ANATHEMA

Pictures by Jaak Geebelen @ Lorelei Night of the Progs 2011.

[uh-nath-uh-muh]
< Latin < Greek: a thing accursed, devoted to evil, orig. devoted, equivalent to ana ( ti ) thé ( nai ) to set up + -ma noun suffix.

1. a person or thing detested or loathed: That subject is anathema to him.
2. a person or thing accursed or consigned to damnation or destruction.
3. a formal ecclesiastical curse involving excommunication.

And of course a great band:

Pictures by Jaak Geebelen @ Lorelei Night of the Progs 2011.

A band formed in 1990 from Liverpool primarily known for helping to develop the death/doom and gothic metal sound. Later in their career, beginning with Eternity, they moved away from this sound into more atmospheric progressive rock.

The current line up is:

Vincent Cavanagh - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar (1990–present)
Daniel Cavanagh - Lead guitar, vocals, keyboards (1990–2002, 2003–present) (Antimatter, Lid, Leafblade)
Les Smith - Keyboards (2000–summer 2011) (ex-Cradle of Filth, Antimatter, Ship of Fools)
Daniel Cardoso - keys sinds summer 2011
Jamie Cavanagh - Bass (1990–1991, 2001–present)
John Douglas - Drums (1990–1997, 1998–present)
Lee Douglas - Vocals (2000–present)

Former members:

Darren White - Vocals (1990–1995) (The Blood Divine, Dead Men Dream, Serotonal)
Duncan Patterson - Bass, keyboards (1991–1998) (ex-Antimatter, Dreambreed, Íon, Alternative 4)
Shaun Taylor-Steels - Drums (1997–1998) (ex-Solstice, ex-My Dying Bride)
Martin Powell - Keyboards, violin (1998–2000) (ex-My Dying Bride, ex-Cradle of Filth, ex-Cryptal Darkness)
Dave Pybus - Bass (1998–2001) (Angtoria, Cradle of Filth, Dreambreed, Darkened)

Serenades (1991), Anathema's debut LP, attracted a lot of mainstream attention, propelling their "Sweet Tears" music video onto the MTV playlist: YouTube.

Darren White - vocals
Vincent Cavanagh - Guitar
Daniel Cavanagh - Guitar
Duncan Patterson - Bass guitar
John Douglas - drums
Ruth Wilson - Vocals on "J'ai Fait une Promesse"

In May 1995, vocalist Darren White parted with the band, eventually forming The Blood Divine. Rather than recruiting a new vocalist, the band decided that guitarist Vincent Cavanagh should assume White's role. This new formation debuted by touring with Cathedral in the United Kingdom. Pentacost iii was released in 1995, folowed by The Silent Enigma (1995) & Eternity (1996).
The second member to leave the band was drummer John Douglas, who departed in the summer of 1997. He was replaced by Shaun Taylor-Steels, formerly of Solstice, who would also later play drums for My Dying Bride.

Alternative 4 was released in 1998. During this time the band underwent many line-up changes. Bassist/songwriter Duncan Patterson quit due to musical differences and was replaced by Dave Pybus of Dreambreed, where Duncan had played bass for a short period. Martin Powell (who had played keyboards and violin for My Dying Bride previously) also joined the band. Finally, John Douglas returned to the drums.

Vincent Cavanagh — vocals, guitar
Daniel Cavanagh — Guitar, piano, keyboards
Duncan Patterson — Bass guitar, piano
Shaun Steels — drums
George Ricci — Violin
Andy Duncan — Drum loops on "Empty"


In June 1999, the album Judgement was released, marking Anathema's complete shift from the doom metal genre, focusing instead on slower and more experimental songs. This new sound has been likened to artists such as Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley, and to a lesser extent, Radiohead. However, the essence of the band remained the same. Their songs continued to express a feeling of depression and, more often than not, desperation.
During the same year Martin Powell switched positions with Cradle of Filth's keyboardist Les Smith, who came to be an integral member of Anathema.
Shortly before the release of A Fine Day to Exit, Dave Pybus announced his departure from the band and later joined Cradle of Filth. He was replaced by touring bassist George Roberts, and later by Jamie Cavanagh.
In March 2002, Daniel Cavanagh announced his departure from the band, joining Duncan Patterson's band Antimatter. However, he later rejoined Anathema in 2003 for the release of A Natural Disaster, and started their European Tour. This accelerated the changes in Anathema's tone, towards the atmospheric and progressive, as exhibited in album tracks 'Flying' and 'Violence'.

