Anathema
Distant Satellites

I consider Anathema to be one of the most interesting bands around today, a group that has been able to change radically multiple times, moving from their initial doom metal to the ethereal works of twenty years later, to finally landing on this Distant Satellites in a second part very electronic-oriented, although it's nothing radically new for the band.

The hype for this work, which had to carry forward the high flag of success in both criticism and audience obtained with Weather Systems in 2012, was through the roof. Now I can finally say that I was not disappointed, not consistently at least. I will be brief in reviewing this album, as it would make no sense to dwell on an in-depth description of each track: this album simply has to be listened to, to directly experience the emotions it is capable of unleashing, which cannot be put into words.

The album opens like the previous one, that is, with a track divided into two parts, which will be followed by a third one in the middle of the album. The first impression of The Lost Song Pt.1 is that it is all a bit rushed: the voice starts almost immediately, the structure evolves a bit more unpredictably than usual (especially from a harmonic standpoint, but the 5/8 rhythm also plays its part), and the voices intertwine in a climax that only makes sense once the track is finished. As for arrangements, the track quite resembles Untouchable Pt.1, especially if we also parallel the second piece of the triptych, The Lost Song Pt.2, which, like its counterpart from the previous album, evolves in a mostly acoustic manner dominated by Lee Douglas's gentle voice. What emerges from these first two tracks is roughly what remains throughout the album: an outstanding vocal performance, which perhaps steals a bit too much time from the instrumentalists, who in turn don't shy away from showcasing powerful solos (Danny Cavanagh, who will be devastating in some later pieces), nor from experimenting with unusual rhythms or continuing a drum work of unprecedented quality in the band's history, perhaps helped by the addition of keyboardist/drummer Daniel Cardoso supporting the longtime drummer John Douglas. The crescendos of the tracks are always present but perhaps made a bit less predictable by more unexpected harmonic and arrangement choices, which can only benefit a band that has been using roughly the same structure for most of its songs for about a decade.

With Dusk (Dark Is Descending) the tones become darker, even somewhat connected to the band's past (here it sounds like listening to a track from Eternity, in some ways). It is no coincidence that many of the tracks here present – although this is not the case specifically – were recovered from old demos, revised, and adapted to the current sound of the band, with results that, as we will see, are incredible. The discussed track evolves with excellent vocal work, up to a breakdown that reintroduces melodies more usual to the band of this period, evolving into an excellent finale. With Ariel, a peak is reached: from the wonderful vocal melodies of Lee Douglas, accompanied by a beautiful piano, the situation evolves with orchestral arrangements and the entry of Vincent Cavanagh, bringing the counterpoint between the two vocalists to the highest levels. Finally, to crown it all, Danny Cavanagh also joins to conclude the track gracefully, also adding his voice.

Arriving at The Last Song Pt.3, the first single extracted from the album, we witness one of the most touching progressions in the band's career, with very moving vocal interweavings and a finale as touching as it is energetic. Notable is also the reintroduction, after a long absence, of the electric piano, which dominates (at least until the guitars overshadow it). Jamie Cavanagh's bass work is also excellent. Then comes Anathema. A track that carries the name of the band composing it must be something memorable. In Anathema's case, the track is genuinely autobiographical and perfectly balanced between a first part more focused on Vincent's voice (the only regret for this piece is the total absence of Lee), who puts on an unprecedented vocal performance, both emotionally and technically powerful, and a second instrumental part, containing one of the most intense guitar solos of recent years, and I'm not just speaking of the English band. Therefore, as it rightly should, Anathema should become a classic, a live flagship that won't fail to draw a few tears even from the most accustomed listeners.

Finally, we enter the experimental part of the album: first appears You're Not Alone, a piece quite old in terms of first draft, appearing as one of the heaviest songs the group has ever composed, setting aside, of course, the early albums. The interesting thing is that, in its short duration, the track manages to combine metal with Danny Cavanagh's twisted riffs and especially John Douglas's unexpected electronic percussion. All this gives the track a disarming freshness, even if it exhausts very quickly. The filtered and spoken voice concludes the discourse begun with Get off, Get Out and The Storm Before The Calm worthily. Following is Firelight, an ambient guitar-based piece perhaps avoidable as it is not particularly original or atmospheric, but simply functional to the introduction of the title track. Distant Satellites is introduced by a truly rich electronic drum pattern, which no one would have expected to hear in an Anathema album. On the ethereal arrangement sustained only by electronic percussion, Vincent Cavanagh's gentle voice settles, following vocal melodies that seem to have little to do with that type of song. The second part of the track features a more linear drum and even more electronic sounds, a fuller arrangement, and a re-proposal of the chorus also supported by Lee Douglas's vocal contribution. The concluding Take Shelter echoes a certain famous Icelandic post-rock band, with a slow progression typical of post-rock memory (beyond the Sigur Rós reference), to culminate in an outro that once again mixes electronic percussion with overpowering orchestrations supported by a rock setup, which overall refers to the title track of The Raven That Refused To Sing, Steven Wilson's latest album, who was involved in mixing some tracks (including this one).

In short, Anathema does not disappoint, although perhaps they don't surprise that much, except for some truly memorable songs. Certainly, however, the album deserves to be listened to over and over again, to be appreciated and to capture our soul, a toll required by certain music to truly deliver the maximum of what it encloses within the magic of its essence.