Anathema... Underrated? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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limeyrob

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 13:36

Agreed. Anathema are such a great atmospheric band.

Goblinisgod View Drop Down

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 14:16

Everything up to Judgment was brilliant. After that, they kinda tailed off. I just find the newer stuff to sappy and reeking of 5th rate Radiohead worship. They're not terrible now, but I can't bear to listen to them anymore.

tardis

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 14:28

I've enjoyed all their albums, and I look forward to hearing their latest effort. Smile

The T

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 14:41

I've obnly heard JUDGEMENT, which I own, and i have to say that they are actually slightly OVERrated in my view.... It starts fine enough but then all the final songs sound the same....

StarsongAgeless View Drop Down

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 14:43

I wouldn't call them underrated on this site. From what I'm seeing, the albums I'd say are their best (A Fine Day To Exit and Judgement) have recieved very high ratings (above 4 stars), and some others have as well. They're a good band, and the ratings seem to reflect that, so I'm not sure what the fuss is about. :)

Check out the Unsigned Bands section!
"Like the time I ran away, and turned around and you were standing close to me." Yes' Awaken

el böthy

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 14:45

The only thing by them that I have is their DVD with live CD A moment in time, and although quite good, I get the feeling all songs are pretty much the same, a soft simple guitar, a build up, and then is explodes... and that´s about it. I mean, there are some good songs, but after a while I get kinda bored. Maybe a live introduction is not the best with this band...? Yet, I dont get what you might be saying with every album has it´s own mood when all the songs are so alike...

"You want me to play what, Robert?"

dungeon

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 16:29

Ahmadbarqawi wrote:

dungeon wrote:

I don't know if they are underrated, but Anathema to me is a huge band. They're songwriting is unbelievable but I recently bought a live dvd and I have to say that they are not that good live. The voice is bad live, it's nothing like the studio, also the guitars are not that good too.
Anyway I don't really care about their lives, that's why I love them.
Judgement is their best album so far, but I love their most recent works too.

hey i think you're absolutely right

but which DVD are you talking about...

because i thought that the "were you there?" DVD was excellent

while on the other hand "a moment in time" was a bit weaker

I own Were You There? DVD and I can say I was a bit dissapointed, especially from their voice. I can't say I didn't enjoy it though it was good enough.
Anyway I will see them live in Rockwave along with Heaven And Hell, Dream Theater, Iced Earth, and I'm gonna be extremely happy to see such huge bands in a day.

ProgBagel

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 17:15

Great band yes underrated...but there are a lot, a lot of underrated bands here

NotSoKoolAid View Drop Down

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 18:08

underrated topics are overrated.

Single Coil View Drop Down

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 19:15

I really like Anethema. I wouldn't call them prog-metal, though. I bought Alternative 4 and found it to be pretty tasteful. Once in a while, they seem ever so slightly Floydian.

On the strength of that CD, I purchased Judgement, A Nice Day to Exit and A Natural Disaster. Anything older than those CDs are probably too "doomy" for me. Their lyrics are very meloncholy as it is. Their CDs seem well constructed (order of the tracks), and, the guitar work seems interesting (although not terribly complex).

Basically, their CDs are in the rotation, and I check their website every once in a while for more free MP3s.

If it's worth playing, it's worth playing loud!

JayDee

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Posted: June 25 2007 at 20:37

Ahmadbarqawi wrote:

any other similar bands by the way?

Some Katatonia albums I'd say came close to their sound. Albums like Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Great Cold Distance and Viva Emptiness are worth checking out.

As for Anathema, I personally don't think that they are overrated at least here in this site. Overlooked maybe?

toolis

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 01:54

Anathema is one of my fave bands ever... but not prog at all... Alternative 4 is one of the best 90's album..

all different eras albums of theirs are significant to the music of the previous decade..

Serenades and their EPs are atmospheric/doom/death metal gems.. you should know that along with My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost back then, they were considered to be the Holy Trinity of atmospheric metal...

Eternity, Alternative 4 and Judgement are just flawless...

AFDTE and A Natural Disaster are a mix of Radiohead, Massive Attack, Tim Buckley and more... very varied albums and that's their beauty..

i've seen them live, both electric and acoustic songs..

they are still a very metal band, no doubt about that, but - i repeat, not prog at all - while in their acoustic performances, they are very moving and cover a lot of 60's and 70's songs...

-music is like pornography...

sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more...

-sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue...

