Anathama Live

I am not going to slag off Doves as The Last Broadcast was a fine album, but to just not bother with anything else of a similar ilk – particularly when there are bands who pre-date them - beats me. You can’t even say that it is an image problem, as Doves are as faceless as they come. Tragically, it all comes down to exposure, and the music industry remains a money driven beast where luck of the draw is paramount. Repackage Anathema on EMI as a brand new band, without 13 years of history, and they would probably be massive. Coming from underground metal roots, and on an independent label they don’t stand a chance.

Previous effort, “A Fine Day to Exit” was therefore an unashamed attempt by the our scousers to try and get a piece of the action and you can’t blame them for attempting to break into this market. Unsurprisingly it failed but this was more due to the incompetence of elements around them rather than any real inability on their own behalf. Facing up to the fact that trying to appease the masses will not do them any good, their new platter, “A Natural Disaster” sees them once again creating a record for themselves, whilst simultaneously moving their sound on and experimenting. I have not had long enough to live with it yet, but give it a month and I suspect we will be inseparable.

Tonight Anathema quite frankly walk it. Their performance exudes class and confidence, which has not always been the case and it is clear they are playing to friends. Vincent Cavanagh's patter with the crowd is far more animated than previous visits here, and the band are in no desperate hurry to please – they simply know that they are going to. The new material works brilliantly. Opener “Pulled under at 2000m a Second” is their heaviest most claustrophobic effort in years, which is then followed by the slow burner “Balance”, and then “Closer”, where Vincent sings through a vocorder to an electro pulse back drop.

The highlight is the title track itself where drummer John Douglas’ sister Lee appears on the stage to sing. It is utterly spellbinding and her voice gels wonderfully with Vince’s. “Flying” - a song capped by a gorgeous guitar solo from Danny Cavanagh - is so good I immediately felt the need to put it straight on when I got home.

Anathema don’t forget the past but due to the groundbreaking nature of the new material there does not seem to be any desperate need to shout out for “Sleepless”. “A Dying Wish” is also forsaken with Vince quipping that he cannot play it on an acoustic guitar but the re-worked verses to the heartfelt “Fragile Dreams” belted back by the crowd adds an atmosphere that improves on the original. “Temporary Peace” is dedicated to ex-members Darren While and Duncan Patterson who are apparently both here tonight, a public display of hatchet burying that says more about the band as people rather than anything else, and failed single “Pressure” is also aired.

For some reason the band neglect to play a lot of the classics off “Judgement”, but this title track and the brilliant “Release” from “A Fine Day to Exit” more than compensate. Yes there were omissions tonight but the band could hardly play for 5 hours. The only minor criticism was the rather self indulgent sprawling 10 minute instrumental at the end, which easily would have been topped by a rendition of “Deep”.

Mass popularity will continue to be evasive, but Anathema’s new release is a treasure for those who can be bothered to seek it out. Don’t be one of the c**ts who doesn’t.

First up a Thine a band I know little about but whom have recently released a very decent platter, In Therapy. They are given a brief five song set but do enough to show promise. Frontman, (Alan Gaunt I believe, or he might be the guitarist!) does a pretty good impersonation of the self-deprecating Nick Holmes (I don't really need to write Paradise Lost in brackets do I?) and the lead guitar is so high in the mix it positively pulls the material onwards although does disguise a slight lack of variety beneath it. Thine sound like a more upbeat Anathema with a hint of Radiohead, and although they neglect to play their best song - Feel - more touring legwork should get them noticed and we wish them the best.

Ship of Fools are a revelation. I cannot pretend to know much about them and it takes me the whole set of scratching my head to realise the guitarist who looks very familiar is actually Danny Cavanagh! They also have a further visual appeal in a having a bass player who looks a cross between David Bellamy and D I Burnside from the Bill! Ship of Fools play an astral progressive rock style with nods to Mike Oldfield and Pink Floyd and believe it or not, their line up includes former Cradle of Filth keyboardist Les! That came as a shock to say the least! There are no vocals other than backing tape samples between the songs but there is no gaping void left by this fact, such are the sweeping soundscapes from the stage. This was a quite brilliant diversion, and I can only recommend everyone check them out.

