Anathema-The Optimist....

[Chris R]

1st spin through.......
going to be addicted to this for the next month..
Everything Anathema does well and I like is in here..some different twists and things thrown in...
the instrumental San Fransisco sounds exactly like something straight out of a Tangarine Dream soundtrack song,,,,

The Pink Floyd vibe is more prominent as well

[gazinwales]

I was very underwhelmed after one complete listen.
It sounds very disjointed to me, doesn't flow at all well, too much Lee lead vocals, too much repetitiveness (lyrics and same melody) on some songs.
Then the actual recording sounds like a different studio/producer on a few songs.
Very disappointing.

[Stevie WOnder]

I was very underwhelmed after one complete listen.
It sounds very disjointed to me, doesn't flow at all well, too much Lee lead vocals, too much repetitiveness (lyrics and same melody) on some songs.
Then the actual recording sounds like a different studio/producer on a few songs.
Very disappointing.

I'm with you after one spin. 2017 sucks as far as new music is concerned.

I only have Secret Sphere and MindMaze that have had constant repeats.

[Nos]

Count me in the group that didn't like it. Granted, I've never been a fan of that kind of ambient/post rock stuff, but I gave it an honest chance. I don't hear anything in that sound for me.

[Chris R]

I wilk admit This doesn't grab me immediately like the past 3....though there are enough things I hear that I love that I think this will be a bigtime grower..
It will take a l ok the of listens..
But like I said this has the ingredients to be the disk I was expecting

[Mardoch]

I was very underwhelmed after one complete listen.
It sounds very disjointed to me, doesn't flow at all well, too much Lee lead vocals, too much repetitiveness (lyrics and same melody) on some songs.
Then the actual recording sounds like a different studio/producer on a few songs.
Very disappointing.

I'm with you after one spin. 2017 sucks as far as new music is concerned.

I only have Secret Sphere and MindMaze that have had constant repeats.

Shame for you! I've already got more than a top 10:

Persefone - Aathma
Shattered Skies - Auxilium // Vol I
The Ralph - Enter Escape
David Maxim Micic - Who Bit the Moon
Nociceptor - Penumbra
Kadinja - Ascendancy
Jotnar - Connected/Condemned
Nova Collective - The Further Side
Pyramaze - Contingent
The Stranger - The Stranger
Voyager - Ghost Mile

[Stevie WOnder]

I was very underwhelmed after one complete listen.
It sounds very disjointed to me, doesn't flow at all well, too much Lee lead vocals, too much repetitiveness (lyrics and same melody) on some songs.
Then the actual recording sounds like a different studio/producer on a few songs.
Very disappointing.

I'm with you after one spin. 2017 sucks as far as new music is concerned.

I only have Secret Sphere and MindMaze that have had constant repeats.

Shame for you! I've already got more than a top 10:

Persefone - Aathma
Shattered Skies - Auxilium // Vol I
The Ralph - Enter Escape
David Maxim Micic - Who Bit the Moon
Nociceptor - Penumbra
Kadinja - Ascendancy
Jotnar - Connected/Condemned
Nova Collective - The Further Side
Pyramaze - Contingent
The Stranger - The Stranger
Voyager - Ghost Mile

Haha! I'm getting old so I'm way pickier than you.

Of your list, I don't care for full on barking discs so Persefone goes.

I don'T know The Ralph, David Maxim, Nociceptor, Kadinja, Jotnar (where do they get those names???), Nova Collective, The Stranger.

The new Voyager is most of the same so it's not hitting me at all and the Pyramaze feels like leftovers from Disciples.

So, it's back to MindMaze, Secret Sphere and Tetrafusion. I haven't heard the new Shattered Skies but I was told it'S definitely weaker than the previous.

Tell me about the rest of your list, you might interest me in something...

[Mardoch]

I'm with you after one spin. 2017 sucks as far as new music is concerned.

I only have Secret Sphere and MindMaze that have had constant repeats.

Shame for you! I've already got more than a top 10:

Persefone - Aathma
Shattered Skies - Auxilium // Vol I
The Ralph - Enter Escape
David Maxim Micic - Who Bit the Moon
Nociceptor - Penumbra
Kadinja - Ascendancy
Jotnar - Connected/Condemned
Nova Collective - The Further Side
Pyramaze - Contingent
The Stranger - The Stranger
Voyager - Ghost Mile

Haha! I'm getting old so I'm way pickier than you.

Of your list, I don't care for full on barking discs so Persefone goes.

I don'T know The Ralph, David Maxim, Nociceptor, Kadinja, Jotnar (where do they get those names???), Nova Collective, The Stranger.

The new Voyager is most of the same so it's not hitting me at all and the Pyramaze feels like leftovers from Disciples.

So, it's back to MindMaze, Secret Sphere and Tetrafusion. I haven't heard the new Shattered Skies but I was told it'S definitely weaker than the previous.

Tell me about the rest of your list, you might interest me in something...

Freakin grandpa!

David Maxim Micic is the guitarist behind Destiny Potato (speaking of names, lol), and Who Bit the Moon is his most recent solo effort. It's djenty and beautiful and just amazing. I'm going to Houston in August to see him and Plini I'm pretty sure. https://davidmaximmicic.bandcamp.com/

Nociceptor you won't like, I think. Djenty, heavy, pretty aggressive, but this disc surprised me. I was expecting brutality like their first effort but I was greeted with maturity and lots of nuance. https://nociceptor.bandcamp.com/

The Ralph is an interesting group. Djenty at the core, but very pop infused. Very approachable. Very little actual growls. I recommend it to everyone here, honestly. https://theralph.bandcamp.com/

Kadinja is straight up djent, but supremely well done. They're one of my favorites in the genre. https://kadinja.bandcamp.com/album/ascendancy

Jotnar is basically old school In Flames. If you like Clayman, Colony, etc....then buy this album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0o6CZaWaIc

Nova Collective is members of Haken and BtBaM doing a fusiony jazzy prog explosion. Instrumental and stunning quality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5P8R_PHKJc

The Stranger is an interesting one. It's on the rock-ish side of metal, full of chops and melody and excellent writing. This one stands a good chance of making you pay attention. https://thestrangerofficial.bandcamp.com/releases

[elendil]

Wait, Clayman and Colony are old-school In Flames?

[Mardoch]

Wait, Clayman and Colony are old-school In Flames?

They definitely are by now!

[elendil]

Fair enough. I thought their nu/groove style had already started to come in by Clayman, though. Their peak for me will always be Subterranean/Jester Race/Whoracle... and what a peak that was...

[Mardoch]

Fair enough. I thought their nu/groove style had already started to come in by Clayman, though. Their peak for me will always be Subterranean/Jester Race/Whoracle... and what a peak that was...

Fair. I favor the groovy stuff from Colony and Clayman and then a while later with Come Clarity. I like all the classics though. Which is why I love Jotnar so much. It's a fresh version of metal from 20 years ago.

[EmptyThoughts]

What a disappointment... A total snooze fest & boring as hell. Most of the songs sound the same & there's too much Lee singing for my tastes. This sounds nothing like Anathema.

This should not be categorized as Prog since there's nothing progressive about this album. This is more Post Rock.

[T'ski]

I think the album is pretty good. Sure, there isn't any "wow" moments, but it continues the trend the band has been on.