New Horizons

Perhaps you remember that a few months ago, I made a list with the best concerts I attended last year. I also mentioned Anathema, while asking "What the hell is going on with that album, you guys?" Well, that was a normal question, considering the fact that their last album, A Natural Disaster, had been released in 2003. And now the breaking news: Anathema's eight studio album, called We're Here Because We're Here (previously entitled Horizons), will be officially released tomorrow.

The album includes the re-mastered versions of the three songs they released on MySpace prior to the recording of the album: Angels Walk Among Us, Everything and A Simple Mistake, and, according to lead guitarist Danny Cavanagh, is their best album to date. That, and the fact that seven years passed since their previous release, was enough to awake my curiosity.

After carefully listening to it, I can say only one thing: I can't tell for sure if this is really the best Anathema album, but it's definitely one of their best releases. Vincent Cavanagh's voice is as good, sending-shivers-on-your-spine as ever, and Lee Douglas' backing vocals fit perfectly. See Summer Light Horizon and Everything for exemplification – just perfect. Another highlight is Angels Walk Among Us, which is, in my opinion, the best song on the album. The chorus ("Only you can heal inside / Only you can heal your life") is sang by Lee, with additional vocals from Ville Valo, and it reappears on their sixth track, Presence.

The feeling of depression is still strongly present on their lyrics. "And I just couldn't reach you / No matter how I tried / No I just couldn't reach you / So instead I ran to hide" is just an example, but it serves to understand why so many people can identify with their songs. As for the sound, it keeps that same atmospheric touch they got us used to since their third studio album, Everything. There are three tracks (A Simple Mistake, Universal and Hindsight) that are longer than seven minutes, allowing the band to strongly experiment instrumentally, thus reminding us about the comparison made between them and Pink Floyd. It's so elaborate, meditative and dreamy, and it fits the lyrics so perfectly, that it makes you lose your breath at certain points. It's so wonderful that it doesn't seem to be real.

I have to stop now, because I already feel words are useless at this point. As most of Anathema albums, We're Here Because We're Here, too, is a perfect piece of art. Don't miss it.


*photo courtesy of Anathema's MySpace