And so to Anathema, and I must admit to being nervous for them but also hopeful that they would deliver one of the type of shows I had read about but never seen. The pressure is on following Ship of Fools but the moment the acoustic refrain of Release washes over the audience, with its perfect understated approach and plaintive vocals from Vince Cavanagh you just know the next hour and a half will be something special. In addition Danny is on the stage again and it rapidly becomes clear that rumours of this bands demise have been greatly exaggerated. Like an omnipotent force shining like a beacon in a sea of mediocrity (!) Anathema have the knack of pulling at the heart strings unlike any other band and have an enchantment that is rare indeed. They play their last album A Fine Day To Exit in its entirety, and why not because its f**king brilliant! The title track and Inner Peace sound particularly poignant tonight as does Pressure the abortive single from earlier this year. The gorgeous Angelica is dedicated to friends of the band who have travelled down from Birmingham and Fragile Dreams gets a proper run through unlike the quasi-acoustic affair it was turned into last time. To cap it off they drag out Inner Silence, a piano led poem rather than a full blown song with one of the simplest and prettiest lyrics ever written that Vince delivers with trembling emotion. Around me several couples are clutching each other tight and lost in each others embrace. I cling to my Guinness and dream!

I'm delighted I went to this. Anathema were consistently one of the best bands in the 1990s and the fact that they are not massive remains one of life's more elusive mysteries, especially given the continued success of Radiohead. Granted they do not play anything from their first two excellent heavier records, which will have been a disappointment to some, but to ask for sheer heaviness in the face of such quality is surely missing the point, and they also ballsed-up A Dying Wish when they played it last time anyway! They leave with promises of a new album new album in 2003 and I for one cannot wait for it.

Its funny how you and certain bands you have a huge affinity for keep missing each other as far as gigs are concerned. Sometimes this is the fault of the band (i.e. Geddy Lee and Rush - Tour in England you Bastards!) but more often than not it is simply time and circumstance. Anathema have been a pet band of mine since 1992 when they first appeared on the scene and along with Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride brought so much originality to British metal. However despite frequent visits to watch the latter two Anathema have remained elusive until now. A pleasant surprise then to chat with vocalist Vincent Cavanagh before the show and get his autograph. Even more bizarre then that the conversation revolved around wanking!

With the possible exception of the god-awful "Pentecost 3" EP, Anathema have etched quality with every release, however I can't help feeling disappointed that the opportunity was not there to witness the band with Darren White on vocals circa "Serenades" or during the doom metal brilliance that was "The Silent Enigma" however good the current Pink Floyd /Radiohead fixation is. However what do we get in 2001?

Opening with "Empty" ('A song which is about our pockets') The Scousers quickly race through "Deep" and "Pitiless" before treating us to some new stuff from "A Fine Day to Exit". I must confess that I do not own this yet and although there has been mutterings of discontent amongst the hardcore fraternity the materials comes across well. An acoustic version of "Fragile Dreams" follows along with the brilliant "Make it Right", "Dying Wish" and "Judgement" being followed by the bizarre choice "Nocturnal Emission" (a song no doubt inspired by Julianne Regan!).

Something seems a bit lacking however even though the strength of the material is undeniable. This was a good performance but maybe a wait of 9 years just proves too long and the expectation too great. The response from the crowd is muted and the constant cries for "Sleepless" - a classic golden oldie - are ignored with the band failing to return for an encore. Such a desire to progress is understandable but Anathema need only look at what happened to Paradise Lost given their refusal to play "Gothic", "Eternal" et al and the net result to see that some metal fans remain steadfast in their ways. Despite this, a vale should not be drawn over this bands exceptional past just yet.