Metal Reviews
Metal Reviews
ANATHEMA |
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Tracklisting: 1. Deep
This is a quality rock album, 13 tracks that link perfectly between each number and for this reason alone should be heard as a whole and not as individual songs. But even so, there are still one or two numbers that stand out for me from the rest. The opening number "Deep" is a real full on Rock song which fills the room with a superb layered guitar sound combined with a superb change of tempo mid song, this is warnig enough of the quality that lies ahead. Also "One Last Goodbye" with some fine acoustic guitar work and moanful vocals, must surely be a song born out of grief for their mother. Elsewhwere Judgement is overflowing with quality songs, yes, you can spot influences by Pink Floyd, Radiohead and the Sisters Of Mercy on numbers such as "Forgotten Hopes" and "Make It Right", but this is simply a band who have a lot of heroes out there, and are influenced by them. Judgement is simply one of those albums that destined to be a classic and unlike many albums that earn such praise, I have a funny feeling that everyone who buys this album will still be saying the same thing next year and beyond. Released by Music For Nations
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ANATHEMA |
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It's almost a sin to try and
describe this album. Perhaps you should approach it the way I first
heard it last week - my CD dealer put the obligatory cold beer in
my hand, sat me down, put the headphones on my head and told me to
"just listen", without telling me who it was. |
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"Resonance
2"
Anathema |
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For anyone that missed the mellowing phase that was "Resonance 1," here's the second installment, featuring the darker side of Anathema-their evil twin, bore of blood, fire, and dark desire. For anyone new to the scene that began with "Resonance 1," and who based their judgment of Anathema solely from there, unfortunately death arrives in a crude, slow torture. Anathema's made an almost unsuspecting impact of the dark market. As evidenced here, their earliest material, as with many of their Gothically-inspired tradition, was rooted in darkness, dread and death, and their evolvement into a more complete musical commodity occurred neither simply, swiftly, nor completely in their near ten year existence. In spite of the otherwise misleading titles of storybook romance, "Lovelorn Rhapsody," and "Sweet Tears," begin the collection barbarically and brutal, singer Daniel Cavanagh's voice barely decipherable in his deathly drone. This is not long to last however, soon giving way to a majestic, simply low-key vocal quality, welcoming the impending melodies, however still prone to the occasionally disruptive bark. While their first installment
showed the band's penchant for spiritualism and transcendence, this
one does so in a more grim and grandiose way, embracing darkness for
its own sake Overwrought with personal conflict
and musical differences, here's where the listener gets the Angelic folklore fuses gothic beauty and sharp samples with underground pleas, through the Cemetary gates, a dark wandering through the "Fields," Paradise Lost and regained, Anathema, stellar in their unassuming manner to be more than what they are without sacrificing their soul. An essential addition to your collection and great introduction to an underrated and still blooming black rose of a band, 'Resonance 2" is the perfect compliment, the alter-ego to last year's quieter collection, but be forewarned, the epilepsy inducing video track is best left for viewing upon completion of the album play through! Released by Peaceville: http://www.peaceville.co.uk Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu] P.O. Box 20252
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