Resonance - Anathema

A Natural Disaster - Anathema

the same atmospheric rock style they ve been practicing since Alternative 4, but is the first release since then to match up in terms of heaviness and melancholia. Anathema haven t been a metal band for a very long time, and indeed nothing on here really harks back to their early days, but the resurgence of some powerful, doomy post-rock in the style of Mogwai as songs build to a crescendo helps to make this a grander, more emotive and more interesting effort than predecessor A Fine Day to Exit. As usual, the songs are driven along by slow drums, acoustic guitars with occasional harder electric riffs, and soft vocals from brothers Vincent and Daniel Cavanagh that in ...

A Natural Disaster - Anathema

the same atmospheric rock style they ve been practicing since Alternative 4, but is the first release since then to match up in terms of heaviness and melancholia. Anathema haven t been a metal band for a very long time, and indeed nothing on here really harks back to their early days, but the resurgence of some powerful, doomy post-rock in the style of Mogwai as songs build to a crescendo helps to make this a grander, more emotive and more interesting effort than predecessor A Fine Day to Exit. As usual, the songs are driven along by slow drums, acoustic guitars with occasional harder electric riffs, and soft vocals from brothers Vincent and Daniel Cavanagh that in ...

Alternative 4 - Anathema

While Eternity left behind most of the metal elements from Anathema s early years, Alternative 4 is their final album that could be reasonably labelled as doom metal for evoking the same melancholy atmosphere, albeit in a mostly lighter fashion with the heavy guitars all but replaced by acoustic and the death growl vocals now firmly a thing of the past. Not yet going the full way to prog rock throwback, this is still authentic old-school Anathema with a less aggressive approach, with a greater focus on atmosphere but one that doesn t come at a cost to the music itself. Vincent Cavanagh s soft vocals still have a nice amateur edge, particularly on the rare occasions ...

Alternative 4 - Anathema

While Eternity left behind most of the metal elements from Anathema s early years, Alternative 4 is their final album that could be reasonably labelled as doom metal for evoking the same melancholy atmosphere, albeit in a mostly lighter fashion with the heavy guitars all but replaced by acoustic and the death growl vocals now firmly a thing of the past. Not yet going the full way to prog rock throwback, this is still authentic old-school Anathema with a less aggressive approach, with a greater focus on atmosphere but one that doesn t come at a cost to the music itself. Vincent Cavanagh s soft vocals still have a nice amateur edge, particularly on the rare occasions ...

Pentecost III - Anathema

Conveniently repackaged as a full-length release, this vital component of any doom metal collection exposes the nude, primitive roots of Anathema s humble origins as Britain s foremost death-doom pioneer (my favourite of the "big three"), and chronicles the band s gradual shift towards the gothic and Floydian tendencies of their later work. Crestfallen is a dirty, elegiac cry for help that finds the band at their depressive best, while the more polished Pentecost III is a fitting eulogy for the band s early period. While primarily targeted an item for collectors, this collection technically makes for a more worthwhile purchase for fans and newcomers alike, ...

Pentecost III - Anathema

Conveniently repackaged as a full-length release, this vital component of any doom metal collection exposes the nude, primitive roots of Anathema s humble origins as Britain s foremost death-doom pioneer (my favourite of the "big three"), and chronicles the band s gradual shift towards the gothic and Floydian tendencies of their later work. Crestfallen is a dirty, elegiac cry for help that finds the band at their depressive best, while the more polished Pentecost III is a fitting eulogy for the band s early period. While primarily targeted an item for collectors, this collection technically makes for a more worthwhile purchase for fans and newcomers alike, ...