Band:	Anathema
Album:	A Fine Day To Exit
Style:	Atmospheric rock
Release date:	October 01, 2001
Guest review by:	John P. Dunphy

01. Pressure
02. Release
03. Looking Outside Inside
04. Leave No Trace
05. Underworld
06. Barriers
07. Panic
08. A Fine Day To Exit
09. Temporary Peace

2015 Remaster Edition:
01. A Fine Day
02. Release
03. Leave No Trace
04. Underworld
05. Pressure
06. Panic
07. Breaking Down The Barriers
08. Looking Outside Inside
09. A Fine Day To Exit
10. Temporary Peace

Anathema, hailing from Liverpool, England started its career within the burgeoning Doom Metal scene of the early 1990's where loud, screaming vocals, big guitars and a crunching, dirge-like advance was the recipe of the day. But there was something different about this band, something that could be seen from the onset, taking shape on releases The Silent Enigma [1995] and Eternity [1996] but not fully realized until their 1998 release Alternative 4.

In 1999 the band released the highly applauded Judgement, which gained ?Album of the Month? status in many metal magazines around the world.

Then, in October of 2001 came A Fine Day To Exit, their sixth full-length studio release. Many consider A Fine Day To Exit to be the band's finest hour, and I would tend to agree. Here, they have moved further away from their heavier conventions, sculpting an incredibly fine-tuned piece of art.

For someone who has never heard any of Anathema's work, one might compare them to Pink Floyd [one of their major influences, even covering the Floyd song 'Hope' on an earlier release] and Radiohead. However, to draw comparisons to these two bands would be doing them an injustice. They are indeed in their own category.

Attention to detail is evident in all parts of the record: from the crisp production by Nick Griffith [Cast, Mansun, Pink Floyd], to the incredible art design by one of the premier art directors of the Metal industry, Travis Smith [Katatonia, Opeth, Soilwork, among others]. His skill proves that artwork too can play an integral part in the creation of an album.

Lyrics and music both play major roles on this record. Life isn's always happy; it is often sad and painful. From a rocky upbringing in England, to the tragic death of their mother in 1998, the Cavanaugh brothers have seen and been a part of the things in life that can bring people to their limits. Instead of other alternatives they, along with other current members John Douglas and Les Smith, have allowed their music and lyrics to serve as the outlet for their lives; both the good and bad, the superficial and cerebral. When you hear Vincent Cavanaugh in 'Temporary Peace' sing you are definitely moved by the marriage of music and words.

From the slow, almost laid-back 'Pressure'; the aurally brilliant 'Release' with its layered vocals in the chorus; the fast paced 'Underworld', to my favorite song of the whole album, the aforementioned closer 'Temporary Peace', you will find that this album is best when listened to altogether. From track one to track nine, it's certainly worth the time.

Anathema is one of the most original, most honest bands to come out of any scene: metal, rock, or otherwise in a very long time. One can only imagine where they will go from here.