perjantai 25. syyskuuta 2015

Anathema Discography: #12 Falling Deeper (2011)



After coming back with a bang on We're Here Because We're Here (2010), Anathema made a follow-up to Hindsight (2008) by reimagining its early material with orchestral arrangements and piano. There's also drums, E-bow, acoustic guitars, and some vocals, but the record is largely instrumental.

Falling Deeper isn't simply a bunch of doom metal songs played without growls and distorted guitars: the band took some of the themes from the original songs and built new compositions out of them. "Crestfallen" is the most successful remake, taking the intro (read: the best part) and turning the slightly tedious 10-minute doomster.into a beautiful 3-minute piece.

"Kingdom" is another bullseye, featuring sung lyrics instead of the original spoken word approach. "Sunset of Age" has changed the least, keeping the original song structure and featuring gorgeous harmonies by Vincent and Lee and a powerful guitar solo by Danny at the end. "We, the Gods", however, is a disappointment, as the epic Iron Maidenish outro isn't included in this version.

The (songs that used to be) acoustic ballads are weak spots as well: "Alone" is almost twice as long as originally, and drags on way too much, while "J'ai Fait une Promesse" lacks emotional power without vocals. "Everwake" is pretty much identical to the original, only with orchestrations complementing the acoustic guitars. Luckily Anneke van Giersbergen's graceful vocals help the remake be at least as good as the old one.

I was mildly disappointed by Falling Deeper initially, but I've learned to appreciate it as is, though I still think there's room for improvement. The short length of the release is totally understandable, because hiring a string orchestra isn't exactly cheap, but at least one of the ballads could've been replaced with another rearranged doom metal song, such as "Under a Veil (of Black Lace)" or "Shroud of Frost". However, if you throw out all your expectations and notions of what the album should've been like, and just give it a spin without thinking too much, it's an enjoyable and relaxing listen. It's got beautiful arrangements on it and demonstrates that despite all the stylistic changes, the essence of Anathema's music has never changed.

Rating: 3½/5


torstai 17. syyskuuta 2015

Anathema Discography: #11 We're Here Because We're Here (2010)


"I have found my way to fly free from constraints of time
I have soared through the sky seen life far below in mind"

Anathema finally released its 8th full-length album in 2010. We're Here Because We're Here is the start of a new phase: the sound is characterized by orchestral arrangements, a heavy dose of piano, Lee Douglas' greater vocal presence, Danny's E-bow leads, occasional rhythmic experimentation, as well as post-rockish song structures that start out soft and build up to a climax. The album has a more optimistic tone than any of Anathema's previous releases, which stems from the positive changes in the band members' lives, especially Danny Cavanagh's.

"Thin Air" is a great, upbeat opener that sets the tone for Anathema's modern style. "I love you" may be an overused phrase in popular music, but in this song it sounds perfectly honest. The lyrics can also be interpreted as the band's statement on its rebirth: "We've come too far to turn back / This is where we stand and face it / This is who we are."

"Summernight Horizon" is a louder and more intense song, but has an uplifting chorus, which separates it from the heavier tracks on previous albums. The mix of emotions that Anathema has mastered over the years continues in "Dreaming Light", which manages to sound wistful yet optimistic at the same time. Some people may find this tune too cheesy, but in my opinion it never crosses that line. "Everything" is a song about finding peace of mind and coming to terms with yourself - not one of the highlights of the album, but I love the pulsating 9/8 beat.

"Angels Walk Among Us" - which features Ville Valo (HIM) on backing vocals - is honestly one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard: Danny's wailing Ebow, Vincent and Lee's emotional vocals and the powerful climax are simply delightful. After the mostly spoken track "Presence", we get to the high point, which is "A Simple Mistake". This song has such an incredible build-up that few Anathema songs have managed to match it, before or after this album.

"Get off, Get Out" is the weakest song, but the mild Porcupine Tree vibe and the guitar arpeggios are enjoyable. "Universal" is more progressive: it starts out as a slow, vocal-centered piece, but the second half is instrumental. There's a great solo by Danny and some sweet orchestrations in this song. "Hindsight" shifts between major and minor keys and brings the album to a close successfully.

We're Here Because We're Here is by far the most cohesive and complete Anathema album since Judgement (1999). Years of hard work paid off, and the resulting record is lively and diverse. It's not an absolute 10 like Alternative 4 (1998) and Judgement, but Anathema found its own identity and signature sound on this euphoric rebirth of an album, and it set the standards for the subsequent records.

Rating: 4½/5


keskiviikko 9. syyskuuta 2015

Anathema Discography: #10 Hindsight (2008)



"A timeless word, the meanings changed
But I'm still burning in your flames
Incessant, lustral masquerade
Unengaged, dim lit love didn't taste the same"

After A Natural Disaster (2003), Anathema found itself without a record deal when Music for Nations was shut down. The band couldn't seem to find a new label or management, and several obstacles slowed them down. However, Anathema continued to play live and write new music, and amidst all that they managed to fulfil their long-time dream of releasing an acoustic album.

Hindsight consists of (semi)acoustic versions of songs from the 1996-2003 period, along with a previously unreleased song, "Unchained (Tales of the Unexpected)". Besides acoustic band instruments, the album includes cello by guest musician David Wesling and mandolin by ex-member Duncan Patterson. Danny Cavanagh also plays leads with an Ebow, which makes his wailing guitar sound even more distinct.

Opening track "Fragile Dreams" starts out driven by piano and cello, but reaches a powerful climax at the end when the full band joins in. The song manages to sound intense even at a slower tempo and with minimalistic instrumentation. "One Last Goodbye" features a highly emotional vocal performance by Vincent Cavanagh, who sounds like he's on the verge of tears. "Are You There?" benefits the most from the acoustic treatment: the folky fingerpicking is lovely and makes the song stick out, unlike the original, fairly generic arrangement. Another highlight is "Angelica", which sounded too heavy and unrefined on Eternity (1996), but works brilliantly as an acoustic song.

Unfortunately the rest of the tracks don't measure up, as most of them had already been understated and mellow in their original forms, and the arrangements haven't been changed that much. "Inner Silence" loses its emotional impact due to the repetitive ending, and "Unchained" is a rather underwhelming song, although I get that the band wanted to save the best of the new material for its next full-length album. Even though Hindsight isn't an essential release by any means, it's not a complete waste of money, as the versions of "Are You There?" and "Angelica" are so good that I never listen to the originals anymore. Hindsight also works as the closure of a chapter in the band's career, before they moved on to the sound they're known for these days.

Rating: 3/5