Written by JOPE OF STEELE on 15.05.2020 at 23:59

Written by Redel on 15.05.2020 at 21:02

still I prefer old Anathema.

And your definition of old Anathema is? As I see it there's 3 different Anathemas, "old", the middle one and the "new".

Yeah, you are probably right, dont know.

I prefer everything up until and including Judgement to this album.
My favourite of their albums are Eternity and especially The Silent Enigma, which might be my most beloved album of everything and all time.

If I were forced to define "Old Anathema" I would say it includes everything until The Silent Enigma, and it is probably debatable whether this is inclusive or exclusive with respect to the latter.
"Mid Anathema" would then be until Judgement, inclusive, and new the rest. But this part is probably even more debatable.

A strong 7 to light 8 for me. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I guess it depends on the mood but it caught me at a time where I was very susceptible to melancholia but with a quiet optimism in the background that all is not lost. Under that light I'd say this is probably the most "optimistic" album by the band (more than "The Optimist" lol). The Untouchable tracks floored me in their progression. The grand endings of "Lightning Song" and "Sunlight" are also worth mentioning. Lee's vocals are very moving and I think it wasn't a bad idea to focus on her for this album but I wouldn't say she completely took control over this album.

The samples on Internal Landscapes are so well used too.

The main reason I won't give it an 8 is because the middle of the album didn't grab me like the first tracks. Still though, worth listening too and far more worth it than the 7 euros I payed for it on a second hand store.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 20.09.2020 at 17:13

7 euros I payed for it on a second hand store.

7 euros for a used CD? That seems really overpriced considering $10 often fetches a brand new CD here. (10 dollars CAD is approximately 7 euros.)

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.09.2020 at 19:26

Written by X-Ray Rod on 20.09.2020 at 17:13

7 euros I payed for it on a second hand store.

7 euros for a used CD? That seems really overpriced considering $10 often fetches a brand new CD here. (10 dollars CAD is approximately 7 euros.)

It was mint condition but yeah those are the regular prices over here. If it was brand new it'd be double, trust me.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 20.09.2020 at 17:13

A strong 7 to light 8 for me. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I guess it depends on the mood but it caught me at a time where I was very susceptible to melancholia but with a quiet optimism in the background that all is not lost. Under that light I'd say this is probably the most "optimistic" album by the band (more than "The Optimist" lol). The Untouchable tracks floored me in their progression. The grand endings of "Lightning Song" and "Sunlight" are also worth mentioning. Lee's vocals are very moving and I think it wasn't a bad idea to focus on her for this album but I wouldn't say she completely took control over this album.

The samples on Internal Landscapes are so well used too.

The main reason I won't give it an 8 is because the middle of the album didn't grab me like the first tracks. Still though, worth listening too and far more worth it than the 7 euros I payed for it on a second hand store.

I remember being somewhat unmoved by the album when it first came out, but I'm absolutely in love with it these days, far and away by favourite Anathema album. I'm slightly surprised by the middle not grabbing you - assuming the middle means after Sunlight (as you mentioned that one as a highlight), that would mean you weren't that into The Storm Before The Calm, which I guess isn't amazing the whole way through, but damn, the last third of that song is euphoric. For me, the one track that I find kinda limp compared to the rest is The Lost Child, but I've come to love pretty much every other one.

Written by musclassia on 20.09.2020 at 21:06
I'm slightly surprised by the middle not grabbing you - assuming the middle means after Sunlight (as you mentioned that one as a highlight), that would mean you weren't that into The Storm Before The Calm, which I guess isn't amazing the whole way through, but damn, the last third of that song is euphoric. For me, the one track that I find kinda limp compared to the rest is The Lost Child, but I've come to love pretty much every other one.

I felt the start of The Storm Before The Calm was very interesting and I enjoyed the experiment (the same way I enjoyed the experimental electronic stuff on Closer from A Natural Disaster). The ending is very cathartic just like The Beginning And The End. I think that actually turns against them as I get two similar-ending tracks in a row which makes me hard to focus on them. I agree that The Lost Child might be the less interesting track on the album. On its own it seems unremarkable but it makes sense to have it there as it nicely calms the listener down after two tracks that explode by the end, thus working as a great bridge to the calm, contemplative closer "Internal Landscapes". I could give it an 8 at any minute. I will definitely give it more spins at some point. The only full length I don't own and haven't listened properly is We're Here Because We're Here. After that I will definitely do a huge Anathema marathon.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 20.09.2020 at 21:20

Written by musclassia on 20.09.2020 at 21:06
I'm slightly surprised by the middle not grabbing you - assuming the middle means after Sunlight (as you mentioned that one as a highlight), that would mean you weren't that into The Storm Before The Calm, which I guess isn't amazing the whole way through, but damn, the last third of that song is euphoric. For me, the one track that I find kinda limp compared to the rest is The Lost Child, but I've come to love pretty much every other one.

I agree that The Lost Child might be the less interesting track on the album. On its own it seems unremarkable but it makes sense to have it there as it nicely calms the listener down after two tracks that explode by the end, thus working as a great bridge to the calm, contemplative closer "Internal Landscapes".

Definitely a fair argument, there's lots of soaring grandiose climaxes on the album, but those two tracks in particularly probably push it the most, so having a more subdued piece does help avoid a saturation of the effect of those climaxes; definitely only a song I would listen to as part of a full album playthrough though.

Untouchable is just magnificent

Written by musclassia on 14.11.2020 at 00:38

Untouchable is just magnificent

It truely is, the two songs as an entity.
On this album it is only outperformed by The Beginning and the End, for me, and how this song is being built up by the predecessor, The Storm Before Calm.

Just read that there is new album by a band called Weather Systems led by Daniel Cavanagh