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djflex
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any fans here?

 

If you liked the last riverside this may be the band to check out

 

Pretty mellow but good prog, at least their second half

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any fans here?

 

If you liked the last riverside this may be the band to check out

 

Pretty mellow but good prog, at least their second half

Yes! I saw them on their first American tour a few years back w/Alcest and Mamiffer. Strangely enough, I was listening to their most recent album Distant Satellites a few days ago and at the time I didn't know what to think of it considering how I really loved Weather Systems but after a few listens, it grew on me a lot and now it's one of my personal favorites.

 

Judgement however is my go to album of theirs; it's not necessarily their present day prog sound, it's not necessarily goth metal like Alternative 4, and it's not quite alternative like A Fine Day To Exit and A Natural Disaster (it's definitely not the death-doom genre they invented along with My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost) but a crossroad of the three sounds, which IMO makes it stand out sonically than most of their albums.

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any fans here?

 

If you liked the last riverside this may be the band to check out

 

Pretty mellow but good prog, at least their second half

Yes! I saw them on their first American tour a few years back w/Alcest and Mamiffer. Strangely enough, I was listening to their most recent album Distant Satellites a few days ago and at the time I didn't know what to think of it considering how I really loved Weather Systems but after a few listens, it grew on me a lot and now it's one of my personal favorites.

 

Judgement however is my go to album of theirs; it's not necessarily their present day prog sound, it's not necessarily goth metal like Alternative 4, and it's not quite alternative like A Fine Day To Exit and A Natural Disaster (it's definitely not the death-doom genre they invented along with My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost) but a crossroad of the three sounds, which IMO makes it stand out sonically than most of their albums.

 

Excellent post.

 

Have you heard were here because were here?

Its mellow , but a masterpiece imo.

 

Also , how was alcest ? I have a few by them and like their style

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any fans here?

 

If you liked the last riverside this may be the band to check out

 

Pretty mellow but good prog, at least their second half

Yes! I saw them on their first American tour a few years back w/Alcest and Mamiffer. Strangely enough, I was listening to their most recent album Distant Satellites a few days ago and at the time I didn't know what to think of it considering how I really loved Weather Systems but after a few listens, it grew on me a lot and now it's one of my personal favorites.

 

Judgement however is my go to album of theirs; it's not necessarily their present day prog sound, it's not necessarily goth metal like Alternative 4, and it's not quite alternative like A Fine Day To Exit and A Natural Disaster (it's definitely not the death-doom genre they invented along with My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost) but a crossroad of the three sounds, which IMO makes it stand out sonically than most of their albums.

 

Excellent post.

 

Have you heard were here because were here?

Its mellow , but a masterpiece imo.

 

Also , how was alcest ? I have a few by them and like their style

Yep, We're Here Because We're Here was the first Anathema I've heard back when I was still at the peak of my enthusiasm for Steven Wilson back in 2010/11ish. With the exception of Eternity (IDK why I haven't yet tbh), I've heard every Anathema album from their second album The Silent Enigma onward. It's quite amazing to hear how fast the band evolved from The Silent Enigma to Judgement (that's 4 albums) in the span of only 5 years and a lot of it had to do with the departure of their original vocalist Darren White after their first album and later on bassist Duncan Patterson after Alternative 4 and whom was an integral part of the band up to that point.

 

Alcest were great live. They had a really good reception amongst the Anathema fans who weren't familiar with them prior. They played mostly songs from Les Voyages de L'Âime and Écailles de Lune but they premiered two new songs that were on their most recent album Shelter prior to its release, Opale and Délivrance which was awesome to hear live considering I wasn't expecting how they would sound. They just announced new album today and that'll be released September 30 so if you liked what you've heard from them so far, you might want to check out the album when it's out.

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Was unaware sof new alcest, thanks for that. I think i will give them a spin this week, its been ages

 

Awesome summary of the bands history. I also was greatly surprised at their rapid change in styles. Honestly at first wasnt really into them, that changed quickly though

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Anathema?

Freaking love Serenades album with Darren White on 'vocals'.

 

But to be honest I don't like the prog-style they took on after he left.

I preferred the heavy-doom stuff.

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I'm slowly getting into them. They do prog-lite very well, but they have a good variety of music from album to album. Favorites thus far have been We're Here... and Weather Systems. I'll need to give Distant Satellites a few more spins.
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I'm a fan - especially of their last three albums. Their "Universal" live video is also great. I got to see them open a show in Orlando a couple years back and they had a special headline show in St. Pete the next night with John Wesley opening the show. I got to meet the whole band. It was a magical event!

 

Anathema is sorta prog-lite, but there is something cool about how they can create high impact from such simple parts. I'm not sure I could name another band that takes the same riff, start it off insanely mellow and gradually morph it over the length of the song until it thunders in intensity (yet it remains the same riff.) It surprises me because I do like some wanky-musiciany type prog - Anathema has none of that, but rather they use dynamics, atmosphere, drama, and emotion so effectively that it still captivates me. Weather Systems is my favorite and We're Here is great too. Distant Satellites had some different vibes with some electronica - again, not really my favorite element in music, but Anathema make it work comfortably for me, and I really enjoy some songs on that disc.

