Anathema Discography: #4 The Silent Enigma

"Fulfillment lost in a lifetime of regret
Ornate peace would cover me
As I would die now...
For one last wish"

Anathema entered the studio in 1995 with ideas for just a few songs. The rest of the album was written during the recording process, and the band went through a change of singers, as rhythm guitarist Vincent Cavanagh took over the vocals from ex-frontman Darren White. In other words, The Silent Enigma was born in circumstances that were turbulent to say the least, but how did the album turn out in the end?

"Restless Oblivion" opens the album with atmospheric keyboards and clean guitars before one of the greatest metal riffs I've ever heard kicks in. The song becomes a mid-tempo rocker after the doomy start, and Vincent Cavanagh makes a convincing debut behind the microphone - his harsh vocals have a lot more passion and anguish to them than his precedessor's static growls. Overall, "Restless Oblivion" is a masterclass in doom metal and a great mission statement for the new four-piece line-up. "Shroud of Frost" continues in the same vein, but also includes a spoken word section and a hypnotic outro that unfortunately outlasts its welcome, as the rest of the song is great.

"...Alone" continues where "Everwake" and "J'ai fait une promesse" left off, this time featuring Rebecca Wilson on vocals. It does its job as an acoustic respite amidst doom metal songs, although it's not as great as the two aforementioned ballads. "Sunset of Age" introduces Vincent's actual singing voice, and although he would improve considerably over the years, his harmonies are well-executed and add color to the music.

"Nocturnal Emission" is a weirder tune, as you may guess by the title! According to Danny Cavanagh, the Duncan Patterson-penned track was influenced by Duran Duran. However, it's far from pop, only including two spoken verses followed by screaming and bursts of guitars that apparently serve as musical equivalents of ejaculation. The song doesn't give me an eargasm, but it's a cool experiment. "Cerulean Twilight", on the other hand, is a totally forgettable song - if you thought the outro to "Shroud of Frost" was long, try listening to this one in full! Luckily it isn't indicative of John Douglas' talents as a songwriter, as he would write some great stuff in later years.

The title-track gets the album back on track, including one beautiful melody after another and a powerful climax. "A Dying Wish" is the biggest classic on the album, with great guitarwork by Danny and a bass break that reminds me more than a little of Pink Floyd's "One of These Days" - the influence of that band would become even stronger on subsequent Anathema albums. "Black Orchid" is an instrumental closer and possibly the heaviest song on the album, culminating in a massive, almost cinematic burst of heaviness.

The bonus tracks on the reissue are worthy too, although they are just alternate versions. The orchestral version of "The Silent Enigma" is in D minor and includes no band instruments, which makes it sound sadder and more beautiful than the album version, and I actually prefer it for that reason. The '96 remake of "Sleepless" is out of place here, as it was recorded in the Eternity (1996) sessions, but Vincent's vocals make it more enjoyable than the original version. However, I wish they would've waited a few more years so they could've recorded it with even better vocals and production.

The Silent Enigma is a much more mature and unique release than Serenades (1993) or the early EPs. Although there's some idling in a couple of songs and the experiments may be hit-or-miss, the highlights of the album are among the greatest Anathema songs of all time and enough to make the album a must-listen for any fan of doom(y) metal. The increased amount of keyboards and Vincent's more diverse vocals make the music more intriguing and paved the way for the band's progression towards a more melodic sound.

Rating: 4/5

Anathema Discography: #3 Pentecost III (1995)

"My hand on your heart, I know there is a beating
In this oh so bleak landscape
There are many mountains
...but not so much water"

In 1994 Anathema recorded an EP called Pentecost III, and it was released the following year due to record label politics. This release saw them shedding some of the death metal elements of their earlier releases, although the music was still heavy and doomy. The music could also be considered kind of psychedelic, due to the hypnotic and repetitive riffs and the constant use of guitar feedback. Darren White is also mostly speaking or shouting, instead of growling.

"Kingdom" is a key song that paved the way for Anathema's later material, as it's mostly based on a single theme just like a lot of their modern songs. It's got a nice build-up and a heavy climax, although I think the song's length could be a little shorter than 9½ minutes - I think the best version of the song is the one played on this year's Resonance tour, which is based on the original and includes orchestral backing tracks from the Falling Deeper remake. The song also seems to be dear to the band members themselves, as in a recent live video Darren White says he's happy to finally perform it after all these years, as he was fired from the band before the EP was released.

The video track "Mine Is Yours" is simplistic yet crushingly heavy, and for once Darren White does a good job with his clean vocals at the end of the song. "We, the Gods" is another epic, lasting 10 minutes. The first third of the song has got some nice melodies, but it's also a little uneventful. However, once the song finally gets going it shines. Duncan Patterson, whose first musical contribution this song was, plays a cool bassline and the Cavanagh brothers offer some gorgeous guitar harmonies. The title-track is an atmospheric instrumental, but nothing memorable, and "Memento Mori" is a re-recorded version of an early demo track, which feels slightly out of place, being more brutal and the only song on the EP to include growls.

