ANATHEMA — Alternative 4 (review)

ANATHEMA — Alternative 4 album cover Album · 1998 · Metal Related Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
bonnek
Alternative 4 is the first in a series of 3 astoundingly beautiful albums from Anathema. Their doom metal roots have all but disappeared and the raw emotion is distilled into dark but accessible rock music.

The style consists of the mix of latter day Pink Floyd with a strong UK post-punk heritage, of which the atmospheric doomrock of Fields Of The Nephilim is felt most prominently. The vocals are entirely Floydian though, so don’t fear for any gruff zombie voices if that would be the sound of your nightmares.

As all Anathema albums, also this one coalesces into one harmonized listening experience that must be heard in its entity. ‘Hearing’ isn’t even entirely appropriate here, this is music that must be felt, that you should submit yourself to. The focus isn’t on technical tricks; it’s on the emotive power of minor chords and on the brooding intensity of their emotive rock. I think Alternative 4 serves as a perfect Anathema introduction. It should easily please all fans of the melancholic rock of Floyd albums such as The Wall, The Final Cut and Gilmour’s first solo album. This album could as easily be rated 5 stars but since Anathema kept growing on the next albums. 4.99 wil have to do.
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