Anathema
Universal

THE REVIEW

I have followed the birth of this live CD/DVD/BD (I'm specifically talking about the limited edition containing 2 audio CDs, a DVD video, and a Blu Ray) since a few days before the concert in Plovdiv from which it is drawn: a magnificent and ancient amphitheater hosting one of the most emotive bands around today, accompanied by an orchestra. In truth, something similar already happened in the DVD A Moment in Time, in 2005.

But in 8 years many things have changed, and Anathema has greatly improved in their live performance. Moreover, the orchestra (limited to strings, to tell the truth) acquires a dimension absolutely more fitting in the pieces of the new repertoire and even in the decidedly more tasteful arrangements of the pieces already heard in the aforementioned 2005 work. The setlist is already something frightening: Probably fans of the band's earlier repertoire will scoff at the fact that the oldest piece is Fragile Dreams (incidentally offered in two different versions, plus an additional one in the bonus content), but it is undeniable that the appeal of a setlist containing a large part of Weather Systems, some of the most imposing pieces from We're Here Because We're Here, and a handful of classics from A Natural Disaster and Judgement is truly irresistible. I was saying that I have followed the evolution of the project from the start, which already with the pronouncement of Lasse Hoile's name took on considerable proportions. Watching some amateur videos on the internet in the days immediately following the concert (before they were removed en masse), I thought I would have preferred if they had filmed regular shows like the one I attended personally a few months earlier in Milan, which was memorable to say the least, while in Plovdiv it seemed that the orchestra had forcefully inserted themselves into the band's sound. Nothing could be further from the truth because watching this video, the orchestra appears natural and well-mixed (totally different from the amateur videos), perfectly integrated especially in the pieces that usually employ samples to reproduce those orchestral sounds live as they contain on disc. Apart from the orchestra, which is therefore commendable (except in some cases where maybe it is a bit out of place, like in A Simple Mistake and Thin Air), a few words need to be said about the band's preparation. In fact, one word is enough: impeccable.

The songs are presented very faithfully to their studio versions, with, however, that right margin left for last-minute changes and what the heart suggests to the musicians (yes, because if there's a band that evidently plays with their heart, it's Anathema) and some pleasant variations. The fact remains that, overlooking some not-too-obvious gaffes on some pieces (like Closer and apparently also Lightning Song), the band is in exceptional form and light-years away from the uncohesive and imprecise sound of previous lives. Special mention also for the appropriate stage presence of the audience and group. While the former fits without too many problems into choirs of all kinds and more or less timed claps, the Cavanagh brothers stir up the atmosphere and also give us a couple of touching numbers in collaboration with the audience itself: while the audience sings a final choir to the notes of Flying, Vincent looks at them with teary eyes and hands to his mouth. After the interposing of some shots, the vocalist and guitarist is clearly moved and admires the ecstatic crowd with gratitude in his smile. It's the moment when we, like him, understand that we are witnessing a sensational show, which is able to unite a large number of people into an ecstatic unity in the name of pure music played by people who really care about what they do, and it is felt in their incredible ability to transmit emotions and then receive others in return. The encore consists of some pieces without an orchestra, but it is especially the special content of the Night at the Union Chapel that deserves particular mention: I was hooked on the video of Thin Air from that concert for months from the moment Kscope released it around early 2012.

When I found out that the entire concert (albeit short) would be released alongside the Plovdiv one, I was extremely excited about the news. Indeed, the show featuring Danny (armed with an acoustic guitar and loopbox), Vincent (with a guitar that sounds more ethereal than ever), and Lee alone at Union Chapel, accompanied then by shows of Bruce Soord and others (none of which is included, of course) is something spectacular and unique. Notable also is the presence of Kingdom, an old piece proposed here in acoustic version as on the album Falling Deeper from 2011, as well as a beautiful version of Angels Walk Among Us, a song absent in the Bulgarian concert. The only aspect not entirely positive about the work (apart from the fact that Cardoso does not have decent shots for himself) is something I noticed even when I saw them live, namely that these guys play a lot in the dark. It certainly results in a nice atmosphere, but when Jamie is framed, often you can see very little. And this also goes for others, especially considering that it's rarely made clear what they are doing with their instrument. But other than that, in a technically not-so-spectacular music as others, all this becomes of marginal importance and, in some respects, it is actually better as it is. In conclusion, I would particularly recommend the fan's edition containing four discs of various formats, which besides providing access to all available versions of this memorable live, also offers a second CD so as to include the entire concert and not just half of it as (apparently) the "standard" version, which is based on the tracklist of the vinyl version of the concert (called Untouchable), released a few months earlier but incomplete from this point of view. Both the DVD and Blu Ray versions (contrary to what it seemed it would be) contain the entire concert and also the extra content. This work is therefore the summation of a long career, as also testified by the fireworks. A long career that has spawned a lot of different music but has consistently made the emotional impact developed at unique levels its strength.

Of course, it's a shame that older pieces are missing, but given the occasion with an orchestra, perhaps they wouldn't have lent themselves very well... at least not as much as the new ones, which actually show a spectacular guise in this video. The band has grown and finally proves to be excellent even in live performances, fully earning with this work a place in the history of music, once and for all. Score: 88/100