Anathema - Exeter Review

With the exception of any project that involves Steven Wilson, it is probably fair to say that Anathema are one of the biggest modern progressive rock acts around. With a career that dates back to the early 1990s, and an expansive discography that covers a multitude of sounds, moods, and textures, Anathema are a band that are worth some time investigating and exploring. My introduction to Anathema's music was by taking a punt on their 2012 album Weather Systems not too long after it's release, and they have slowly grown on me over time since. My love for the band was truly cemented last November when I witnessed a truly masterful concert of theirs in Cardiff, and ever since I have been listening to Anathema's music at every opportunity. This led to me pre-ordering their eleventh album The Optimist, the first time that I had actively awaited their new album, and thoroughly enjoying it's contents when it was released back in June (in fact I reviewed the album here). The Optimist felt like the album the band had been working towards since 2010's We're Here Because We're Here, and it has received plenty of critical acclaim around the world. When I saw that some UK shows were added to their extensive European tour, tickets were snapped up immediately. Luckily for me they included an Exeter date in their itinerary, which is only around an hour's drive from home in Plymouth. I had previously seen the band perform an excellent acoustic show in the city's cathedral in 2015, so it was great to see the band return to the Exeter - although this time in the less-grand surrounds of the Phoenix Arts Centre. Anathema shows usually attract healthy crowds, and it was good to see a large crowd in the venue throughout the evening. The crowd was one of the most diverse that I have seen in a while too, with a good mix of ages and 'types' of people - ranging from out and out metalheads to trendier students. That shows the wide appeal of the band's music, and I always feel that Anathema have the potential to become really huge with the right exposure.

Before Anathema's set however, the crowd was treated to just under an hour of music from French blackgaze band Alcest. While I had heard of the band prior to this concert, I was unfamiliar with the band's work. I soon found out that the band's music is largely instrumental, often focusing on meandering atmospheric guitar passages interspersed with heavier sections with off-kilter riffing. Vocals did surface occasionally, ranging from high-pitched cleans to harsh black metal rasps, but the majority of the band's work seems to be instrumental. I cannot say that I really enjoyed the band's set, although some of the guitar melodies were quite hypnotic and melodic, but the meandering arrangements really made the music tiresome after a while. There seemed to be quite a few fans of the band in attendance however, so they received a healthy reception all throughout their set. In fairness a muddy sound mix did not help the nuances of the music shine through, but I doubt my opinion of Alcest would have changed too much with a better sound as their sort of music is just not my thing.

Despite Alcest's solid reception, it was Anathema that the majority of people were here to see, and they impressed with a near-two hour set packed full of highlights from their recent few albums. The concert started in a fairly unconventional way, as Daniel Cavanagh (guitar/keyboards/vocals) took to the stage alone with an swirling atmospheric intro tape behind him and began to absentmindedly solo over the top of it. This then led into San Francisco, the instrumental piece from the new album, which slowly introduced other members of the band. By the time the song was over, all six of the band were on the stage and immediately segued into both parts of Untouchable. The transition was somewhat jarring, as it missed out the song's iconic guitar intro, but picked up as soon as Vincent Cavanagh (vocals/guitar/keyboards/percussion) began to really belt out the lyrics. The two-part song is one of the band's best in my opinion, and it is always a treat to hear it live. The piano-driven second part, which features Vincent and Lee Douglas (vocals) trading vocals lines with ease, in particular always hits home and the crowd sung along loudly with the band. Three newer numbers followed, with the electronic rock of Can't Let Go and the soaring vocals of Endless Ways really captivating the crowd. It was the title track of the new album, however, that really impressed me. The gorgeous ballad, sung mostly by Vincent, it an awesome track and it came across really well live. The second half of the set was filled with songs from the band's other more recent work. Fan-favourite Thin Air went down as well as always, despite Daniel saying the song would be retired for a while soon, and Lightning Song was a real showcase for Lee to showcase her stunning voice. The vocal interplay between her and Vincent is a big part of the band's modern sound, and it is always great to hear the two play off each other. Another big highlight of this second part of the set was the lengthy prog epic Universal. Written by John Douglas (drums/percussion), the song has a slightly different feel to the rest of the band's work, with a murkier atmosphere and a fairly lengthy guitar solo from Daniel towards the end. This transitioned nicely into the main set closer, Closer, which featured dancey electronic beats, processed vocals, and a strong bassline from Jamie Cavanagh. By the end of the song, Vincent, Daniel, and Daniel Cardoso (keyboards/drums) were all behind their keyboards, which brought the main set to a synth-heavy end. A lengthy encore followed, starting off with the slow-burning Distant Satellites which is always a monster when played live. The subtle electronics clash with the hard-hitting percussion throughout and it makes for an excellent live experience. A short impromptu version of a Hans Zimmer piece of music followed, before a couple more from the new album were showcased. The largely instrumental Springfield, with Lee's sparse vocal lines, atop a guitar riff from Daniel backed up by Cardoso's piano filled the room with its post-rock vibes before the album's closing number Back to the Start was then played live for only the second time and it really came across well. The song has a somewhat anthemic feel, and saw Vincent really digging deep for an emotionally-charged vocal performance. Then, after a short section of Pink Floyd's Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Anathema launched into their traditional final number Fragile Dreams, a rocky guitar-led piece that features a soaring chorus that was sung by everyone in attendance. By this point it was nearly 11pm and the band left the stage to a huge cheer from the large crowd. The setlist was:

San Francisco
Untouchable - Part 1
Untouchable - Part 2
Can't Let Go
Endless Ways
The Optimist
Thin Air
Lightning Song
Dreaming Light
The Beginning and the End
Universal
Closer
-
Firelight
Distant Satellites
{Unknown} [Hans Zimmer cover]
Springfield
Back to the Start
Shine on You Crazy Diamond [Pink Floyd cover]/Fragile Dreams

Anathema are really riding on a high at the moment. This large tour seems to be a success for them, and reviews for The Optimist are still coming in. I hope that it will not be too long before another opportunity to see this great band live comes around.