A natural disaster (2003):

Vincent Cavanagh — lead vocals (except on "Are You There?", "A Natural Disaster" and "Electricity"), guitar, vocoder
Danny Cavanagh — guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Are You There?" and "Electricity"
Les Smith — keyboard, programming
Jamie Cavanagh — bass guitar, programming
John Douglas — drums
Additional vocals on "Are You There?" by Anna Livingstone
Lead vocals on "A Natural Disaster" by Lee Douglas

Hindsight (2008).
A beautiful moody album.

We're here because we're here (2010):
With this album they reached a big wider audience followed by a succefull tour. The metal riffs and doom are gone and the album is ful with smooth moody songs.

Vincent Cavanagh — vocals, guitar
Daniel Cavanagh — guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals
John Douglas — percussion, keyboards, guitars
Jamie Cavanagh — bass guitar
Lee Douglas — female vocals
Les Smith — keyboards

The new album FALLING DEEPER was released on 5th September 2011.

And is a beauty... laid back, strings, great moods and great riffs.

---

Les Smith has left the band.
Daniel Cardoso played keyboards during their live tour summer 2011.

 

Anathema - Dreaming Light (from We're Here Because We're Here)
from Kscope.

New song from Anathema on YouTube from the forthcoming album / April 2012.

---

Weather Systems (April 2012):
Weather Systems is the follow-up to 2010’s We're Here Because We're Here. That album featured prominently in numerous end-of-year polls and the producer, Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), has described it as 'definitely among the best albums I’ve ever had the pleasure to work on.'
The bar for Weather Systems has been set pretty high then but Daniel is certain that the album will exceed these lofty expectations, ‘it feels like we are at a creative peak right now, and this album reflects that. Everything from the production to the writing to the performances are a step up from our last album.’
He continues, ‘This is not background music for parties. The music is written to deeply move the listener, to uplift or take the listener to the coldest depths of the soul.’ The intertwining melodic structures of these profoundly beautiful songs are intensely powerful, yet simple. These are songs that will transport the listener closer to the heart of life, that is to say, to the heart of themselves.
It is also an album of polarity. The play of opposites; light and shade, birth and death, love and fear. The simple truths of life and loss, hope and strength and darker internal themes are all explored here.
The album was recorded in Liverpool, North Wales and Oslo, each place significant to Anathema past, present and future. The record was produced and mastered by 5 times Norwegian Grammy nominated Christer-André Cederberg (Animal Alpha, In the Woods..., Drawn), who Daniel has described as ‘a revelation. His calmness and brilliance has helped to bring about the greatest inter-band chemistry that Anathema have experienced together in their career.’
This album will please fans who call for more of Lee Douglas’s vocals, as her role within Anathema’s brand of alternative, melodic rock has matured to become an integral energy. In this way and more, Weather Systems is the sound of a band finding their voice and growing in stature, moving further along their artistic path with a truly stunning musical vision.
Their best ever work? ‘Not yet’ says Daniel, but he does believe that with Weather Systems they have surpassed previous glories; ‘we are pleased and proud of the record and we feel that, alongside the best moments of WHBWH, this record contains our very best work so far in what is becoming a long career.’

Weather Systems will be available on Kscope from April 16th 2012.
Orders www.burningshed.com/store/kscope/.

May 2012::
Anathema are to release three of their classic albums on vinyl next month, and they’re ready to pre-order now.
Both A Fine Day To Exit (2001) and A Natural Disaster (2003) are to be reissued on the Kscope label. Both albums saw the band break even further away from their doom/death metal past and head boldly into the progressive realm in which they operate today.
In addition, the band’s 1995 EP Pentecost III is to be put out through Peaceville in vinyl format on July 2. It was also the last record to feature vocalist Darren White, who now fronts Serotonal. This is limited to 2000 copies.

Tour-dates!!! In Europe and more!

