Before the world locked down Anathema's Daniel Cavanagh was writing the follow up to The Optimist, immersing himself in his writing, when the global pandemic hit, Anathema decided to go on hiatus, a move that continues to this day and while Daniel's brother Vincent has returned with the The Radicant, Daniel was working on the songs that would become Oceans Without A Shore.
Alongside the Anathema co-founder is former Anathema drummer and producer Daniel Cardoso the duo re-christened as Weather Systems, named for what is probably Anathema's best album. Signing to Music Theories Recordings, Ocean Without A Shore is Cavanagh using music as catharsis for himself and the debited fandom his previous band had, it's highly emotional, there was often times when fans would weep at Anathema gigs so with Weather Systems it was about continuing this symbiotic relationship with fans.
This connection to their fans and to the past, is obvious from the fact that there's is a third part of the song Untouchable, parts one and two were the masterpieces that appeared on Weather Systems record, the third piece more like a conclusion, as the atmospheric string arrangements are put with introspective piano and acoustic guitars and Cavanagh's keening vocals. There is also a second part of Are You There, the first part appearing on A Natural Disaster, which is full of Floydian touches and more strings. Both are worthy additions to these suites, though for my money opener Synaesthesia musically reminds me more of Untouchable, with the repeating synth/guitar lines in sync with those songs.
Cavanagh performs guitar, keys, piano, synths, bass and takes lead vocals while Cardoso is behind the kit and will be the live musical director, produced with Tony Doogan who produced The Optimist, there are a host of extra vocalists that join, Soraia and Oliwia Krettek taking the role Lee Douglas did in Anathema as female lead and harmony vocals on tracks such as the driving Do Angels Sing Like Rain? Petter Carlsen and Paul Kearns (formerly of Solstice) filling in the Vince role. Still this is Daniel Cavanagh's project, his Anathema, musically similar because it carries his expressive signature, it is a continuation of the band he co-founded.
The electronic/organic beats on Ghost In The Machine, reminding you of the style Anathema started to incorporate from We're Here Because We're Here, influenced obviously by Depeche Mode, as Ocean Without A Shore builds with more oscillating, repeating synths, Still Lake is a massive rocker placed perfectly in the middle of the album segueing into the joyous Take Me With You, though Ocean Without A Shore ends on esoteric The Space Between Us which feels a little like a Devin Townsned track.
Weather Systems is the next chapter in the story of Daniel Cavanagh, from death doom pioneer, to progressive rock magician, the name is different but the song remains the same. 9/10
Lizzard – Mesh (Pelagic Records)
Prog, yeah I like it and when I saw Welsh proggers Godsticks were supporting a band called Lizzard I had to check them out. It turns out the Anglo/French trio have been around for a fair few years (2006), having released four previous albums and have worked with Rhys Fulber, High on Fire, ORK, The Pineapple Thief and the devil himself Terry Bozzio (extra points if you know what the hell I’m on about).
Lizzard – Mesh (Pelagic Records)
Prog, yeah I like it and when I saw Welsh proggers Godsticks were supporting a band called Lizzard I had to check them out. It turns out the Anglo/French trio have been around for a fair few years (2006), having released four previous albums and have worked with Rhys Fulber, High on Fire, ORK, The Pineapple Thief and the devil himself Terry Bozzio (extra points if you know what the hell I’m on about).
Now I’d never heard those albums so I approached their fifth with open ears and liked the noises I was hearing. Collaborating with produced Peter Junge again, Mesh is an optimistic record, true it uses many of the same musical queues of 90’s post punk or someone like Steven Wilson does on Mat Hatters which points the lens at those in power.
The bass throb of Will Knox setting the bottom end for this dreamy but defiant number, as it gets heavier for The Unseen, on which Katy Elwell’s technical rhythms are perfect, the dexterity of her playing also evident on closing track The Beholder. So it’s prog but with a modernity to it, driven by the jangly art rock guitars and soaring vocal melodies from Mat Ricou, there’s a similarity to another Welsh band, The Manic Street Preachers or The Cure on Home Seek. His voice is emotive and his guitar playing soulful, the ideal melodies to such a tight engine room.
The bass throb of Will Knox setting the bottom end for this dreamy but defiant number, as it gets heavier for The Unseen, on which Katy Elwell’s technical rhythms are perfect, the dexterity of her playing also evident on closing track The Beholder. So it’s prog but with a modernity to it, driven by the jangly art rock guitars and soaring vocal melodies from Mat Ricou, there’s a similarity to another Welsh band, The Manic Street Preachers or The Cure on Home Seek. His voice is emotive and his guitar playing soulful, the ideal melodies to such a tight engine room.
