Anathema Album: “A Natural Disaster”

I own all their albums and know how they've evolved. But the post-eternity-Anathema is something so beautifully carved onto rock music that one cant really escape its grip. My mood varies in marking "judgement" or "alternative 4" as their true masterpiece simply because when I hear the intro violins of "fragile dreams" & the immaculate literature in "inner silence" off alternative 4 and compare it with the heart ripping "one last goodbye" & the perfect composition of "emotional winter" of judgement, I get confused. For me the band has no main-stream and defined genre. It might get compared to katatonia or my dying bride or the sweet sounding opeth or even pink floyd-put-to-metal, but for me its a class in its own. "Temporary peace" was enough for me to get "a fine day to exit" and the cd cover of a lonesome boat surviving a disaster is more than enough to get "a natural disaster" as it speaks on its own about the profundity in their music.

A natural disaster has got nothing to do with their roots in terms of music genre. Neither has judgement, nor has alternative 4 and obviously not "a fine day to exit". It seems as if they've been changing the nature of sadness in all their albums, sort of like a maturity and persistence in melancholy in thoughts that makes them write those kind of lyrics and convert them into small musical master pieces. Now thats art. Malady in music is not about growling gothic stuff or screaming just like a guitar, its about maturity in the expression. My dying bride tend to do it, so does opeth with their exquisite lyrics.....but anathema is something else. While clinging on to its metal roots, it transforms into celestial kind of a sad impression marked with loneliness. This band is not for someone who likes to rock hard, bang head, go wild or growl, its for someone who likes to listen to depression. Every album offers a different kind of depression. A Natural disaster not only adds another beautiful addition to the band's discography, it also takes them to a well established position where the musicians are talented, love to experiment and succeed all the time.

This album is amazing. It is a natural progression for a wonderful band that does not get the recognition that they deserve. I've been listening to Anathema for about 8 years now and every album has been an amazing. Their sound is very unique, putting you in a musical melancholic trance. This album is so much different than their very early work (Serenades,Pentecost III), yet the "Anathema" sound is still there. My personal favorites are Are You There?, A Natural Disaster, Flying, Electricity, and Violence. If you like this album, please check out Eternity, Judgement, Alternative 4, and A Fine Day To Exit. If you are a music lover, and appreciate the darker side of human emotion, then there is no way you will dislike Anathema.

This is definitely a mood-centric album. And after inventing a term, I have to describe it, so...

By mood-centric, I mean that enjoyment of this album is more based in a feeling than an appreciation of the songs themselves. Have a listen to 'Are You There?' (which is available for free download from Anathema's site...or was at last check), and you'll see what it means. These songs will put you in a mood, but you have to be half-way there already or it just won't work.

None of the songs here are particularly strong from a songwriting standpoint. It's in the atmosphere where 'A Natural Disaster' shines. Wind-swept backgrounds and blurriness are the staples here, and they work. For the most part. If you're trying to listen to this album on poor speakers, it'll fail miserably. Headphones work better, a surround sound system is best. Immersion is the point. Anathema have worked very hard to get the spectral effects down pat, and little flitting synth effects are the stars of the album.

Side note that's not really too important: the artwork for the album truly is beautiful. It fits very well with the music itself.

Anathema are going in a direction more towards the niche. I don't pretend to know exactly what they're doing, but I'll admit they've become more unique. Where they are right now is wedged inbetween the Anathema of 'Judgment' and the band Antimatter (which features a former member of Anathema and *another* Cavanaugh...how many are there?!). I hope they don't quite as far as Antimatter, but experimentation is fine by me.

In this album, Anathema combine all the best elements that characterize the band. No doubt, is the Anathema's album more melancholic and beautiful. I recommend it for all people. Word of a fan that know Anathema since old phase.

I think this is the album which really makes me wonder why and how come this band is as unnoticed as it is. They've evolved with times. If you call this a commerical sound then your wrong. The entire theme around the album and the atmosphere is quite electrifying.

Stand out tracks:- Were quite a few but my favourites are

"ARE YOU THERE" "HARMONIUM" and "FLYING". I've been listening to this album for quite a while now. And from the moment I popped it in to my discman , I've liked it more and more.

Its nothing like Judgement and there is a varying sound but overall it hits! Definitely worth a buy!

Its slowly becoming by favourite ANATHEMA album.

The haunting lyrics are still not forgotten,

"Since you've been gone , I've been lost in time....."

What is truly amazing about this band is the fact that they say so much without saying as much as they want! "These days my hands are tied...these days I think you'll find....Im not me....now"