---

SOLO/ SESSION:

Vincent Cavanagh:

Around 1998-1999 Vincent was a member of a band called Valle Crucis. They released an EP called Three Adorations on which he sang and played guitar.
In 2010 Vincent joined the French Rock band Devianz in studio to sing and write strings arrangements for a song of their second album.

Petter Carlsen – Clocks Don’t Count: Anathema’s singer Vincent Cavanagh contributes on the song “Built to Last”, and Singer songwriter Unni Wilhelmsen from Norway sings with Petter on “Table for One”.
Petter suport Anathema on their previous tour.

Daniel Cavanagh:

Daniel has been involved in other projects including Leafblade, an acoustic & Celtic rock band, (guitars and vocals), and Antimatter (see below), the former band of ex-Anathema member Duncan Patterson. He also played guitar on the album In the Mushroom with Lid. Cavanagh also provided vocals on an album by French post rockers Spherical Minds and was a guest on the album Pure Air by Agua de Annique, providing vocals and guitar on "The Blowers Daughter".
Around 2002 Daniel began to play solo shows throughout Europe. The setup was basic, just himself and the guitar/ piano, and has proven to be a very popular amongst fans of the band and those curious. Recently he has begun a successful partnership for these shows with former The Gathering vocalist Anneke Van Giersbergen. A short Norwegian tour in 2006 led to Cavanagh meeting Haavard from Aftermath Music in Trondheim, the result from this was that Haavard has become Daniel's main booking agent for his solo jaunts ever since, a partnership that remains to this day. This trip was also of considerable importance as it began Cavanagh's love affair with Norway, something that has had a massive impact on his life ever since.
And he has even begun a collaboration with Tristania vocalist Mariangela Demurtas who herself moved to Norway from Sardinia in 2007.

Duncan Patterson:
Former Anathema member is very busy with all sort of Projects: Antimatter & Ion are his solo projects.
Antimatter released his first cd in 2001 and is called: Saviours;
Duncan Patterson - bass, guitar, keyboards, programming
Michael Moss - guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals, programming
Guests :
Michelle Richfield - vocals on tracks 1,2,3,4,6,8,
Hayley Windsor - vocals on tracks 5,6,7,9,
Brian Moss - sampling,
Les Smith - sampling,
Mags - lead guitar on "going nowhere"
Michael Moss - Guitar , vocals on 'Over Your Shoulder'
Danny Cavanagh - Guitar , vocals on 'Flowers'
Jenny O'Connor - Vocal accompaniment on 'Flowers'

Duncan Patterson has announced a wish to move away from Antimatter after the release of 'Planetary Confinement' to concentrate on his new project, 'Ion'. As for Antimatter, Mick Moss will continure the project with a new album for 2006 entitled 'Leaving Eden', featuring Anathema's Daniel Cavanagh.

Anathema made several albums, one of their latetst is Live@anclub ('09):

Mick Moss: acoustic guitar, vocal
Danny Cavanagh: acoustic guitar (1-3, 7-9)
Pete Gilchrist: backing vocal.

Duncan is also involved with :
Gashead 2000 - demos (1991)
The Illuminoids - unreleased tracks (1995)
Deathcap - Ibiza Love Missile single (2005)
W.E.B - Don't Wake Futility (Sleazy Rider, 2005)
Breaklose - Always Late Enough (Strangelight, 2006)
The Aftermath - One Is Fun single (LiveTransmission, 2006)
The Aftermath - Hollywood Remake single (LiveTransmission, 2006)
Íon - Madre, Protégenos (Equilibrium, 2006)
Bull Doza - Celebration (2006)
Bushido - Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück (ersguterjunge/Sony BMG, 2006)
The Aftermath - All I Want is For You to Be Happy (LiveTransmission, 2007)
The Aftermath - Friendlier Up Here (LiveTransmission, 2008)
The Eternal - Kartika (Firebox, 2009)
V/A - "Enemies" (Indiestate 2009)
Íon - Immaculada (Equilibrium, 2010)
Phase - In Consequence (BackStage / InsightOut, 2010)
Corde Oblique - A Hail Of Bitter Almonds (2011)

Anathema at the Effenaar Eindhoven 14-10-11, by me. Thx to Jessy for the great evening.

Please be so free and sign my guest book.

 

Symfo-Index.

 

Updated May 2012 by St.Nicolas.
Shine On!

www.mostlypink.net