Band:	Antimatter
Album:	The Judas Table
Style:	Atmospheric rock
Release date:	October 2015

01. Black Eyed Man
02. Killer
03. Comrades
04. Stillborn Empires
05. Little Piggy
06. Hole
07. Can Of Worms
08. Integrity
09. The Judas Table
10. Goodbye

Antimatter is a band formed by Duncan Patterson, former bass player and songwriter of doom metal band Anathema. Mick Moss picked up the pieces when Duncan Patterson left the band in 2004. And to the surprise of many pundits, the next couple of albums knocked it out of the park. So much so that nearly a decade later, Leaving Eden is rightfully regarded as the band's masterpiece. But Mick Moss is a musician with a message, and Antimatter is his vessel. After the rather fascinating Fear of a Unique Identity, Moss is still going strong in 2015 with The Judas Table, another journey through the complex exploration of human emotions.

As a whole the album is calmer. The music is more direct. The songs are more touching than before, more intimate. This is melancholic rock done extremely well. The guitar work is top-notch. Mick's vocals are exquisite as usual. He has this vulnerability that allows him to push the envelope. The addition of string instruments is welcome; it never becomes overwhelming and leaves enough room for the rest of the band to make their mark on the compositions. Some of you might have a hard time with the pace of the album. The plethora of beautiful melodies and depressive vocals is awesome but the too numerous quiet tracks make The Judas Table top heavy in my opinion, with most of the power songs compounded into the last half of the record.

Overall the persistent feeling of forlornness and the quality guitar work stay true to the essence of Antimatter. The Judas Table is a well-thought effort, with a penchant for quiet melodies and creeping melancholy. In short, just what you would expect from such an album. And there lies the problem. While this is beautifully executed, the surprise factor is close to nil. Some moments of brilliance keep listeners engaged all the way through but the album is ill-balanced in my opinion, with too many of those highlights coming late in the game. Regardless, The Judas Table cements Antimatter as one of the leaders of the atmospheric rock scene, if it ever were in doubt.