Band:	Anathema
Album:	Universal
Style:	Atmospheric rock
Release date:	September 23, 2013
Guest review by:	andreosokin

[Mailorder Fan Edition Content]
Disc I [DVD] &
Disc II [Blu-Ray]
01. Untouchable, Part 1
02. Untouchable, Part 2
03. Thin Air
04. Dreaming Light
05. Lightning Song
06. The Storm Before The Calm
07. Everything
08. A Simple Mistake
09. The Beginning And The End
10. Universal
11. Closer
12. A Natural Disaster
13. Deep
14. One Last Goodbye
15. Flying
16. Fragile Dreams [Hindsight version]

[Encore Set]
17. Panic
18. Emotional Winter / Wings Of God
19. Internal Landscapes
20. Fragile Dreams

[Night At Union Chapel Set]
21. Kingdom [acoustic version]
22. Thin Air [acoustic version]
23. Angels Walk Among Us [acoustic version]
24. A Natural Disaster [acoustic version]
25. Fragile Dreams [acoustic version]

Disc III [CD 1]
01. Untouchable, Part 1
02. Untouchable, Part 2
03. Thin Air
04. Dreaming Light
05. Lightning Song
06. The Storm Before The Calm
07. Everything
08. A Simple Mistake
09. The Beginning And The End
10. Universal
11. Closer

Disc IV [CD 2]
01. A Natural Disaster
02. Deep
03. One Last Goodbye
04. Flying
05. Fragile Dreams [Hindsight version]
06. Panic [encore]
07. Emotional Winter / Wings Of God [encore]
08. Internal Landscapes [encore]
09. Fragile Dreams [encore]

Universal. A truly wonderful release in rock music, from the opening titles to the end credits. It's even hard to get distracted while watching it (well, maybe except for the encore part), because you become almost immersed in it!

The film was directed by Lasse Hoile, an extraordinary Danish music video director, known for his work with Steven Wilson, Opeth, Katatonia and Porcupine Tree. It's enough to just hear his name before watching something, and you can already expect something unusual, something breathtaking, something which you will watch over and over again. In combination with the beautiful music and performance by Anathema, you can expect to be taken on an unforgettable journey, which I experienced as well.

A very important part of the record is the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra, with the help of which Anathema was able to expand the listener/viewer's experience and let them fall deeper into their atmosphere. And, of course, the open-air venue adds a bit more drama into that atmosphere; the concert took place in the ancient Roman Theatre of Philippopolis, filled to the top with highly enthusiastic and intelligent fans (happily not with drunken metalheads, which you can usually see on many video releases).

Enough about drama? Not just yet! Right before the final song of the main set-list, while the crowd was doing a "sing-along" for the song "Flying", all of a sudden, fireworks started somewhere near the venue, to which Vincent Cavanagh added "You know, this just happens once in your life, if you're lucky!". Now, isn't that amazing?

So get your copy of this brilliant release, preferably in Blu-Ray - you won't be disappointed by neither the crystal clear sound, nor by the outstanding photography!