Year: 1996
Place: Glasgow, Scotland
Venue: The Cathouse
Bill: Cathedral, Anathema, Blackstar

Openers on this evening was the band that was almost Carcass. Jeff Walker and Kenn Owen tried to keep the rock'n'death alive for a little while longer, but to little avail. Entertaining enough for this evening, though, especially the two or three Carcass tunes aired.

Next band on the wee stage at the Cathouse was a doom band that was in the midst of taking a musical turn. The band was none other than Anathema. The Brits had just released 'Eternity' which saw a departure from the doom and death of the past albums. Later, in 1998, they would release 'Alternative 4', taking them in a direction that definitely was more Pink Floyd than My Dying Bride and thus challenging the boundaries of metal even further. 'Alternative 4' was, by the way, an album I listened to a LOT to.

Anyway, back to the Cathouse: It was clear that there was something different about this band. The singer/guitarist wore a loose, white shirt, for Pete's sake! I mean, how un-metal could it get? And there was something aloof about their approach, something...not quite like all the others.

Vincent Cavanagh and the rest of Anathema will probably not look back upon this Glagow evening as their best performance ever, but it clearly outlined the path they were heading onto; one of being a defining and unusual British rock band who had their own, unigue style and couldn't give a toss if they were labelled metal, doom or prog rock. As long as the music was beautiful.

And a thing of beauty this new album is. Like it's predecessors back to 'Alternative 4', it's impossible to call it metal. There are hints of metal, but that's it. And, really, it doesn't matter.

What matters is that this is an album that is truly enjoyable to listen to. It has its aggressive moments, or should I say crescendos, surely, but that's not it's focus. No, it's just really good music that you can lean back and listen to.

I can only recommend this. It's a pleasure.

Let's round that evening at the Cathouse off, shall we: Cathedral finished the whole thing off with a gig that was as entertaining as always. Bassist Leo was swaying gently like a reef in the summer breeze, stoned as he was. Lee was his own looney self as usual. What can I say? Also a thing of beauty, just...in a very different way from Anathema's 'We're Here because We're Here'.