Pentecost III is a fine EP and an important step in Anathema's evolution, but listening to it also makes it clear that the band wouldn't have had a future with Darren White on the microphone, as his non-growled delivery is quite monotonous. However, the music is more than fine - if you cut the last two tracks and trimmed the fat in the two epics, you'd get a brilliant release. The band was clearly maturing musically and the next album would be the peak of their death/doom sound.

Rating: 3.5/5

Classic Album Anniversary: Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight (1995)

"Heaven only knows we live in a world
Where what we call beautiful is just something on sale
People laughing behind their hands
As the fragile and the sensitive are given no chance"

Afraid of Sunlight is Marillion's 8th studio album and was released exactly 20 years ago. I can give a little bit of background for those who read my review of Misplaced Childhood but aren't familiar with Marillion's history: in the time between these two albums frontman and lyricist Fish quit the band due to disagreements with the other members and being under too much pressure from outside the band. He was replaced by Steve Hogarth, who came from a pop/new wave background and had a very different voice and writing style. As a result the fanbase was divided into those who only like the Fish era and those who enjoy both new and old Marillion (such as myself).

Afraid of Sunlight isn't a concept album like its precedessor Brave (1994), but a lot of the lyrics on the album deal with the pitfalls of fame and were inspired by real famous people, such as Mike Tyson and Elvis Presley. My personal favorite song on the album, the poignant "Out of This World", is about the case of Donald Campbell, and it inspired a diver to look for Campbell's remains and the wreck of his boat, and they were finally discovered in 2001. The power of music can be influential in very concrete ways sometimes! Opener "Gazpacho" mixes upbeat music with dark lyrics in an ironic way. The single and video track "Beautiful is... well, beautiful. Other highlights include the title-track with its emotionally charged vocal performance from Hogarth and the album closer "King" with its rocking vibe and powerful crescendo at the end.

Unfortunately the album is a mixed bag with some misses besides the hits. "Cannibal Surf Babe" is a lighthearted, fun track in vein of The Beach Boys, but it also feels totally out of place on the album, both lyrically and musically - it's a little bit like Marillion's equivalent of Rush's "I Think I'm Going Bald". "Afraid of Sunrise" is connected to the title-track, but it feels kind of redundant on the album. "Beyond You" isn't a very exciting song and it's been mixed in mono, which sounds kind of wrong to me, as I'm used to stereo.

The filler tracks prevent me from placing Afraid of Sunlight in the upper echelon of the Marillion discography, but it also includes some of the band's greatest songs ever, and the lyrics by Hogarth and co-lyricist John Helmer are brilliantly crafted and possibly the best on any of the post-Fish releases.

Rating: 3.5/5

Classic Album Anniversary: In Flames - Subterranean (1995)

"My spine shivers with the touch of your lips...
My pale skin turns red when we kiss...
Piercing your nails deep into my back...
As I slowly kiss your ivory neck..."

Subterranean is an EP Swedish melodeath pioneers In Flames released 20 years ago. As numerous EPs by other bands, this release has faded into obscurity and is mostly remembered by die-hard fans of the band's early works. Is this lack of attention justified or is Subterranean a hidden gem in the In Flames catalog?

Subterranean was recorded at a time when In Flames was still just a project and lacked a stable line-up, having to hire session members in order to record and perform live. This release features founding members Jesper Strömblad (guitar), Glenn Ljungström (guitar) and Johan Larsson (bass), along with session vocalist Henke Forss and session drummers Daniel Erlandsson, who would later join Arch Enemy, and Anders Jivarp of Dark Tranquillity. Henke Forss' vocals are more black metal-sounding than future frontman Anders Fridén's, and his lyrics include a lot of romantic imagery (as seen in the quote from the title-track above), which would be more at home on a gothic metal album. In other words, his style wasn't a good fit for In Flames, so it's not surprising that the band didn't keep him.

The songs are typical mid-90s Gothenburg metal with guitar harmonies, harsh vocals and double bass drumming, as well as folky acoustic sections. Opener "Stand Ablaze" is arguably one of the greatest In Flames songs ever, as the guitar melodies in the last 1½ minutes are pure ear candy. It's also the only song on the EP that is known to have been played live, although it hasn't been resurrected since 1999. "Stand Ablaze" sets the bar so high that the remaining four tracks can't live up to it, although the title-track is pretty good. "Everdying" ends with a nice acoustic outro, but it also feels slightly tacked-on. "Timeless" is an instrumental filler track and "Biosphere" isn't particularly memorable.

The reissue comes with four bonus tracks: two of them are demo versions of songs that would be recorded for The Jester Race, but with different vocalists, and the other two are cover songs. "Dead Eternity" sounds fairly close to the album version, with the exception of Jocke Göthberg's voice, which sounds fairly black metalish like Henke Forss'. I actually prefer his performance to Anders Fridén's strained vocals on the final version. "The Inborn Lifeless" features Per Gyllenbäck on vocals, and it's an early version of "Dead God in Me" with different lyrics and a shorter ending - not as good as the album version, but it's interesting to hear a different take on a familiar classic song. The cover of Metallica's "Eye of the Beholder" is almost identical to the original song, with the exception of the faster tempo and some additional screams in the chorus. Guest vocalist Robert Dahne tries to sound like James Hetfield, but the results are horrendous. In Flames manages to inject more of its own sound into Iron Maiden's "Murders in the Rue Morgue", but this cover isn't amazing, either.

