Ng

[Onno]

Now that my list is over, I can finally post this nice live clip of Lost Control that has a hilarious beginning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9VPAvNc0Ng

"And now for something completely different"

EPIC!

[?]

I like how people start cheering right after Vincent has said "Life..." Don't like the off-key singing of the audience though

[Onno]

I like how people start cheering right after Vincent has said "Life..." Don't like the off-key singing of the audience though

Precisely. I stopped watching after the song began because the audience singing was way too loud.

[?]

Luckily you can't hear them in the second verse...

BTW, am I the only one who thinks the piano melody in the beginning sounds a bit similar to the intro of A Nightmare to Remember now that the song is played in half step down tuning (which makes it sound even better IMO )?

[abydos]

They will have an acoustic show here which I will miss again. So far I've missed every Anneke and Anathema show here, with the exception of Antimatter and a Danny one-man show. FML

[?]

Anathema played in my hometown in 2010, but I wasn't a fan yet and would've been too young to go anyway. They played in Tampere and Helsinki last year and there have been some acoustic gigs (Vinnie and Danny in 2011, Danny and Anneke a couple of months ago), but I would've had to travel to see them, so I had to miss every show. However, next time Anathema come here (no matter which town they'll play in), I'll definitely go and see them!

[?]

For those who haven't liked Duncan's official FB page, he posted this pic a couple of months ago

[Onno]

  Fantastic!!!

[?]

I wonder what will happen if you press Alt + 4

Someone's comment on the photo: "there's no escape on this (out of view)"

[ColdFireYYZ]

In May 2012 Anathema released Weather Systems, the most successful album of the band's two decade plus career.

Scoring high in end of year polls around the world, the album cemented Anathema's reputation as one of the most interesting bands of recent times.

Following the release of the album, the band embarked on a lengthy world tour.

The European part of the tour opened with a special one-off gig at the ancient Roman theatre of Philippopolis where the band were joined by the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra.

Untouchable captures the magic of this unique evening.

Available on double heavyweight vinyl packaged in a gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves.

Pre-order now for 24th June release date.

Please note, an audio visual cd/dvd version of the concert will be available in August, 2013.
Side 1:

1.   Untouchable Part 1
2.   Untouchable Part 2
3.   Thin Air

Side 2:

1.   Dreaming Light
2.   Everything
3.   The Storm Before The Calm

Side 3:

1.   A Simple Mistake
2.   The Beginning And The End
3.   Universal

Side 4:

1.   Closer
2.   A Natural Disaster
3.   Flying
https://www.burningshed.com/store/kscope/product/272/4729/



I'm glad that there's finally news on this but I think I'm going to wait for the CD & DVD, since I'd probably only listen to the vinyl once or twice.

[Buddyhunter1]

Speaking of Weather Systems...

Weather Systems > WHBWH. Both are great, but I just think WS is a much stronger album.

[Zantera]

Nah. I would rank WS as nr3 or 4 in their discography. (WHBWH and Judgement being better)

[Ben_Jamin]

Gonna wait for the dvd/cd.

I listened to Everything.....that song is the epitome of beautiful.

When I listen to WS and WHBWH, i'm transported onto an ocean just calmy floating. I get the same feeling about PoS Vocari Dei. These songs need to be heard by more people.

[Big Hath]

I listened to Everything.....that song is the epitome of beautiful.

this this this

that song is magical

[ColdFireYYZ]

I love WHBWH and WS almost equally, but I think I'd put WS slightly ahead.