Anathema Discography: #9 A Natural Disaster (2003)

"Layers of dust and yesterdays
Shadows fading in the haze of what I couldn't say
And though I said my hands were tied
Times have changed and now I find I'm free for the first time"

Danny Cavanagh went through a rough period in his life in 2002 and even left Anathema for a brief time. This is reflected in the dark and minimalistic approach of A Natural Disaster, which includes plenty of experimentation.

The electronically-tinged opener "Harmonium" makes it clear that this album is a different beast than any previous Anathema release. The prominent guitars and the agonized scream at the end of the song, however, make it very heavy in a way. "Balance" is a pleasantly melodic track, bringing back the Radiohead influence of the previous album. However, the Vocoder-driven and repetitive sound of "Closer" is a far cry from the accessible rock of A Fine Day to Exit (2001). This song is at its best when played live: the hypnotic, even danceable, rhythm makes you want to jump up and down!

"Are You There?" is a decent song, but I feel the acoustic arrangement on Hindsight is a better version of it. "Childhood Dream" is a sweet little interlude, which is ironically followed by the most aggressive song on the album, "Pulled Under at 2000 Metres a Second". The strong bassline and Vincent Cavanagh's strong vocal delivery make this a memorable song, even though it's radically different from the rest of the album, and a few band members have gone on record saying they don't like it.

The Portishead-influenced title-track highlights Lee Douglas' beautiful voice, and its trip hop vibe is unique for Anathema, making it a classic. "Flying" is another hit: very simplistic, yet beautiful, and the reversed guitars add interesting soundscapes. Unfortunately the last two songs are clearly the weakest: "Electricity" is a forgettable semi-acoustic tune, whereas the 10-minute instrumental "Violence" is way too drawn-out.

I have mixed feelings on A Natural Disaster: most of the songs are good, but the chaotic nature of the album prevents it from being one of the band's best. Anathema has always made diverse albums, but I feel AND lacks the cohesion of the other releases. Although none of the songs can compete with the absolute crown jewels of the Anathema discography, there's plenty of good material to go back to, such as the title-track, "Flying" and the combo of "Balance" and "Closer".

Rating: 3½/5