for those unaware, this album was made available yesterday, March 12th, on Spotify (and various other sources/webrips). And just having heard it, it's rather breathtaking.
3/5/12 6:13PM
popmatters story
Wow, this record is sounding better and better. Damn, some of the vocals sound a little like Annuals, who by the way, announced they finished mixing their new album Born Raised recently. But that's unrelated to Anathema and Weather Systems.
I'm gonna prognosticate slightly here and predict this record will finish in my top 10 for 2012. If it doesn't, that either will mean 2012 was amazing, or this incredible stuff doesn't stand the test of the year. But I'm skeptical if that'll be the case.
I received a "pre-order" bundle offer via The End Records in my email (claiming I ordered something from Opeth from them, which I don't recall, lol) that includes Vinyl+CD+T-Shirt for $40. Tempting. I may consider canceling my Flying Colors order, and getting that instead. But I'd guess I have a little while to decide still.
2/15/12 8:37PM
Track times edited-in below
Free download of "The Beginning and the End"
http://www.burningshed.com/store/kscope/freedownload/46/
2/3/2012 12:17AM
Anathema.ws
track list from b-mouth link
1. Untouchable Part 1 (6.14)
2. Untouchable Part 2 (5.33)
3. The Gathering Of The Clouds (3.27)
4. Lightning Song (5.25)
5. Sunlight (4.55)
6. The Storm Before The Calm (9.24)
7. The Beginning And The End (4.53)
8. The Lost Child (7.02)
9. Internal Landscapes (8.52)
story from their homepage
Anathema will return in April with Weather Systems, their brand new studio album.
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.
Yes yes yes! I actually expect a lot from this, but that of course is a GOOD thing. I adore Falling Deeper and especially their last proper LP We're Here Because We're Here from 2010. Atmospheric, melancholy, gothic, heavy progressive rock.
Fuck yeah! April 16th baby!