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Beautiful music, no question. But I fail to hear real prog elements in their music, seems like a misnomer IMO.

 

I'm *trying* to like Distant Satellites (their latest one). It's been on repeat in the car since I posted a day or two ago. But I'm coming to the same conclusion as Greg - they're maybe, just maybe, prog-lite on that recording. A tiny bit more prog on their prior couple albums. I haven't gone back much further past We Are Who We Are.

 

It is generally very nice, soaring music and the exceptional use of dynamics to accomplish their builds, like someone previously posted, is certainly noteworthy. But it's a stretch to say there's much virtuosity or pushing of the envelope taking place.

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Upon first listen, for me The Optimist is a near reboot of the Music For Nations era of the band (Judgement, A Fine Day To Exit, and A Natural Disaster), but with the maturity and anthemic quality of the KScope albums (We're Here Because We Here, Weather Systems and Distant Satellites). Considering this is a sequel album of sorts to A Fine Day To Exit, it's makes sense and it's similarly dark in quality as their MFN albums. It'll take time to sink in (perhaps less so than Distant Satellites), but I'm coming to the same conclusion as djflex that this is another fantastic album from the band.
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I bloody love Anathema :cool:

Distant Satellites is a fantastic album

Yet to see them live though :(

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Great band. Saw them live on the Judgement tour :haz: but I have lost touch after that album.
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Thoughts on the new release from anyone?

 

Strikes me as another gem so far

 

Was waiting to hear what others thought then maybe get a copy for cheap in a few months on ebay. :P

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My copy was delivered on Friday. I listened to the 5.1 mix in a darkened room.

 

I really liked it on first listen.

 

It is very atmospheric / textural - as always they have ultra-simplistic parts that they really mess with the dynamics. There is some electronica influence (as on Distant Satellites), and also lots of piano. I feel like with them, it's not about playing with notes - more like playing with energy.

 

The disc is a trip - sorta cinematic experience. I like that the lyrics were not always in the fore (sometimes their lyrics are a bit cliche.) All in all a solid effort, I am looking forward to additional spins.

Edited by cygnify
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Being a huge Paradise Lost fan, it's a mystery to me why Anathema aren't a bigger deal to me, seeing as they were once contemporaries in the same genre, and similarly revered.

 

I will try this new album, i always do!

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Being a huge Paradise Lost fan, it's a mystery to me why Anathema aren't a bigger deal to me, seeing as they were once contemporaries in the same genre, and similarly revered.

I would guess Anathema hasn't left much of an impression on you because honestly PL did goth metal better than Anathema and I'd reckon My Dying Bride as well. Anathema's goth metal albums are probably them at their least interesting IMO yet for some reason there's still some purists who think that was their best period.
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Well, i officially rate the new one another masterpiece

 

 

Many of you may have been waiting for my official follow up

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My amazon CD of The Optimist finally arrived. First time through I wasn't overly impressed, which isn't necessarily bad because some first listens are painful and I often don't bother with the second. But I will definitely be giving this a second time through. It's not much different from their other, recent albums IMO. I thought I read a return to their roots in a few reviews (pre-Weather Systems era), and I don't really hear that.
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My amazon CD of The Optimist finally arrived. First time through I wasn't overly impressed, which isn't necessarily bad because some first listens are painful and I often don't bother with the second. But I will definitely be giving this a second time through. It's not much different from their other, recent albums IMO. I thought I read a return to their roots in a few reviews (pre-Weather Systems era), and I don't really hear that.

I think that "return to roots" comment most publications are describing is more or less a return to the more darker tone of their mid period albums i.e. Judgement. It's definitely their most heaviest album post We're Here Because We're Here and a natural progression from the musical direction Weather Systems and Distant Satellites but I would say The Optimist feels and sounds "existential" akin to Judgement (and Alternative 4 for that matter) in comparison to the epic and "hopeful" vibe of the most recent two albums.

 

If anything, I'd describe The Optimist as the album that brings the dark tone of the late '90s/early '00s Anathema with the musicality and production of the '10s Anathema in one.

Edited by PolarizeMe
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I never thought their newer material was 'hopeful', there's an unresolved tension in their music that seems consistent throughout all the albums I've heard (even before WHBWH). To my ears, admittedly only recently as fan, this sounds like a lot like their last 3 albums. *shrug*

 

In the past I've seen "return to their roots" touted by fans of a band on nearly every new release, but an objective set of ears don't make the connection. Most recently the latest Metallica album - it's sounds exactly like Death Magnetic, and yet fans that loved the new one but hated Death Magnetic would kill me for even suggesting that. :P

Edited by stoopid
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