Anathema

[PixelDream]

I've seen the band numerous times, starting with a couple of times when they were opening for Porcupine Tree around the time of A Natural Disaster. They were alright back then. When I saw them play a headline show for the first time (on the Where Here Because We're Here tour), that was one of the best and most emotional, heartfelt concerts I've ever witnessed.

But then they started to get bigger (due to the success of the excellent Weather Systems), and every gig I've been to since has been filled with mistakes, irritated bandmembers and just a general vibe that the musicians didn't really feel their own music anymore. I would even say I didn't 'buy into' their whole over-the-top emotional songwriting anymore. I could feel it in the audience too, and when you're playing these epically orchestrated mournful tracks while making so many mistakes and letting it get to you as a band, that's when it starts to get a bit painful.

[?]

Wasn't Danny being cryptic and disgruntled a few months back too? I wonder if this is related or a whole new issue for the band. On an unrelated note, The Optimist has actually grown on me after disliking it initially.

About half a year ago Danny revealed to Prog magazine that he was addicted to Valium for a few years after Distant Satellites: https://www.loudersound.com/features/anathema-exploring-their-past-their-present-and-their-future He managed to overcome it, but he's on anti-depressants now, so that may have an effect.

Regarding Jamie, he actually worked as their tour manager last year and led me onto the tour bus to do my interview with Danny. He seemed to be in good spirits, but I wouldn't be surprised if having to oversee everything and everyone on the road got a little too much for him. But who knows - band dynamics are bound to be complex when there are not one, but two families involved.

[Nekov]

That's some good insight. I didn't know Danny was addicted to Valium but it's good that he's over it now. If the band feels like they need to take a hiatus or something to get things together then so be it. Let them recharge and come back strong, maybe with a new sound.

[Curt]

How are the band doing now? (those last two posts are a little worrying  ) just bought a ticket to their "Ambient / Acoustic" show in Leeds on a whim, after really digging the period between We're Here Because We're Here and Distant Satellites

[Nekov]

I'm assuming that things are going good since they are announcing tour dates and stuff.

[?]

I'm assuming that things are going good since they are announcing tour dates and stuff.

Yeah, seems so. They posted an intie with Vincent regarding the upcoming Polish show, and while he comes across as kind of angry (WRITING ALL THE ANSWERS IN CAPS LOCK DOESN'T HELP), he revealed that they've been writing new stuff: https://www.facebook.com/notes/anathema/interview-with-vincent/10155578312821297

[Xanthul]

That was certainly a weird interview (or rather Q&A), the answer to the family stuff was kinda aggresive and even juvenile but then the explanation about the changes in the music industry was very detailed and insightful.

[Nekov]

Yeah, that interview is all over the place. I felt like the answer on the family stuff was a jab at Oasis for some reason.

[abydos]

A reminder of why I stopped reading, listening or watching interviews from them. This + the music being bland to me. Skipped on them earlier this year I think and a friend of mine went, she said they seemed bored, the audience were being pricks on top of it and many people were actually loudly talking to one another which didn't help the band's attitude with them making bitter remarks. Perhaps if they were putting a believable show people wouldn't have been so chatty, idk.

[Peter Mc]

Have tried these a couple of times as they are always recommended and from Liverpool. Some of what I heard was ok but only generally when the girl is singing and that is nowhere near often enough. The male singer has quite a dull uninteresting voice to my ears at least. If she was made lead singer, I'd be far more interested.

[senecadawg2]

Strange interview for sure, but not for the normal reasons I might expect an interview to be strange.

Was my favorite band, for a time, but I'm not sure what's going on. I'd be kind of surprised if they don't at least take a break within the next few years. Just seems like things have been unravelling these past couple years—something I've certainly felt that the last couple times I've seen them live.

[Lethean]

I saw them about a year ago and they were great.  They seemed to having fun, there was positive interaction with the audience, etc.  It was a great show.  If things are going downhill lately that would be a shame.

