Weather Systems' 'Ocean Without a Shore' - Album Review

I recently made a comment on this blog regarding the fact that, sometimes, good things can come from bands splitting up - or members leaving an established band to either form a new band or go it alone. Whilst it is often sad to see bands split up or go through messy line-up changes, sometimes the outcome is just more music to enjoy. Some of my favourite bands exist due to other bands splitting up - so I always try to look for the positives whenever a band I like comes to an end. That being said, the loss of Anathema in 2020 was tough to take. The Liverpool-based genre-defying band had become a real favourite of mine during the preceding years. Their show at the London Palladium in March 2020 was my last concert for 14 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic - and it turned out to be one of the band's last ever shows, as they had to cancel the rest of the tour after only a handful more dates and then broke up later in the year. It seems that cancelling the tour was a huge financial blow - and one which, it seems, they could not recover from. Despite my love of the band, too, they always struck me as a collective fuelled by internal tensions, as is often the case when family members work together, so it could well have been that there was more to the split than was immediately apparent. The band's principal songwriter and guitarist Daniel Cavanagh seemed to take the split particularly hard - and it was not too long before he announced a new band called Weather Systems, named after Anathema's 2012 album. Weather Systems' gestation period, though, was not easy. The band, which is largely just Cavanagh, has been slowly unveiled in a cryptic manner online over the past few years - and there was some associated crowdfunding which was treated with suspicion by some. Cavanagh also went through a very rough patch health-wise, too, during the same time - something which had seemingly been spiralling since Anathema's split. It was a hard watch, but he has seemingly pulled through - and is hopefully now in a much better place. The result of this build up, though, is Ocean Without a Shore - the first Weather Systems album. It was released in September and it is Cavanagh's first album since his 2017 solo album Monochrome - which followed a few months after Anathema's final release The Optimist (which I reviewed here). Cavanagh has said in interviews leading up to the album's release that much of the material on Ocean Without a Shore would have ended up on the follow up to The Optimist had one happened. I know that the band were working on a new album when they split, so many of the songs here likely date back to those sessions. As such, it sounds very similar to the recent run of Anathema albums - albeit with some of the sparser melancholy of Monochrome and even the odd nod to Anathema's heavier past. There are no death/doom vibes here, but there are a few heavy riffs which recall Cavanagh's playing from the late 1990s/early 2000s. Cavanagh is responsible for all of the instruments played on the album, too, with the exception of the drums which were played by Anathema alumnus Daniel Cardoso. Anathema's founding drummer John Douglas was slated to be part of the band at one point, too, but he has not been involved with Ocean Without a Shore - and this is very much Cavanagh's baby. He sings a lot throughout the album, too, although Petter Carlsen and Soraia Silva, particularly the latter, also contribute a lot vocally.

Anyone who has enjoyed Anathema's recent work will find plenty to enjoy here - with the tones of 2010's We're Here Because We're Here and on very much present. There are some moments which briefly hark back to albums like 1999's Judgement - but generally it is a familiar listen. The album is not a carbon copy of the past, though, and it does slowly deviate as it moves along - creating an enticing journey which is typical of much of Anathema's work. The slight overall weakness in comparison, though, are the vocal arrangements. Cavanagh does well here, with Carlsen helping out on some tracks and Silva delivering some emotional duets, but he is not his brother and Silva is not Lee Douglas. That being said, though, the vocal arrangements have grown on me quite a bit. There are lots of memorable songs here, too, and Synaesthesia kicks things off in fine fashion. As with Anathema's core sound, many of the tracks here build gradually around repetitive hooks and melodies - usually reaching an emotional climax towards the end. This track is no different, with a pulsing guitar melody and string backing setting a dark tone early on - over which Cavanagh and Carlsen soon start to sing in harmony. Their voices suit the moody melody, which does twist and turn as the vocals progress - and Cardoso lays down a variety of spiky drum grooves, going for a more staccato beat early on before progressing to something knottier. A gentle, floaty section introduces Silva, as she harmonises nicely with Cavanagh, but this soon gives way to one of the heaviest moments on the album - with driving, slab-like riffing kicking in with some heavy drums to back it. It is great hearing Cavanagh lay into his guitar like this again after many years - but the track still retains much of the trademark atmosphere associated with his songwriting. Some parts see the riffing slightly fade into the background to allow the synths to shine - only for it to kick back in to add some metallic grit. It is easy to forget that Anathema started out as a metal band, but Cavanagh shows here that he still has some love for a big riff - and the aforementioned floaty section with Silva is later repurposed above this riff, albeit alongside a stronger keyboard presence. Following this heavier section, it seems as if the song is going to end - but some mournful piano takes over, with Cavanagh and Silva singing in a downbeat manner as a final section gradually builds up around these metronomic vocals. Gentle guitar chimes add to the gloom - but things are really lifted by Cavanagh's slow-burning closing guitar solo which plays over the vocals initially before taking over to see the song out, often repeating some of the song's vocal melodies in its phrasing.

