your first time listen..

[Blackspirit]

Well, I'm going to be honest...
I heard Anathema for the first time about a year ago...
I loved what I heard, but.... They have never really
been "important" to me...
I've never given them much attention.
I just listen to them every once in a while I find
the cd a friend sent me...

So, when/how did you first hear Anathema?
I got them on an mp3 cd,
this guy said I just HAD TO hear them (and he was right) )

And; How important has Anathema been for you?
Are you BIG fans, or what?
Just curious, as Anathema to me are so anonymous )

 

[Tota]

no words i type can do my feelings for Anathemas music justice.

...did that make sense?


i listened to Alternative 4 in my local record store to see if the bands singer had learned how to actually sing (ok, so i don't like growling!). i'd already heard Serenades, which my brother had, and most of it agreed with me, except the vocals.

- and i was hooked. instantly.

they feel like a part of me now, and we've been through some tough, emotional times together.

 

[yourdeadgroom]

Anathema are the second most important band to me, after My Dying Bride. I got into them slightly after MDB, at the time Eternity was released. Listening to the first 2 tracks (Eternity) in the shop, I had to walk out in a hurry, I was almost crying (going through a major depression at the time)- actually bought it at another shop, once I'd calmed down lol: , sorry first shop!). I loved the overwhemling despair (someone understood what I was going through), but also the underlying vibe of hope that (well, to me atlest) is in most of their songs (y'know, those soaring harmonics Danny gets, brilliant). MDB and Anathema really helped me out through a rough time in my life, and will always be special to me.

Plus, Anathema are one of only 2 bands that I like EVERY song they've ever done.

 

[Russell]

Well, I only got into them a few months ago... If you go to the main music discussion forum you can find the thread (started by anthony) called Anathema and old doom. It was recommended to me so I bought TSE. I didn't really like the vocals at first then they grew on me then within 2 weeks I'd bought all the albums (except serenades) and have spent the last few weeks listening to virtually only Opeth and Anathema They are rapidly becoming very improtant to me, yes, but I haven't really been listening to them long enough to be one of the most important bands. They're getting there tho

 

[BillowOfZeal]

I was first played Serenades by a friend around 97. I enjoyed it and a little while later bought Eternity and was blown away. I felt the same way as yourdeadgroom about Eternity and actually was brought to tears one time at my girlfriends house (we were not getting along that great at the time). I locked myself in her room with a bottle and Eternity and all hell broke loose... . Later i thought damn that is some powerful shit..holy hell...This has got to be my favorite band...I have all the albums now and love them all.
Jay

 

[S4R]

My roommate played Serenades for me a few years ago, and I have been an Anathema junkie since that day.

 

[ShadeGrown]

I've been into anathema since about 1,5 years or so.
First I downloaded mp3s for Fragile Dreams and Deep from a site, and then I was hooked. They became one of my favourite bands

 

[_Transparent_]

yeah i agree, im not a big fan at all. i do like them, just not a lot, to me they lack something special (dont get angry, i know how special they are to a lot of you here) but i probably need to listen to them a lot more to find tht something special.

 

[Oxiplegatz]

Oh, I heard Anathema first when my friend provided me with some mp3s about a year ago. That was Judgement. I was really you say 'hooked'. Transacoustic - it has become for me... more than I dunno what... It's a real masterpiece and I doubt if I ever could hear something I will like more.

I'm a big fan of Anathema and I can't realize myself without their music... That's an oblivion...

 

[John Carvajal]

Like in 1996 i was listening to pure thrash metal, Death M. i thouth all was growls, blasting fast drums...and all that heavy stuff, then a friend bougth a Paradise Lost Album, it was Icon or Draconian T.. then i told him: what the hell was that , it was metal with clean vocals then i bougth Anathema and Mdb, then i was blown away. I have to buy that stuff, then my first anathema album was Eternity (Digipack Ed. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Since that Anathema is the best thing in my Depressed Emotional Life!!
:hotjump:

 

[Diamond Dave]

Heard them first on a Kerrang cover CD, Fragile Dreams, was impressed, got Alt 4, liked it, slowly started working my way through the back catalogue.

What they mean to me, well, they're just a band, a bloody good one, but just a band nonetheless. I am glad to see quality British bands out there, though.

