It's been
quite a past few years for the incredible Anathema. Honors have
been bestowed upon them, they've released an instant classic
album in "Weather Systems", and last year they released one of
the best live concert films I've ever seen, "Universal".
Anathema is on top of the world, and they are only getting
bigger. With all of this on their shoulders, they approach the
world once again with their new album, "Distant Satellites", a
fitting name for a massive album. Again, with all of their
recent success creating huge expectations, can this band meet
such critical reception? Needless to say, Vincent Cavanagh on
vocals, Danny Cavanagh on guitar, Jamie Cavanagh on bass, John
Douglas on percussion, Daniel Cardoso on drums, and Lee Douglas
with her wonderful vocals were all up to the challenge.
"Distant
Satellites" is a very different album from "Weather Systems", or
anything else they've done, for that matter. It is different,
yet somehow instantly familiar. It includes everything that
makes them Anathema, but adds new and exciting elements to their
already excellent formula. If you've never heard Anathema, their
formula (in their last few albums, anyways) includes soaring
guitars, amazingly catchy melodies, spiritual lyrics, and
emotional flow both vocally and structurally. They are the
masters of melody, and they remain complex and progressive even
while being simple and accessible. They are truly masters of
their craft.
This new
album, then, is no different in those terms. The melodies return
in force, such as the serene beauty of "The Lost Song" parts
1-3. And, yet, there is something different here. The melodic
lines are somewhat more complex, less in-your-face, and more
organic. This especially shows in the song lengths, most of them
being over five minutes. This allows for more growth and more
progression. Indeed, then, the melodies on "Distant Satellites",
while not being as instantly lovable or recognizable, are
certainly more difficult and possibly will have a longer "shelf
life" in my mind. Yes, the orchestrations seem to be lower key,
as well, allowing the vocalists to express themselves more
personally then ever.
There are
other improvements, too. I feel that the musicianship is more
fervent and on a higher plateau of difficulty than Anathema has
tried. Drummer John Douglas, especially, plays amazingly well
from start to finish, accenting the music with awesome pounding
and fills. The rest of the band are at their peak, too, with
Vincent and Lee being especially great with emotional and
meaningful vocal performances.
"Distant
Satellites" is different in more meaningful ways, too. Utilizing
post-rock/metal structures is nothing new for Anathema, but they
really do perfect them here, as on "Dusk", a dark, climactic
song. Yet, there is a sense of continuity between tracks, too.
This is obviously the case between the three parts of "The Lost
Song", but it's also apparent throughout the album, as if
Anathema is telling us a story, convincing us of our true selves
and our connection with the universe and with each other.
This album is
wonderful in the first half, but my excitement reached new
heights in the second half. Anathema has taken it upon
themselves to change things up a bit. They wanted to progress
their sound, but make it all seem so natural. So, in the second
half, the album climaxes with one of the best songs, simply
called "Anathema". But then, we are thrown for a loop somewhat,
as "You're Not Alone" features a hefty portion of electronic
vibe. It's great, but the best is still to come.
Next,
"Firelight", a darkly ethereal instrumental track that is
completely electronic, is thrust upon us, and is followed up by
what may possibly be the best song Anathema has ever produced,
"Distant Satellites". This track combines everything that has
ever made Anathema great: soaring melodies, climactic structure,
gentle spirituality, amazing vocals, and now an electronic beat
that is both complex and catchy. Vibrant, mesmerizing, and pure,
this track elates me every time I hear it. It takes this album,
and my heart, to new heights. The album finishes with a gentle
ballad that just seems so fitting, yet it still has the strong
electronic influence.
So, is
"Distant Satellites" a winner? In every way! Is it their best
album? I don't know; it has the potential, but it might take
time, just like "Weather Systems" did. What I can tell you is
that this new album is more mature, more progressive, more
interesting and eclectic, and less formulaic then anything
Anathema has crafted yet. It does sacrifice some accessibility
and some instant likability for these things, but I respect
their decision massively, and I fully expect to see "Distant
Satellites" at the tops of many lists at the end of 2014.
