ANATHEMA: Eternity (ATMOSPHERIC METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Eternity is the album that marked the metamorphosis of Anathema. Formerly a combo practicing a doom with uncontained aggressiveness, here is that on this opus the band had just taken a first step towards the more atmospheric characteristic style that would make it their trademark in the future. Still quite marked by reminiscences of the past, this record had become the only way to reach the brilliant Alternative 4 and Judgement that will follow.

However, Anathema has not lost its metal appearance. The riffs remain heavy, the tempo rather varied, sometimes slow, sometimes more lively, and the general atmosphere always marked by this imprint of furious uneasiness. In reality, the biggest change comes from Vincent Cavanagh's voice. This one adopts a very intense clear song that suits him much better. We really feel that he lives what he sings and in this sense, we can legitimately say that he is an excellent singer.

Then, the search for the melody is clearly much more advanced. On The Silent Enigma, the band tended to drown them under a wall of guitars. On Eternity, the melodies are gaining in finesse and using a more advanced scale of tonality (such as this magnificent piano, for example). The band continues to weave as never before atmospheres that are sometimes magnificent, often very dark but much less unhealthy than on their previous album. Anathema remains nevertheless the champion of musical depression. The heavy or even suffocating atmosphere that emerges from their productions may not please everyone....

That said, it is impossible for me to ignore the extraordinary beauty of the 'Sentient' intro, succeeding in achieving the feat, in just a few notes, to deeply upset me. Other highlights include the very successful 'Angelica', the wonderful 'Eternity Part II' playing with the moods or the exciting 'Hope' which is none other than the cover of the song written by David Gilmour for Roy Harper. Without forgetting in a completely different register 'Suicide Veil', almost unhealthy. The end of the album, a little less engaging, is listened to with a certain pleasure, like the very atmospheric and energetic 'Far Away'.

Eternity remains above all the one that launched the new orientation of an exceptional band. The tracks are nowadays more advanced in emotional research, more homogeneous, more thoughtful, and with a better assumed style... - Official website

ANATHEMA

ETERNITY

PEACEVILLE RECORDS

ATMOSPHERIC METAL