Ahmadbarqawi View Drop Down

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 01:58

toolis wrote:

Anathema is one of my fave bands ever... but not prog at all... Alternative 4 is one of the best 90's album..

all different eras albums of theirs are significant to the music of the previous decade..

Serenades and their EPs are atmospheric/doom/death metal gems.. you should know that along with My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost back then, they were considered to be the Holy Trinity of atmospheric metal...

Eternity, Alternative 4 and Judgement are just flawless...

AFDTE and A Natural Disaster are a mix of Radiohead, Massive Attack, Tim Buckley and more... very varied albums and that's their beauty..

i've seen them live, both electric and acoustic songs..

they are still a very metal band, no doubt about that, but - i repeat, not prog at all - while in their acoustic performances, they are very moving and cover a lot of 60's and 70's songs...

I agree 100% with what you said regarding anathema's music except the part saying that they're not prog at all....

well i don't know but i think that this is such a wrong statement if -according to PA- bands like "Tool", "Radiohead", "Muse" & "Evergrey" are considered prog

{Flashlights shade shrunken views
Of a red demon’s foxtrot in brews
Guns & flowers crown morning news
Panic-stricken guilt now ensues}

toolis

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 03:37

Ahmadbarqawi wrote:

toolis wrote:

Anathema is one of my fave bands ever... but not prog at all... Alternative 4 is one of the best 90's album.. all different eras albums of theirs are significant to the music of the previous decade.. Serenades and their EPs are atmospheric/doom/death metal gems.. you should know that along with My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost back then, they were considered to be the Holy Trinity of atmospheric metal... Eternity, Alternative 4 and Judgement are just flawless... AFDTE and A Natural Disaster are a mix of Radiohead, Massive Attack, Tim Buckley and more... very varied albums and that's their beauty.. i've seen them live, both electric and acoustic songs.. they are still a very metal band, no doubt about that, but - i repeat, not prog at all - while in their acoustic performances, they are very moving and cover a lot of 60's and 70's songs...

I agree 100% with what you said regarding anathema's music except the part saying that they're not prog at all....

well i don't know but i think that this is such a wrong statement if -according to PA- bands like "Tool", "Radiohead", "Muse" & "Evergrey" are considered prog

well, i don't think that way... i can't consider a band prog if a similar band is in here... i have my own criterias...

-music is like pornography...

sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more...

-sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue...

coleio

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 10:31

I think they're excellent!
The first song I heard by them was called 'Angelica' and it was from the 'Eternity' album I think.
That song has so much emotion it literally bought me to tears, just superb.

Eat heartily at breakfast, for tonight, we dine in Hell!!

StarsongAgeless View Drop Down

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 12:51

NotSoKoolAid wrote:

underrated topics are overrated.

Especially when talking about a band that doesn't actually seem to be underrated, at least on this site... over 4 stars is pretty darn good...

Check out the Unsigned Bands section!
"Like the time I ran away, and turned around and you were standing close to me." Yes' Awaken

el böthy

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 13:22

Agreed with Anathema not being prog, they are just atmospheric... but that doesnt make them prog enough

"You want me to play what, Robert?"

Ahmadbarqawi View Drop Down

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 13:24

StarsongAgeless wrote:

NotSoKoolAid wrote:

underrated topics are overrated.

Especially when talking about a band that doesn't actually seem to be underrated, at least on this site... over 4 stars is pretty darn good...

dude read the first post carefully, it says clearly "in terms of topics & polls"…. as i noticed that many topics practically revolve around the same bands: DT, Genisis, Yes, VDGG, Tool,.... i just wanted to give a chance for those who know anathema's music to share their opinions about it & introduce it to those who don't know

& another thing, usually when I read a topic that I don't like or even agree with I simply don't participate if I don't have something useful to say…

Edited by Ahmadbarqawi - June 26 2007 at 13:27

{Flashlights shade shrunken views
Of a red demon’s foxtrot in brews
Guns & flowers crown morning news
Panic-stricken guilt now ensues}

asimplemistake View Drop Down

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 13:56

I don't own any of Anathema's Cd's (yet) but everything I've heard of their more recent stuff I've loved, especially the song "A Simple Mistake". A band that I find to be similar would be Paatos, because of the dark moods and everything, but I haven't heard too much from either band to know for sure. I do love the moods both bands create though.

Abstrakt

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Posted: June 26 2007 at 14:01

Havn't heard a single note of them, but they sound like an interesting prog-metal band-

I might check them out in the future!