[senecadawg2]

To be fair, they were far from bad the last time I saw them. It just didn't feel like the energy was quite right. Danny, in particular, seemed kind of pissed off throughout the show.

[ChuckSteak]

That's weird. I saw them on the Weather Systems' and Distant Satellites' tour and they were amazing on both. They were full of energy and didn't look bored and the audience was very good.

[krands85]

They were great when I saw them on the Distant Satellites tour too, but I've also been thinking that things don't seem quite right behind the scenes with the band for the last year or so. I wondered if I was just imagining it simply because I didn't really like The Optimist, but little things like this keep adding to it.

[Nekov]

To be fair, they were far from bad the last time I saw them. It just didn't feel like the energy was quite right. Danny, in particular, seemed kind of pissed off throughout the show.

That was the case the last time I saw them too but as someone pointed out before, Danny was going through some bad times (quote below). The rest of the band was super good, especially Vincent. Hopefully that's all in the past now.

Wasn't Danny being cryptic and disgruntled a few months back too? I wonder if this is related or a whole new issue for the band. On an unrelated note, The Optimist has actually grown on me after disliking it initially.

About half a year ago Danny revealed to Prog magazine that he was addicted to Valium for a few years after Distant Satellites: https://www.loudersound.com/features/anathema-exploring-their-past-their-present-and-their-future He managed to overcome it, but he's on anti-depressants now, so that may have an effect.

Regarding Jamie, he actually worked as their tour manager last year and led me onto the tour bus to do my interview with Danny. He seemed to be in good spirits, but I wouldn't be surprised if having to oversee everything and everyone on the road got a little too much for him. But who knows - band dynamics are bound to be complex when there are not one, but two families involved.

[Buddyhunter1]

They all seemed quite happy when I saw them in Boston on The Optimist tour. Must have been one of their good nights.

[?]

Yeah, that interview is all over the place. I felt like the answer on the family stuff was a jab at Oasis for some reason.

I thought it might be a subtle dig at Danny for that "Vinnie thinks he's the leader" comment, but you may be right.

It's such a shame that the current situation is so weird, because everything seemed to be so stable in the WHBWH/Weather Systems era, but it must've been naive to assume it'd be smooth sailing for the rest of their career.

[Phoenix87x]

Yeah, that interview is all over the place. I felt like the answer on the family stuff was a jab at Oasis for some reason.

I thought it might be a subtle dig at Danny for that "Vinnie thinks he's the leader" comment, but you may be right.

It's such a shame that the current situation is so weird, because everything seemed to be so stable in the WHBWH/Weather Systems era, but it must've been naive to assume it'd be smooth sailing for the rest of their career.

Yeah, I thought the same exact thing. Right around the weather systems era, I figured everything was rock solid and it was smooth sailing. Shame.

[Evermind]

When I saw them on Distant Satellites tour, the band had some technical difficulties, and I seem to recall that Danny was pretty angry about that, but it was resolved after a few songs and then it seemed like the band had fun, great gig. On The Optimist tour everyone seemed a bit more subdued, and I'm not sure if it was because I didn't like the album that much or some other reasons, that show felt a little off. So I had like one positive and one not-so-positive experience. Could be just me though.

The show on the DS tour was fantastic though, I really liked it.

[seasonsinthesky]

New 'best of' coming out, called Internal Landscapes.

1. Anathema
2. Untouchable part 1
3. Untouchable part 2
4. Thin Air
5. Ariel
6. Can't Let Go
7. Dreaming Light
8. Are you There?
9. J'ai Fait Une Promesse
10. Leaving It Behind
11. Springfield
12. Distant Satellites
13. Internal Landscapes

Burning Shed preorder link

[senecadawg2]

Interesting. I wouldn't argue against that bunch of songs, but it seems odd to have a "best of" without a song like One Last Goodbye, or indeed any pre-WHBWH song beside Are You There? (I don't really count J'ai Fait One Promesse)

[?]