Lead single Do Angels Sing Like Rain? is a bit more straight ahead - with a chiming guitar melody and a more urgent drum groove setting more of a rock tone early on. Cavanagh sings alone early on, his deeper, yet still pleasing, voice sitting nicely against the synth-like guitar hooks - with piano melodies gradually appearing subtly in the background. When I first heard the song before the album dropped I was a bit disappointed with it, and I was worried that I would not like the album vocally, but Cavanagh's voice has grown on me - and other songs are more interesting vocal arrangement-wise than this one in any case. Like the last song, though, this one treads a slightly heavier vibe as it moves along - with a guitar riff which reminds me somewhat of Fragile Dreams take over, to allow a slightly crunchier take on the song's early moments to permeate. Cavanagh pushes himself vocally here but he sounds honest - fading out as he reaches the top of his range to let the melodic guitars take over. Untouchable - Part 3 is the first of two songs here which directly link back to Anathema tracks. The first two Untouchable parts are on Weather Systems - and they are two of the best songs Cavanagh has ever written in my opinion. This third part does not match up to the majesty of those older cuts, but the opening piano chords do subtly recall some of the hooks from them - with Cavanagh's emotional vocals and some delicate strings creating new images. The song also introduces Silva properly - and it is the first here sung as a duet. She takes over from Cavanagh when Cardoso's jazzy drums kick in, and her warm voice works nicely against the pulsing piano chords and the strings - which feel denser by this point. Unlike the opening two tracks, too, there is little to no heaviness here - and the style is very much representative of the Weather Systems album and the first two parts of the song trilogy. When the guitars do kick in they take the form of those tremolo-type leads which Cavanagh does so well - whilst the bass and drums pulse slowly to create a mournful movement alongside the strings and piano. Cavanagh and Silva sing together towards the end, too, although their voices feel dwarfed by the guitar hooks - which is fitting. At first this song did not do all much for me, as it fell short of its namesakes, but repeated listens have revealed its beauty and the nods to the past are welcome. Ghost in the Machine opens in a similar manner to how the album did - with a slightly synthy guitar melody that creates a slightly energetic vibe without the song feeling all that urgent. Cardoso's drumming throughout much of this album is quite percussive, especially during the slower moments, and his playing really compliments the opening hook nicely - and Cavanagh soon starts to sing over it in a deep and naïve manner, which is complimented by some occasional counter-melodies from Silva. The song builds in that typical Anathema fashion, with little change early on despite the addition of some piano under the guitars and drums - but there is a brief drop out, only for the band to kick back in with a more potent guitar-led version of the same melody with Silva taking over vocally with Cavanagh this time providing the counter. This arrangement works well and their voices play off each other nicely, whilst the guitars chime in a hypnotic manner.

