Band:	Anathema
Album:	Distant Satellites
Style:	Atmospheric rock
Release date:	June 06, 2014
Guest review by:	Boris_Pembroke

01. The Lost Song Part 1
02. The Lost Song Part 2
03. Dusk (Dark Is Descending)
04. Ariel
05. The Lost Song Part 3
06. Anathema
07. You're Not Alone
08. Firelight
09. Distant Satellites
10. Take Shelter

Tour Edition bonus tracks:
11. The Lost Song Part 1 [Acoustic in Session - Liverpool Parr Street Studios]
12. Ariel [Acoustic in Session - Liverpool Parr Street Studios]
13. The Lost Song Part 3 [Acoustic in Session - Liverpool Parr Street Studios]
14. Firelight [Acoustic in Session - Liverpool Parr Street Studios]
15. Anathema [Live at Liverpool Cathedral]

Anathema adopt a less rock-oriented approach, with added electronic elements for interesting but mixed results.

Following a seven-year break, British alternative/progressive rock band Anathema exhibited a dramatic change in sound with 2010's We're Here Because We're Here and 2012's Weather Systems. The band were pretty much unrecognisable as the depressive prog rock band who recorded Judgement, not to mention the doom metal of The Silent Enigma. In contrast, Anathema have adopted a much more uplifting and optimistic sound in recent years.

Their 11th studio album Distant Satellites continues this trend; however, the guitar has been reduced in favour of electronic and atmospheric elements, with mixed results. Although the songs can get repetitive lyrically, and in some cases downright cheesy, this is more than made up for by the powerful emotional impact they have on the listener. The drums sound more muffled than previous albums, but nevertheless open "The Lost Song, Part 1" with a groovy 5/4 beat.

Lee Douglas is a fantastic asset to the band, recently having become a full-time member. Her incredible voice particularly stands out on "Ariel" and "The Lost Song, Part 2," which unsurprisingly contain some of the album's most beautiful moments.

The album's second half all but abandons the alternative rock of the first half, resulting in both quality and filler. "Distant Satellites" features entirely electronic drums, and is one of the album's standout tracks, with an emotional build-up towards the end.

The production on the album is something of a letdown, sounding somewhat muffled compared to the clarity of the previous two albums' mixes. Nevertheless, Distant Satellites is of a very high standard, featuring more of the euphoric anthems we've come to expect from Anathema.