Search - Anathema :: We're Here Beacuse We're Here: Special Edition

Embracing Life

Dominic P Prianti III | Dekalb, IL United States | 08/28/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Upon listening, I found it immediately surprising how mellow and upbeat this album was. Sometimes, when an essential change happens (usually the lead singer "finding" God or the like), there exists some sense of disharmony in the music, as though the musical talent and innovation did not follow. In this case, the change seemed to be sparked by a major insight into life itself, and not a religious revelation: that death was not the opposite of life, not the major antagonist to life. Birth was the simple opposite, with life transcending the limits of birth and death. Death then loses its significance. Perhaps the insight is in the richness of living itself, and the will to life that underlies reality itself. I see Schopenhauer's insight and Nietzsche's embracing of it in this music, with the addition of love as perhaps the highest embracing of life. "Everything is energy, and energy is you and me". Throughout the album, you see a transformation, with a sense of unity with the insight and positive steps toward healing thanks to the insight. I'm probably reading too much into it, however the good point is that this new, upbeat sound seems to be their best, as though all of the suffering in the previous albums was leading to this end. You need to listen to yourself and decide; all I know is that this album is one of the very best I've come upon."

After all these years, their best album??

David Parker | burlington, vermont United States | 07/23/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first caught on to Anathema back when they decided to move from death/goth metal into something resembling a prog-meets-Pink Floyd sound, first found on the "Alternative 4" album. Real good, but then came the excellent "Judgement", which many fans still feel is their true 'masterpiece'. "A fine day to exit" was also very fine, but then came "A natural disaster", which, aptly named, signalled my end of interest in the band for awhile, as it did with many fans. The "Hindsight" album doesn't count as a real studio album, so this new one is the first we've really heard from these guys in about eight years, and was well worth the wait. Trading in almost all vestiges of their gothic/metal past, these new songs echo everybody from latter-day Floyd to Coldplay, and while still being able to rock out in many places, this is a pretty quiet listen at times - very melodic, well-structured proggish rock, replete with piano, lush strings and female voices, that should finally bring some real notice to these guys. If you liked "A fine day to exit", you should find this to be an exemplary and "true" follow-up to that excellent album. The fact that it was mixed by Porcupine Tree's chief Steven Wilson also doesn't hurt a bit!!



P.S. Too bad that in this time of rampant illegal music downloading, this band (and album) is still a victim of the old-school "high-priced import" mentality. Charging nearly $20 for a CD is not the best way to introduce this great album to the American public, who are already in desperate need of discovering truly 'great' new music for a change!!"

Magnificent

Scrubbycritter | 07/18/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I haven't heard a record as good as this one in quite some time. A record hasn't moved me as this one has in a very long time. This album isn't heavy, it is very melodic and soft, and it is bursting with emotions. I haven't heard any other Anathema records so I am not prejudiced about their sound. I am not expecting anything from them so I can appreciate it for what it is. I will be honest, I picked it up because Steven Wilson mixed it. I am blown away by the emotional quality of the record. I have much respect for this band also for the idea behind the album - love. Amazing job, I really cant say enough good things about this album and I cannot stop listening to it, it moves me.



If you truly like good, well arranged music then you will love this album. Maybe if you are expecting old Anathema then you will be let down. Let them evolve."