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Anathema - Judgement review



Reviewer:
9.5

1067 users:
8.85
Band: Anathema
Album: Judgement
Release date: June 1999


01. Deep
02. Pitiless
03. Forgotten Hopes
04. Destiny Is Dead
05. Make It Right (F.F.S.)
06. One Last Goodbye
07. Parisienne Moonlight
08. Judgement
09. Don't Look Too Far
10. Emotional Winter
11. Wings Of God
12. Anyone, Anywhere
13. 2000 & Gone
14. Transacoustic [bonus]

English doom masters Anathema released Judgement in 1999, following 1998's almost perfect Alternative 4. The challenge of that new album was huge as it was hard not to release a new Alternative 4, but still, without making something totally different. Once again, the Cavanagh brothers show us how to compose music with talent.

With songs such as 'Forgotten Hopes', 'Destiny Is Dead' or 'One Last Goodbye', you're aware that Anathema is still a doom band. Nevertheless, Judgement sounds more various than Alternative 4, and also less depressive. The first song - 'Deep' - is a good example of what I'm talking about. Some songs sound almost happy ['Anyone, Anywhere', '2000 & Gone']. But it's not worth speaking about each track of the album: they are all outstanding. However, I want to say that 'Pitiless', 'Forgotten Hopes', 'Emotional Winter' and the almost progressive 'Judgement' are my favorites from the album.

Judgement happens to be Anathema's best release to date. The album has everything you can expect from the band: great songs, huge sound, sad and haunting melodies, beautiful acoustic guitars and piano... Another positive point about this record: all Anathema's fans agree to say that it's the one with the best vocal performance from Vincent Cavanagh. Because sad is beautiful, Judgement reigns over doom metal. Experience it...


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 8





Written on 26.08.2003 by Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as:

"A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?"

I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math.


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 280 users
26.09.2008 - 14:34
Rating: 9
BloodTears
ANA-thema
It's a pleasure to be the first one to post here.

I don't think it sounds less depressing, the feeling I get from this album is the same as I get from other album, there is this inherent sadness, all the time.

Curiously enough, a lot of songs from this album became the top Anathema fans everyone knows, songs like forgotten hopes and one last goodbye, they always sing those on shows.

The best one, however, is "parasienne moonlight". But it's almost impossible to chose...
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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26.09.2008 - 16:25
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Damn... I was sure I maked a post for this one. Oh well...

Beautiful album, I don't know what more can I say. It's probably the best album done by the band.
My favorites would be "Deep" [such an amaizing intro for the album], the two classics that BloodTears already said and also "Anyone, Anywhere"... Probably the most depressing song of the album IMO... The vocals were just breath-taking on this one.

I agree with DT... Vincent's covals were on it's peak right here...
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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29.09.2008 - 19:41
Richard

A strong album. 'One Last Goodbye' is particularly emotive, as it was written after the death of the Cavanagh brothers (Vincent and Danny)'s mother.
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27.11.2008 - 16:08
Rating: 10
Powerslavex
Alexskywalker
My favourite Anathema album, One Last Goodbye sends shivers down my spine, really amotional album
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18.04.2009 - 03:09
Idioglossia

A beautiful album, especially the vocals and lyrics on One Last Goodbye, which always makes me cry.
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20.11.2009 - 19:51
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Yeah, I agree, its less atmospheric than Alternative 4, but the doom ballads are actually much more melancholic than the sometimes opressive ambient of A4. The vocals are better than ever, they are a huge part of the sentiment in this album.

Overall this is an excellent work, my favorite from Anathema, and as Bloodtears write, it is impossible to choose only one highlight.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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12.01.2012 - 07:15
Rating: 10
strade

A beauty of an album to enjoy and enjoy again.
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My lo-fi synth project: http://luciddreamer.bandcamp.com
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13.12.2021 - 21:16
Rating: 9
BlankFile

Deeply emotional record, really great work.
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