We're Here Because We're Here

It's been a long wait, with only "Hindsight" to see us through but Anathema has returned ~ the literal journey of time passing reflected in these new songs of melancholy, beauty and light. Put the album on. lie back, close your eyes and let yourself be transported into moments of blissful dreaming. Album of the year without doubt.

I managed to miss Anathema - their long gone 'Doom / Death' image had stopped me from checking them out.

However on a car trip to a meeting with my boss, the usual chatter about football, holidays etc was muted as we both listened in silence to his new CD - Anathema. He had been a fan for years and had kept it quiet but wanted to hear it on the trip as he had just recieved it from Amazon. With an open mind I listened, flicking the CD case in my hands as we headed towards London.

The 100 odd miles was not the only journey we took that day, as Anathema took us on an amazing musical journey. Just as 'Tool' disregard the usual verse chorus, verse chorus, solo, chorus in favour of creating soundscapes, with vast sprawling epics that meander (in the best way) across the whole CD, Anathema treat us to an albeit lighter, shorter version of 'Tool's' philosophy, sometimes sounding a bit Marillion, other times a bit Floyd but always skillfully creating emotional, melancholic, euphoric and glittering musings.

From the starter song 'Thin Air' the melodies are tight, focused, sometimes obtuse, but more often than not achingly beautiful if on the first listen hidden. After a few listens, the beauty of each melody shines through - this is music for the head, and like a fine meal is best taken slowly and each morsel fully appreciated.

This is a nailed on classic already, and I have already bought my copy, and will go back through their catalogue to find their other gems.

Friends, this is good, very good...

After a long hiatus of around seven years with only the semi-acoustic reworkings album `Hindsight' to tide over fans through this barren spell it is an almighty relief to see Anathema finally release a new album proper. I'll skip straight to the point - forget any apprehension or anxiety - this album is the most fully realised and affecting of their career so far. Simply beautiful, this return to true form sees the band shake off the cloak of misery that has long been their trademark and step forward into a brave new direction defined by light, hope and unabashed love. This may offside some fan boys but not this one - there is still enough of a hint of melancholy in places to help with the transition to these more positive climes.

As the title of the review hints this album most closely resembles the band's excellent 1999 release `Judgement' - to these ears their most consistent release previous to `We're Here...'. The heavy Floyd influence that was so evident on that album returns here with the inclusion of two near-instrumental mood setters (`Presence' and `Hindsight') which feature spoken word samples that reinforce the main themes of the album - primarily what it means to be alive and how we connect with our environment. Make no mistake, even by Anathema's standards this is a `Big Statement' album (titles like `Everything' and `Universal' are a pretty strong indication too!).

The sound of the album is incredibly epic and brings together all the elements of their style they have experimented with over the previous four or five releases. `Summer Night Horizon' is grandiose and built around a repeating fast paced piano line that lends the piece real momentum and drama. When coupled with the skipping drums, crushing guitar chords and interwoven male/female vocals it is uniquely Anathema - I can't imagine anyone else releasing this track.

`Dreaming Light' has a hint of the show tune about it (who knows - maybe `Anathema the Musical' is in the pipeline...) but don't get ready on the skip button just yet! It builds the emotion so effectively and shows that perhaps the band have also been listening to a little Sigur Ros in relation to the strings in particular. What is even more shocking is that this is effectively a straightforward love song - the first of two in a row! The second, `Everything', is a duet of sorts which sports the catchiest chorus the band have ever penned. When the ecstatic guitar lines join toward the end of the song you would have a heart of stone not to be moved.

My favourite two songs on the disc come back to back and make the second half of the album devastatingly effective. `A Simple Mistake' is a bit of a throwback to `Judgement' in style but is better than any track on that release. Simply put it might be my all time favourite song by the band. The chorus is a thing of absolute wonder and when the phrase `rise to be a master...' comes in I am swept away each and every time. The female backing vocals are at their most effective here and add a whole extra dimension to the song. At the halfway point the song dissolves only to be replaced by an epic riff-heavy, post-rock informed instrumental workout. Breathtaking stuff. `Get Off, Get Out' follows and takes the band's fascination with the work of Radiohead and finally delivers an excellent composition worthy of such lofty comparisons. It is the most conventionally rocking moment and is an absolutely essential component of the album.

The remaining material is all strong without a single misfire to report. `Universal' is full of religious imagery and starts as a slow paced and largely unadorned ballad. Once again at the half way point the song changes direction and builds into a orchestral crescendo that serves as one of the emotional peaks of the album. `Angels Walk Among Us' seems to make up the third part of the `One Last Goodbye / Are You There?' trilogy and neatly references their previous work. The first track `Thin Air' is possibly the least obvious song on the album but my affection grows for it with each passing listen, an understated opening to a sure-fire classic.

An early contender for album of the year - highly recommended.