 

[Melancholia]

When "Eternity" was released I was still going to school (what a painful period)... i was trading cds with a classmate.....shortly after the release of "eternity" he gave it to me and .... I fell in love (with the "Eternity" I mean,not with him )
"Eternity" is my first Anathema love
I can't say i am a HUGE anathema fan nowadays,since i am very disappointed from their last steps
Yet,I used to love this band and all their works (before "Judgement") have a special meaning to me

 

[Judge gsz]

My first Anathema record was Serenades/Crestfallen in '96. I actually got my hands on it by accident. At first I bought a Lacrimosa album that day. But after listening to it for couple of minutes I went back to the cd-shop to exchange it, because it sucked so damn hard! But I didn't knew what I should get and the Anathema record caught my attention because I already heard so many good things about them.

I liked Serenades but not so much that it had a special meaning for me( except for sleepless). But I felt that this band was something special, so a bit later I went out to buy Eternity... and I was lost... Then I knew Anathema was going to be my band forever! After that I bought Pentecost III and The Silent Enigma.

And the rest is history. I like Anathema's work since Eternity more than the pre-Eternity releases and I think they are just getting better!

cya all

Judge

 

[Sad Wings]

My first was Serenades, which I actually got in cassette...at the time I was crazy into doom, and only bought it cause I heard their name bandied about in the same veign as My Dying Bride, a favorite band at the time. I liked it, but i did not think the harsh vocal style worked well for the music, but went with it.
In time my tastes got more placid, and I followed bands like My Dying Bride, Katatonia and Paradise Lost into cleaner vocals and even bleaker music, and actually found peace and contemplation in all of it. Anathema jumped ahead of all these bands in my mind gradually, and by the time Judgement came out this was the band I would put on when I wanted to pop a beer and just think about things.
My listenership basically went in order, as I started out with the more acerbic material and moved into a more artful way of listening to things.
Peace all

 

[Garm]

Oh those childhood memories of My Dying Bride and Anathema (yes, I am young). Not only is it those bands (especially Anathema) that brought me from the evil clutches of Elton John (I was a mommy's child), but they've been with me ever since. I, in other words, owe them my hetero sexuality (phew! )

 

[Garm]

Djizzes Melancholia! How can you like A4 and not like Judgement?!
A4 is litterly a pop album while Judgement is a step both back and forth. A evelution from the good times.

 

[mega]

Originally posted by Sad Wings
My first was Serenades, which I actually got in cassette...at the time I was crazy into doom, and only bought it cause I heard their name bandied about in the same veign as My Dying Bride, a favorite band at the time. I liked it, but i did not think the harsh vocal style worked well for the music, but went with it.
In time my tastes got more placid, and I followed bands like My Dying Bride, Katatonia and Paradise Lost into cleaner vocals and even bleaker music, and actually found peace and contemplation in all of it. Anathema jumped ahead of all these bands in my mind gradually, and by the time Judgement came out this was the band I would put on when I wanted to pop a beer and just think about things.
My listenership basically went in order, as I started out with the more acerbic material and moved into a more artful way of listening to things.
Peace all

This is the way it happened with me as well and sometimes you just grow up with a band and "mature" in the same way than they do. However, I still like old-school doom-death which is quite rare these days.

 

[Melancholia]

Originally posted by Garm
Djizzes Melancholia! How can you like A4 and not like Judgement?!
A4 is litterly a pop album while Judgement is a step both back and forth. A evelution from the good times.

I have a weird taste like many people say!!! *diplomatic reply*

A4 is pooooooop??????????? oh myy......
!!!!!!!!!!!! Well in my opinion Judgement is the "light" one (I didn;t say pop-hehe)
I guess it's a matter of taste and of the way one sees things...

 

[requiem]

Originally posted by Sad Wings
In time my tastes got more placid, and I followed bands like My Dying Bride, Katatonia and Paradise Lost into cleaner vocals and even bleaker music, and actually found peace and contemplation in all of it. Peace all

It's like you've read my mind. I first discovered Anthema back in '96 with 'The Silent Enigma', and it basically went from there in ascending order. My Dying Bride have been my favourite band for about five years but I think they're about equal with Katatonia at the moment after fucking 'Last Fair Deal Gone Down' changed the way I thought about music and life.

But yeah... 'The Silent Enigma', then I ordered 'Eternity' and choked on my tears when I heard 'Alternative 4'. The rest is history....

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Garm
Djizzes Melancholia! How can you like A4 and not like Judgement?!
A4 is litterly a pop album while Judgement is a step both back and forth. A evelution from the good times.

I consider it mainstream, but definitely not pop. My definition of pop is music tweenagers love with nice bopey dull music and shite lyrics. Which I definitely don't think anathema is...