The problem with Subterranean is a lack of focus: if In Flames had been a proper band at the time the EP was recorded, they could've refined the songs more. However, as the bonus demo tracks show, In Flames was taking steps towards the sound that made them famous on The Jester Race. Subterranean isn't an essential release by any means, but "Stand Ablaze" is definitely worth listening to, and the EP can be recommended to those who love The Jester Race and want to hear what came before it.

Rating: 3/5

Classic Album Anniversary: Paradise Lost - Draconian Times (1995)

"Time may heal all troubles, is that what I've found?
Joy entices all until death's lonely shroud

But I know it's forever..."

The first album to receive the honor of being reviewed by me is one of my all-time favorite releases and one of the greatest classics of gothic metal; Draconian Times by Paradise Lost. This album was released on June 12, 1995, so today marks its 20th anniversary. Prepare for a lot of album anniversary posts in this blog!

Paradise Lost was an innovative and unique band right from the beginning, when their music was still death/doom metal with slow tempos and growled vocals. However, with each album their music got more melodic and accessible, and album #5, Draconian Times, was the peak of that development. After that Paradise Lost would move completely away from metal in a more poppy and synth-driven direction, only to return to their heavy roots some ten years later. Their latest album The Plague Within was released two weeks ago, but I'll tell you my thoughts on that record later on in a separate post.

Opener "Enchantment" could be considered the key track of the album: it starts with a beautiful piano intro before the heavy guitars and drums kick in. Structurally the song is a little different compared to the rest of the album, being 6 minutes long and not having a proper chorus, but it's one of the definitive Paradise Lost classics with its gloomy vibe and has been played live more often than any other song on the album. When I saw PL live two years ago, they opened with "Enchantment" - it's a great moodsetter, both in concert and on the album. Frontman and lyricist Nick Holmes has joked that the lyrics are about masturbation: "Reverse the frown and let the power surge / But when alone you cannot resist the urge" Whether that's the song's actual topic depends on your interpretation, but I'm more inclined to believe it's about something way more depressive like the rest of the album.

The songs on Draconian Times vary between catchy rockers like "Hallowed Land" and "The Last Time", and more atmospheric and moody pieces, such as "Elusive Cure" and the ballad "Forever Failure", which includes samples of notorious serial killer Charles Manson speaking about how he "do[es]n't really know what sorry means". Depressive stuff, but perfect for haunting music like this! "Once Solemn" is an atypically fast, perhaps even slightly punky song. Slow songs like "Jaded" on the other hand revisit Paradise Lost's doom metal roots, despite being very melodic and including no growls.

Speaking of vocals, Nick Holmes sings most of the album in a raspy tone reminiscent of James Hetfield, which was probably the main reason why Paradise Lost was called "the next Metallica" around the time the record came out. Holmes also uses his gothic crooning voice for the less aggressive sections, and overall his vocals are more diverse than on the earlier albums. The only complaint I have about his singing is that while he had learned to stay in tune better since the previous album Icon (1993), he still sings slightly off-key in the verses of "The Last Time", which is a little distracting. Nevertheless, his performance on the album is great, considering that Autotune and other helpful studio programs weren't around back then and he sings a lot of the album in a higher register than usually on PL's releases.

Main songwriter Greg Mackintosh's wailing lead guitar is one of the most recognizable elements of the Paradise Lost sound, and he is firing on all cylinders on Draconian Times, playing infectious melodies and tasteful solos all over the album, perhaps most notably on my favorite song "Yearn for Change". However, the rest of the band isn't sloppy either, and funnily enough this is the only PL album to include musical contributions from other members than Holmes and Mackintosh. Aaron Aedy is one of the tightest rhythm guitarists in the business, and the rhythm section of bassist Steve Edmondson and drummer Lee Morris lays a solid foundation for the songs. Morris was the newbie of the band at the time, having joined just before the recording sessions, and his playing was a massive improvement over original skinsman Matthew Archer. He plays impressive fills and patterns, but never once reaching the point where his playing is flashy for the sake of it and doesn't serve the song.

Greg Mackintosh has said he considers Draconian Times merely "a polished version of Icon". While the albums are similar and I love both of them, I find the former an improvement in every way: the songwriting is more solid and diverse, the performances are tighter and the crystal clear production sounds great to this day. The album's legacy also speaks for itself, as it remains Paradise Lost's best-selling and most acclaimed release. It was also played in full live in 2011, and the DVD filmed on that tour, Draconian Times MMXI, is one of the greatest live videos I've ever seen. Draconian Times paved the way for numerous new bands, including HIM and Lacuna Coil. It's a timeless release that came out at the right time and has had a huge impact even on listeners like me who only discovered the band within the past five years.

Rating: 5/5

EDIT: I think I'll add some official YouTube videos to the end of each review to give you some idea of what the music sounds like. However, single/video tracks are rarely among my absolute favorite songs, and some of you may even want to hear the whole album, so I'm also adding a Spotify Play Button: