‘68
9
ANATHEMA
9
Distant Satellites
In Humor and Sadness
Kscope (2014)
eOne Music / Good Fight Music (2014)
If you are the kind of person that follows what’s going on the music documentary world, the chances are that you know the excellent It Might Get Loud where Jack White, Edge and Jimmy Page talk about the electric guitar and music in general. Well, in that documentary there’s a scene where Jack White explains why the hell The White Stripes was a band with only two persons. The reason? This band from the North Carolina called Flat Duo Jets, known for the fuckin’ intense shows and music – the most furious garage rock that you can think of. Well, ’68 is the same thing… but different. Josh Scogin (ex-The Chariot) and Michael McClellan took the obvious but not regularly taken road. The limitation of having just two people… it’s all about that and the fact that their debut album, In Humor and Sadness, is the irrefutable proof of how music can maintain the same level of intensity even if the gears are changing and the patterns fucked’ up. Not only taking influences from Jack White and Flad Duo Jets, but also incorporating the madness and eclectic taste of something so important like the Texas legends Butthole Surfers. Yes! Finally, there’s a band that is following those footsteps. It’s not easy. Au contraire, my friends. It’s only possible with someone like Scogin, a guy that’s always pushing his - already high boundaries and succeeding in the task. “I am the troubled waters, make no mistake.”
For the last couple of years Anathema have been shedding the metal sound and imagery for what fans and media call Progressive Rock, and for the most part they’re right. Anathema now belong in the prog world. Still, even after they distanced themselves from the heavier crowds, how is it that they continue to appeal to metal fans? Well, first the genres tend to intertwine, and second, they continue to inject a melancholic personal darkness in their sound, and metal fans respect that sincerity. Distant Satellites is pure, honest, with the ability to provoke strong emotional reactions. “The Lost Song” triad is a perfect example of this. “Part 1” opens the album with a powerful rhythm that makes hearts pound faster, “Part 2” slows it down to a more introspective mood, and finally, “Part 3” picks it up again, throwing the listener into a roller coaster of emotions. The lyrics are beautifully written and complement the mood perfectly. Furthermore, Anathema not only create a strong sensitive ambient, but they take their music even further in the second part, by introducing some electronic sounds that exist in Aphex Twin’s world. Just listen to the last three tracks, a complete deviation from Anathema’s usual sound that will still feel natural. When 2014 ends it will only be natural to speak of Distant Satellites as one of the top 10 records of the year, and other bands will have to work very hard to dethrone this beautiful piece of music.
FOR FANS OF:
FOR FANS OF:
ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
ESSENTIAL TRACKS:
Butthole Surfers, Flat Duo Jets, The White Stripes
Pink Floyd, Anathema, Pink Floyd, Anathema, Pink Floyd...
Track 1 R, Track 3 G, Track 7 N
The Lost Song Part 1,2,3 CARLOS CARDOSO
TIAGO MOREIRA
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