The second song which ties directly back to the past is Are You There? - Part 2, which is a sequel to a song from 2003's A Natural Disaster. The song returns to the atmospheric sound of Untouchable - Part 3, with strings setting the tone early on - despite a melodic guitar refrain which occasionally cuts through the atmosphere. This guitar lead provides a real focal point during the early part of the song - and Cavanagh's mournful vocals really work against this sparse backdrop, with Silva adding subtle harmonies when needed. As is typical, the song grows in stature as it moves along - with the rhythm section soon giving it a little weight and the guitar melody from the intro feeling brighter and more heroic against this slightly denser backing. The vocal arrangement is the same, though, and there is a lot of emotion in Cavanagh's delivery throughout the song as a result - and Silva's additions are full of true warmth. The second half of the album is where things start to deviate a little - with Still Lake returning to some of the early heaviness in a bigger way. That being said, though, it opens in quite a familiar manner - although the ringing piano melodies are faster and more frantic than are typical, with jagged guitars mixed into the background and complimentary chords adding depth. The song also sees a big return for Carlsen - his higher voice mixing well with Cavanagh's and Silva's in a three-part vocal harmony as the track grows in a spooky manner against the horror movie-esque piano rolls and the slightly gothic strings. The percussive loop in the background only adds to the song's unsettling feel and things always feel as if they are moments from teetering over - even with Silva's wordless vocal backings. This keeps the song interesting, though, and when a heavy riff kicks in the build up pays off. The riff might not be as frantic as the piano, but the mid-paced heavy chug only adds to the song's cinematic nature - with the soaring strings and piano retained. The vocals return after a the riff beds in, but the singers are lower in the mix this time - meaning that they add to the overall feeling rather than dominate lyrically. This trick has been used before but it works well again here as the track comes to a close. Take Me with You is more of a typical ballad and the simpler overall arrangement reminds me quite a bit of Monochrome - although it feels a bit more overtly uplifting than is sometimes typical of Cavanagh's songwriting. There is still a darker edge, as is typical, but something about Cavanagh's simple vocal lines sounds hopeful - and both his and Silva's voices are presented in a much more organic way here against a simple musical arrangement which generally consists of slow-moving guitar lines and strings. Many of Cavanagh's songs are uplifting in a non-typical way, generally due to how they play with emotions, but this song feels a bit more typically so - and that helps it to stand out. Later slightly bigger string arrangements are much brighter than is normal - and something of a late chorus then takes over with easy-on-the-ear vocal hooks and another closing guitar solo filled with warm leads.

The album's title track then returns to the trademark relative gloom of the rest of the album and the heavy use of vocoder and treated vocals throughout the song makes it feel like something of a spiritual sequel to Closer. Sparse and ringing electric piano melodies set an early tone, over which Cavanagh sings in a mechanical and digital way due to all of the effects. Silva adds some harmonies, too, but generally the effects help Cavanagh's voice to sound big and all-encompassing given how limited the song is instrumentally early on. The electric piano almost flutters in and out, seemingly cutting out at times to create an unsettling tone - over which the vocals feel strong and consistent, creating an atmosphere all of their own. The song does grow, though, but it does take quite a while to change tack. This is a very electronic track, though, with synth loops soon fading in - and taking over totally for a while when Cavanagh stops singing. This synth hook then becomes the main focal point as Cardoso's drums kick in - and more synth swells fade in and out, all whilst the ever-present electric piano chimes away. There is something very pleasing about all of these keyboard instruments doing their thing together, though. All the different textures mix together well and despite the melodies not changing all that often the different hooks and the shifting dynamics between the different synths keep the track engaging - and Cardoso throws in a few big drums fills, too, to give parts of the song a kick. The album then comes to a close with The Space Between Us, which opens with a collage of wordless vocal melodies. This a cappella intro is different from the norm and the song as a whole is also a change in tack quite significantly - with a much more organic overall feel, particularly following the synth jam of the previous song. The trademark strings and hypnotic electric guitar lines from many of the songs here remain, but there is a strong acoustic guitar backing throughout and Cavanagh often sings alone with his acoustic guitar - before the wordless vocals from the intro return to provide something of a chorus. The arrangement feels less involved than is typical, then, but there is still a depth thanks to the various vocal layers included - and there are times when the strings do feel much more prominent. The closing part of the song is much more familiar, though, as Cavanagh launches into another of those tremolo-esque guitar leads which takes over the whole song once it kicks in. These guitar melodies truly soar and they dominate the final section of the song - albeit before the return of the wordless vocal hooks from the song's intro to allow the piece to fade out as it began. Overall, then, Ocean Without a Shore is both familiar and different. There are lots of comparisons which can be made to Anathema and I very much doubt that Cavanagh will mind that - but this is not just a re-tread of the past as it does touch on some new things. Changes were needed due to the different vocal styles at play on the album, but everything comes together well - and after a few listens I feel that the atmosphere and emotion of the album has sunk in. I think that Cavanagh plans to take this album and the new band on the road - so I hope that I am able to get to a Weather Systems show in the future, as I can imagine that some of these songs would really soar live.

The album was released on 27th September 2024 via Music Theories Recordings. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Do Angels Sing Like Rain?.