Anathema, *heart* Options

[Dr Strum]

Alright, bitches, you knew this was coming.
Well, maybe not, but whether you do or don't, I feel bad for any of you who do not know them. :(

Anyways, I don't know what to say about them without sounding like a rabid fangirl, which I suppose I am. At least for Anathema. So, instead, I'll give a little information on them, and then a bunch of links from where you can sample much of their music.

History
Anathema formed at the beginning of the nineties under the name Pagan Angel, but eventually ditched that name and released a few demos, and then signed to Peaceville records. They released three albums, pioneering the Doom/Death sound alongside biggies such as My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost before their first major change-up; their original vocalist, Darren White, left the band (rumoured to have been kicked out of the band, but he went on to form The Blood Divine, then, most recently, Seretonal). Instead of finding a new one, Vincent Cavanagh took on vocal duties alongside guitar. They released some new albums on Peaceville, each one straying further and further from their orginial sound, swapping members in and out, switching labels twice, getting fucked out of a contract by MTVUK, and then being dropped by their most recent label. They remain unsigned with their current lineup of Vincent, Daniel and Jamie Cavanagh, Les Smith and John Douglas. They continue to make music, posting it on their website, as they continue to try and find a new label.

Discograpy
I'm not including demos and singles and compilations and DVDs and shit like most lists do. (Except Hindsight in which all the songs are remade and thus DIFFERENT.)

• 1992 - Crestfallen EP
• 1993 - Serenades
• 1995 - Pentecost III EP
• 1995 - The Silent Enigma
• 1996 - Eternity
• 1998 - Alternative 4
• 1999 - Judgement
• 2001 - A Fine Day to Exit
• 2003 - A Natural Disaster
• 2008 - Hindsight
• 2010 - We're Here Because We're Here

Except the last four, all of these have been re-released, most with bonus tracks and videos, so they're not hard to find if you were to want them.

Links
Where you can find your info and free downloads.
http://www.anathema.ws - Official Site
http://www.myspace.com/weareanathema - Official MySpace
http://anathemaniacs.net/ - Fan Site
http://www.drsturm.net/msc/Anathema/ - My Own Online Repository of Anathema Music
The last one's not completely legal, but I'm trying to get more people into Anathema, and few are willing if they have to go search and download.

Anyways, best band ever, check them out. <3

[Dr Strum]

Serenades is not horrible, it's just not your thing. Trust me, I really love the album (most particularly, "Sleepless," "Lovelorn Rhapsody" and "They (will always) Die." [not sure which version of that last song I like more though]), but it's not for everyone.
It's a harsh album; sharp yet sleek, and that's not for everyone.
But, you may really start to like Serenades/The Crestfallen (think of Serenades as a sharp sword, The Crestfallen as a knotted baseball bat) if you keep listinening to Anathema's work in general. I know I was quick to dismiss that kind of music long ago, but, as I worked my way back through their catalog, it became much easier to find greatness in it.
Anathema is what got me into Doom, and Metal in general.