Having toured with The Pineapple Thief, ORK and now Godsticks, Lizzard present their Mesh, which will appeal to fans of all of these bands. 8/10
Swamp Coffin – Drowning Glory (APF Records)
The architects of “The World's Slowest Wall Of Death” have a lot to get off their chest, the songs on their 2021 debut Noose Almighty and 2019 Flatcap Bastard Features EP were inspired by the death of Jon Rhodes (vocals/guitars) brother-in-law. In 2017, then a house fire left him and his family homeless, as Noose Almighty was launched released bassist Martyn White attempted to take his own life and when it was finally released Jon’s mother-in-law and Martyn’s father passed away. So if you’re looking for the reason why Drowning Glory feels like it’s comprised of just pure pain and anguish then this will be why.
They did think they were cursed but set about embracing it by cursing anyone who listens, like a Pharoah disturbed in his tomb, unleashing a virus that peels the flesh of grave robbers, Swamp Coffinw want you to feel their pain, uncompromising, unquestionably heavy noise. I say noise, not music, not metal, not sludge, not hardcore because Swamp Coffin play their instruments as if it’s the last thing they’re going to do and they want you to be on edge, to be uncomfortable when songs such as the title track just shout you down against a gloomy backdrop. Topics of mental health and grief mean the record is as honest as it can be, the trio drawing on those personal tragedies to make their way through the mental process associated with them.
Jon told everyone that his only goal was “didn't want anybody to have even the slightest chance to catch their breath”, single This Was Always Going To End In War especially visceral live, the anger and rage of a tumultuous period in their personal history wrought through this second album. The result is the best music of their career so far, it’s so brutal and angry and violent, music that wants you to be intimidated by it. You know you see the meme that reads *slow heavy metal music playing* as someone looks devastated? Swamp Coffin are the soundtrack to that. Be prepared. 9/10
Swamp Coffin – Drowning Glory (APF Records)
The architects of “The World's Slowest Wall Of Death” have a lot to get off their chest, the songs on their 2021 debut Noose Almighty and 2019 Flatcap Bastard Features EP were inspired by the death of Jon Rhodes (vocals/guitars) brother-in-law. In 2017, then a house fire left him and his family homeless, as Noose Almighty was launched released bassist Martyn White attempted to take his own life and when it was finally released Jon’s mother-in-law and Martyn’s father passed away. So if you’re looking for the reason why Drowning Glory feels like it’s comprised of just pure pain and anguish then this will be why.
They did think they were cursed but set about embracing it by cursing anyone who listens, like a Pharoah disturbed in his tomb, unleashing a virus that peels the flesh of grave robbers, Swamp Coffinw want you to feel their pain, uncompromising, unquestionably heavy noise. I say noise, not music, not metal, not sludge, not hardcore because Swamp Coffin play their instruments as if it’s the last thing they’re going to do and they want you to be on edge, to be uncomfortable when songs such as the title track just shout you down against a gloomy backdrop. Topics of mental health and grief mean the record is as honest as it can be, the trio drawing on those personal tragedies to make their way through the mental process associated with them.
Jon told everyone that his only goal was “didn't want anybody to have even the slightest chance to catch their breath”, single This Was Always Going To End In War especially visceral live, the anger and rage of a tumultuous period in their personal history wrought through this second album. The result is the best music of their career so far, it’s so brutal and angry and violent, music that wants you to be intimidated by it. You know you see the meme that reads *slow heavy metal music playing* as someone looks devastated? Swamp Coffin are the soundtrack to that. Be prepared. 9/10
The North West is a hot bed for metal, Winterfylleth especially are the leading lights in that scene, featuring members who also form Ard, Atavist and Necronautical, the latest addition being Magnetar, a band influenced by the Swedish melodic black/death, American and South American thrash/death and British classic metal all coming from the mind of Winterfylleth bassist Dan Walmsley.
Here he plays everything except drums, including clean vocals, with main harsh vocals from Nick Wallwork and drums from Rob Harris. It means that Adorned In Flame is reminiscent of the second wave of black metal, though SCUM which opens the album with some blistering thrash and squealing solos, the black metal storming through on The Shadow Mountains and the chugging To Render The Soul.
Another branch of extreme metal from the Winterfylleth tree of life, one that throws back to a time where metal was political, lean, raw and nasty. 8/10
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