ETERNITY

Third album - three stars! Until now, each new Anathema effort has earned better rating than the previous. Anathema have removed their trademark sound and hence also most of their weaknesses - poor growling, inconsistent songwriting and lack of focus. The level of bleakness is lower which might be welcome by most of the listeners on this portal but perhaps not so on the metal forums. The lyrics are actually darker than the music. The heavy guitars are still prominent and singing is improved but still odd due to the artificially positioned vocal (as can be heard on "Beloved").

The album starts promising by a light instrumental overture that sounds promising. "The beloved" could be classified as doom rock not unrelated to Katatonia. There is also a splendig guitar solo - something not often heard by Anathema until now. Eternity tracks are quite contrast - the first one is dynamic and features irregular rhythm whereas the Eternity 2 is ethereal but not very interesting. Eternity 3 is closest to the slow doom metal. "Hope" shows a feature inclination to Pink Floyd - even though it does not fit to this album. The narrative in the end and beginning of the track are annoying. "Suicide Veil" shows acoustic and very heavy contrasts of Anathema. The anthemic "Far away" is the first very well known track that Anathema constantly plays live until today - and captures the trademark sound from the end of 90's. "Cries on the wind" is a great orientally influenced doom metal song. "Ascension" is in the same vein and has keyboard layers and more dynamic structure - and as one would expect, has the second part completely acoustic and peaceful. This is the recommended first album for more progressive Anathema fans.