Interesting. I wouldn't argue against that bunch of songs, but it seems odd to have a "best of" without a song like One Last Goodbye, or indeed any pre-WHBWH song beside Are You There? (I don't really count J'ai Fait One Promesse)

They could've included the Hindsight version of OLG, but I suppose they chose Are You There? instead, because that arrangement has become the definitive version of that song, and they probably wanted to focus on the Kscope full-length albums. J'ai fait une promesse is a weird choice from Falling Deeper though - Kingdom would've been more natural IMO, since they actually played it live a few times.

The Music for Nations era seems to get the short straw in the compilation department, given that the first four albums were already represented on the Resonance CDs.

[ChuckSteak]

Not a single song from their early albums? How can this be called "best of"? Unless it is the best of from their last 4 albums.

Compilations suck anyway.

[?]

Not a single song from their early albums? How can this be called "best of"? Unless it is the best of from their last 4 albums.

Compilations suck anyway.

Kscope doesn't have rights to the albums before Hindsight.

[LCArenas]

So Vince and Danny are making an Acoustic tour throughout South America alongside none other than Duncan Patterson to celebrate 20 years of Alternative 4 and I just came back from one of their shows. first time I've ever seen them live. Amazing! The atmosphere was rather intimate and funny, Danny is quite a character; Vincent's voice is as strong as it has ever been and Duncan did a great job there too, both brothers seemed to really enjoy having him there. They played acoustic versions of their most recent songs for the first hour  (Being the Hindsight fan that I am I found this really lovely) and then called Duncan to play some songs off Alternative 4 and Eternity.  Love Alternative 4 to bits, but I consider the latter a really overlooked album since the band was struggling to find their true sound: There are some amazing songs hidden in there, and to hear their adapted acoustic versions here was incredible. Hope, Angelica, all three Eternities... Jesus Christ, what a stunning group of musicians they are!  They finished with some cover songs, High Hopes and Comfortably Numb from Pink Floyd and Street Spirit from Radiohead. I didn't even notice when the two hours had passed, and I of course was left wanting more. I hope to see them again soon, hopefully with the whole band on board this time.

[SoundscapeMN]

bump.

new record contract with Mascot Label Group

new album coming in 2020
https://www.loudersound.com/news/anathema-sign-with-mascot-label-group-2020-album-planned?utm_source=Selligent&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=7135&utm_content=Prog+Newsletter+August+30+&utm_term=&m_i=NcWNPpAYeqB9P8nBqzlnoHgPvz1tEBvFXgG1hl8ZAsI9Nqn5I6cbER4hCaW9uj45iI0QUIUX1kMBg7dBVt3WTrQvT6ciTdzNNM&M_BT=311256160776

[Phoenix87x]

My body is ready

[Nekov]

My body is ready

[Puppies_On_Acid]

Hopefully it's better than their last album

[Sacul]

My body is ready

[DoctorAction]

Hopefully it's better than their last album

The Optimist wasn't my favourite of theirs, but it grew on me a lot over time. Having said that, I hope so too.

Mind you, I loved Distant Satellites and it's still my go-to album of theirs, but I'm aware that I'm unusual in this regard.

[ariich]

I like The Optimist a ton still, but it's definitely a notable step down from the previous few.

[Zantera]

I was revisiting some Anathema in the last few days and the Universal concert is so good. Flying and Universal are amazingly good. I think the live performances of both makes them two of the band's best songs. Thin Air and A Simple Mistake are top tier too. I don't think they'll ever make an album again that will match We're Here Because We're Here or Judgment for me, but i think Weather Systems, Distant Satellites and The Optimist have all been great albums. I think it's amazing that after a 7 year hiatus/drifting around in nomansland after A Natural Disaster they managed to come back and release 4 albums in a row that are really great and on par (maybe even better) than the previous 4 albums.

I love this band.

[Phoenix87x]

I love this band too 

And there's nobody quite like them. The present such a cool and unique sound. Very beautiful songs. Sometimes sad in places, but in a comforting kind of way. Deeply introspective and uplifting as well. Its such a complex and satisfying package they present.

They really mean a lot to me.