Anathema - Weather Systems

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

I think this work goes in the same vein of the previous album, but in terms of songwriting it´s inferior to "We´re here because we´re here".
The softness and light atmosphere of the music remains, but it lacks good melodies or even the shoegaze moments that the previous album had. It falls easily in the boredom arena. Anyway, the first track is amazing, it´s a pity that the rest don´t follow.

Written by Moonfog on 25.06.2025 at 14:51

I think this work goes in the same vein of the previous album, but in terms of songwriting it´s inferior to "We´re here because we´re here".
The softness and light atmosphere of the music remains, but it lacks good melodies or even the shoegaze moments that the previous album had. It falls easily in the boredom arena.

Funny, I guess I would put it in more or less the same words, but with the two albums switched.

Written by Moonfog on 25.06.2025 at 14:51

I think this work goes in the same vein of the previous album, but in terms of songwriting it´s inferior to "We´re here because we´re here".
The softness and light atmosphere of the music remains, but it lacks good melodies or even the shoegaze moments that the previous album had. It falls easily in the boredom arena. Anyway, the first track is amazing, it´s a pity that the rest don´t follow.

Lacks good melodies and Shoegaze? WHBWH has lots of atmosphere but nothing I would call Shoegaze at all. Everyone’s entitled to an opinion but I disagree completely. But this is also probably my favorite album so I’m more than a little biased.

Written by Redel on 25.06.2025 at 15:48

Written by Moonfog on 25.06.2025 at 14:51

I think this work goes in the same vein of the previous album, but in terms of songwriting it´s inferior to "We´re here because we´re here".
The softness and light atmosphere of the music remains, but it lacks good melodies or even the shoegaze moments that the previous album had. It falls easily in the boredom arena.

Funny, I guess I would put it in more or less the same words, but with the two albums switched.

different appreciations

Written by Vellichor on 25.06.2025 at 18:09

Written by Moonfog on 25.06.2025 at 14:51

I think this work goes in the same vein of the previous album, but in terms of songwriting it´s inferior to "We´re here because we´re here".
The softness and light atmosphere of the music remains, but it lacks good melodies or even the shoegaze moments that the previous album had. It falls easily in the boredom arena. Anyway, the first track is amazing, it´s a pity that the rest don´t follow.

Lacks good melodies and Shoegaze? WHBWH has lots of atmosphere but nothing I would call Shoegaze at all. Everyone’s entitled to an opinion but I disagree completely. But this is also probably my favorite album so I’m more than a little biased.

WHBWH has some elements of shoegaze, some songs have long repetitive instrumentals, very close to the wall of sound typical of shoegaze (or atmospheric metal). That´s one of the reasons why i prefer it over this one.

Weather systems has potential, "The storm before the calm" and the last track are good (besides the opener that i refer previously) but overall i think it´s inferior to WHBWH. WS becomes too melancolic and boring, while WHBWH keeps the tone light but it´s compeling till the end. WS drags too much. But ei, it´s my opinion

If it´s your favorite album, enjoy my friend Mine´s Silent Enigma, very far from this new Anathema

Written by Moonfog on 26.06.2025 at 22:03


Mine´s Silent Enigma, very far from this new Anathema

Now we are talking!

Written by Moonfog on 26.06.2025 at 22:03

If it´s your favorite album, enjoy my friend Mine´s Silent Enigma, very far from this new Anathema

That one’s great too, but I’ve always enjoyed Anathema most from Alt 4-Weather Systems! But to each their own, I think their different eras appear to different folks but they’re all good

Written by Vellichor on 26.06.2025 at 22:23

Written by Moonfog on 26.06.2025 at 22:03

If it´s your favorite album, enjoy my friend Mine´s Silent Enigma, very far from this new Anathema

That one’s great too, but I’ve always enjoyed Anathema most from Alt 4-Weather Systems! But to each their own, I think their different eras appear to different folks but they’re all good

Yeah, you´re more on the atmo rock era. I prefer the old doom sound of Anathema. I must say, however, that Alternative 4 and Judgement are great albuns, i didn´t feel a big difference from the old sound (maybe due to the distortion of the guitars and the speed of some songs), but a change in their sound starts to appear. When i felt a huge difference was in "A fine day..." album with the heavy usage of ethereal instrumentals and the lighter tone appeared. My first impressions were "meh....:/".

I quit following Anathema for decades because i didn´t like the new sound at all. Only recently i hear "A Natural Disaster" with full attention and notice that the album was not bad, in fact, it has great songs and it´s overall good. Then it gave me an idea "why not revise the entire discography from the new era?" and here i am

Written by Moonfog on 28.06.2025 at 14:31

"why not revise the entire discography from the new era?" and here i am

While you’re at it you might as well check out Hindsight and hear those older songs in the softer atmospheric style! I think it’s pretty good, especially Angelica.

And I had the same thoughts on A Fine Day at first but it’s grown on me more. I still think it’s the weakest of the albums from Silent Enigma to Distant Satellites but it’s still good and when I listened a few weeks ago I liked it more than I had before.

Written by Vellichor on 28.06.2025 at 15:41

Written by Moonfog on 28.06.2025 at 14:31

"why not revise the entire discography from the new era?" and here i am

While you’re at it you might as well check out Hindsight and hear those older songs in the softer atmospheric style! I think it’s pretty good, especially Angelica.

And I had the same thoughts on A Fine Day at first but it’s grown on me more. I still think it’s the weakest of the albums from Silent Enigma to Distant Satellites but it’s still good and when I listened a few weeks ago I liked it more than I had before.

Thanks! Will check it out for sure.

Yeah, i think this new style doesn´t enter easily to the metalhead it took me ages to appreciate. But once you get into the vibe it actually becomes enjoyable. It´s that or it´s just me getting older... and softer