Anathema fans...

[Bacchus]

Originally posted by godisanathiest


Hehe, here is a man practiced in the art of patronising Please tell me, u must have a younger brother or sister?

Actually, I am the younger brother.

 

[D Mullholand]

Originally posted by Bacchus Actually you are quite mistaken. "Maturity cannot be measured by age" is a cliche that frankly has little evidence to support it. Short of education, age is really the only other determining factor (I suppose experience, too---but usually that is closely tied to age). The human body is basically a chemical entity and its chemistry changes with physical age which in turn affects psychology. Ages 13-21 are full of radical changes in body chemistry (as I hope most of the people on this board know), but by the age of 25 the chemistry reaches a sort of equilibrium that gradually evolves into old age.

You're right about chemistry, sure, but I mean spiritual maturity. Of course, we cannot claim that a human being's thinking is not influenced by the physiological processes in his body, but it is not completely derived from them as well. Thus we return to the original point I made. Physiology has little to do with appreciation of music. How many people of your age in the world would appreciate the music of Anathema or Opeth ? Or any advanced music at all ? Age is (almost) nothing. Experience and spirituality is (almost) everything.

Regarding Darren's vocals, I think we will have to put this down to a STRONG difference of opinion. To me, his vocals convey far more emotion than the commercially viable Vinnie stuff. One cannot listen to Darren growl "For the deepest love I had has dissolved before my eyes..." without feeling the gut-wrenching emotion of such an experience. I suppose it is a prerequisite that one should have had such an experience in order to appreciate the intensity of the feeling. Once again, age comes into play.

So you mean : "Everybody get laid first, then break up with your gf, only then will you understand Serenades !" If the artist's vision is strong enough, no prerequisite is needed. Otherwise it turns into functional music, or music "for the ones who were dumped" (sorry if I hurt your feelings, I didn't mean to). Roger Waters is able to communicate even deeper emotions on "The Wall", and they do affect the listener - they do affect ME, even if I haven't lived through the same stages he has - and that is because his artistic vision is really STRONG.

But I agree - we have a STRONG difference of opinion, and I can accept that.

By contrast, Vinnie's vocals while clear and haunting, lack Darren's intensity. Also, Anathema's post-Darren lyrics are nothing special. I don't worship Darren, but the fact is that the man was (is?) a poet, and a good one.

I disagree about intensity. Darren's intensity seems too obvious and superficial to me. I can partly agree about the lyrics though - some of Anathema's later lyrics are too simplistic, like typical "rock" lyrics. But on songs like "Suicide Veil" or "Regret" they do come through. I liked Darren's lyrics on Pentecost III - even though his voice has got almost irritating by that time. The earlier lyrics are nothing special to me - "the weeping willow is weeping", hmmm...

A good poet - now that is Aaron Stainthorpe, on "Turn Loose the Swans" and all MDB albums for that matter. That is one of the few bands which I would call poetic. Amorphis also comes to mind.

Final point: to the best of my knowledge, Darren has never whined on a record. Growled yes, spoken yes, moaned yes. But never whined. Bruce Dickinson whines.

Ok, let it be "moaned". I find very little ability to express emotions in his moaning.

And to settle this peacefully, at least we still agree on one thing - Opeth rule.

D Mullholand, a dead composer
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NP: Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun

 

[Bacchus]

Originally posted by D Mullholand

A good poet - now that is Aaron Stainthorpe, on "Turn Loose the Swans" and all MDB albums for that matter. That is one of the few bands which I would call poetic.

I'm with you on that. "Turn Loose The Swans" is one of my all-time favorite albums. Aaron's lyrics are just incredible. I'm sorry that Martin left the band, because they are not half as good without him.

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Bacchus
Actually, I am the younger brother.

Haha, you must have learnt off ur older bro then

 

[HoserHellspawn]

Originally posted by Bacchus

Errr... have you ever heard of humor? My comment about "abstract" was meant to be facetious. Obviously it was lost upon you.

You need a member title like mine - I like to keep it as a disclaimer.

EDIT: it used to be 'Rampant Facetiousness'.

 

[Wolff]

Bacchus,
I agree on your observations on Anathema, and your sense of humor brought me a smile.

Let us drink in your honor o mighty Bacchus.

 

[Kevin de Groot]

Hi - as a guitarist in Darren's new band, Dead Men Dream, I can confirm that Darren has not whined or moaned once over the last six months. He may have moved away from pure growl but I can assure you that when he let loose in the recording studio we were pinned up against the wall. The intensity IS sincere - I know, I was there.

Watch out!

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Kevin de Groot
Hi - as a guitarist in Darren's new band, Dead Men Dream, I can confirm that Darren has not whined or moaned once over the last six months. He may have moved away from pure growl but I can assure you that when he let loose in the recording studio we were pinned up against the wall. The intensity IS sincere - I know, I was there.

Watch out!

Go to the Anathema forum, there's an entire post for u there, with lots of questions