ANEKDOTEN

WOW!!!

You call it Heavy, I call it "Eclectic".

In many ways a refreshing going back to their roots. Anekdoten has been one of those bands with releases every several years (every 3-4), this one came after a whooping 8 years silence, and to my amazement a very good album indeed.

IMHO this Swedish ensemble had one of the most amazing debut albums over the past few decades with Vemod back in 1993, with indeed a heavy KC influence. With the exception of Nucleus they did drifted into a more Scandinavian melodic music (nothing wrong with that) as Gravity is one of their best releases overall. In spite of that, they would kept their sound very much intact and only characteristic to 'Anekdoten'.

This particular last release, I found it my self right in the middle of all their previous albums, as they do mix music from both aspects of their repertoire (Eclectic and Melancholic), maybe with a more Melancholic tendency (again nothing wrong with that), blow me away the first time I listened and has grown on me exponentially after several spins.

Mr.Theo Travis (from KC fame) has contributed with Flute, and together with the Sax of Gustav Nygren have expanded their sound even more this time around.

I personally over the past few years, have come to adore wind instruments on my progressive music addiction.

Is also nice to see that Per Wiberg is back on the spot (from Vemod appearance) on Organ, and and invited Marty Wilson-Piper on Lead guitar on the album name track.

Of course, the double Mellotrons continue their omnipresence, as from the beginning of their musical career, together with Nicklas's guitar solos.

UATGAG is in my opinion a typical Scandinavian/Anekdoten affair in every sense, and at the current time writing this critique, this album is one of my favorites from this great Swedish Band.

The shortest track clocked at 5:07 and most of the material is long enough to keep you entertain. The heaviest and most eclectic song is without a doubt 'Shooting Star' followed by 'Our Days are''

My favorite track is definitely 'Our Days'' mostly because it has enough textures of heavy/melancholic passages (with some passages really recalling Anglagard, with that heavenly Mellotron presence) but what in my mind makes this track so special and good in this release, is the constant signature changes with the addition of Sax for the first time, mouth drooling!!

Judging by the way Anekdoten release new material, is probably about time to have a new album, one can only hope for'

I got my self the Japanese/Arcangelo Edition, as have an extra CD with alternate mixes of 'shooting.., If it all' and Our Days'' (which are a great inclusion in my opinion)

Overall this album would be a great addition to any prog music collection and for the Anekdoten fan a real delight. 4 Stars

Fourth album by the impressive Anekdoten!!!

So far, I have only listened to their first four albums, and without a doubt this Gravity is the one I like the most of all of them.

Unlike in From Within there is no fillers to be found here maybe with the exception of the rather anodyne The Games We Play (Sigur Ros influences here), it is not as dense as Nucleus, and without a doubt the band sounds much more cohesive and mature than in Vemod.

I even like Niklas Barker's voice better on this album! It's certainly still the band's weakest point, but here at least he sounds in tune and doesn't bother at all.

So as soon as you like heavy prog with tons of mellotron, give Gravity a try! And if you've never listened to Anekdoten, it also seems like a perfect album to immerse yourself in their discography.

Best Tracks: Monolith (hypnotic and with incredible Mellotron work), Ricochet (I especially like the verses, performed with exquisite taste, and of course the great keyboard solo), The War is Over (beautiful acoustic guitar work) , What Should but Did not Die (impressive keyboard arrangements and an anthological crescendo for what is perhaps the most intense track on the album), Gravity (the best composition on the album altogether, highlighting a punchy bass in a great instrumental interlude )

My Rating: ****

Something about Japan - and perhaps more specifically the experience of stepping onto a Japanese stage in front of an audience of enthusiastic local fans - seems to bring out the best in Anekdoten. As with the earlier Official Bootleg, Waking the Dead captures them in the course of a Japanese tour - this time in 2005 - and just like with that album, the live context and atmosphere really helps bring their music to a level they've only fleetingly been able to capture on their studio albums.

This time around, Anekdoten dip their toes into some almost post-rock-esque sections, especially in their quieter moments, and between that and the setlist of more recent songs this album has enough of a different sound from the preceding Official Bootleg that the two releases complement each other magnificently.

Whereas From Within had Anekdoten teasing out the more ornate, gothic, atmospheric prog side of their sound, Gravity finds them leaning back into some of the alternative rock influences which had been more prominent on their debut but had been mostly dormant since, revisiting and updating a sonic territory they'd otherwise had somewhat moved away from. It's still recognisably Anekdoten, mind you, but an Anekdoten more willing to get a little quiet and acoustic than they had been for some time, an Anekdoten who sound a bit closer to the mainstream here than they would on any of their other studio albums.

A live double album from Anekdoten's early peak, offering excellent, raucous, heavy renditions of their material. Most of Vemod and Nucleus is here, as are a number of non-album tracks (a good chunk of which would eventually see release on From Within), and the overall standard of the performance is fantastic. Whereas the studio renditions of the track in question are decent enough, they don't capture the energy that Anekdoten has live, and I'd say that if you've previously restricted yourself to the band's studio albums you've only heard half the story, at least as far as this early phase of their career goes.

Anekdoten returned back with a modern mixture of prog, alternative rock, Canterbury and alternative pop influences. On average, the songs are calmer than before. The album does not bring anything revolutionary but shows that the band changes over time.

The first song "The great unknown" flows well and shows the band in a good shape. Canterbury influences with hard KC elements can be heard on "30 pieces". A great calm flute section can also be heard. "King oblivion" is a soft melodical song and one of the most catchy in their repertoire. "Every step I take" is a welcome instrumental trip with echoes of post-rock. "Stardust and sand" is another soft and semi- acoustic song to reflect. "In for a ride" brings an organ sound reminiscent of Caravan times.

Though not a bad album, it is not very memorable either. We must give Anekdoten credit for not resting on their laurels and providing an even album.

Anekdoten returned to the stage with an updated sound and composing on their fourth album, Gravity.What used to be a prototype 90's KC-inspired progressive rock has turned into an alternative sounding rock with typical progrock instruments and layers without the previous complexity.

The first song shows a greater degree of accessibility than ever before, driven by mellotron, not heavy guitar riffs and mainstream friendly drums. "Ricochet" reminds me of Anathema not only because of vocals but also the rhythm section. "What should but did not die" is one of the closest songs harking back to the old times, however, gone is the raw brutality; the guitar riffs are decent and radio friendly. "SW4" is a forgettable track with experimental mood, what stands out is a digital piano line. The title track is one of the best on the album and gives space for mellotron to shine through. It's the last track "Seljak", where I finally find my favourite track. This fully instrumental and nostalgic number is a rather complex number with drums and guitar exceeding themselves. Melancholy reminds me of Opeth way of depression. All instruments are impressive here.

Overall, this is a pleasant album but in comparison to the previous ones, it didn't make Anekdoten stand out from the crowd.

On this release, Anekdoten updated their sound to be more contemporary, include more keyboard sounds but at the heart, King Crimson still remains a clear influence. Singing has improved to be more convicing although still lacking the range of a common singer. This album is a seminal change in the direction that Anekdoten would be pursuing in the future.

"Kiss of life" showcases where band will be heading to in the future - a more streamlined and accessible interplay between mellotron/keyboard, guitar and rhythm section, excluding metallic fever and avantgarde elements.

"Hole" is a cornerstone on this album, however it reveals less in 11 minutes than some previous Anekdoten tracks in 7. The quiet parts represent the track majority and aren't too memorable. "Slow fire" and "Firefly" focus more on the overall feeling than sonic details. "The sun absolute" has a repetitive but capturing mellotron and xylophone interplay. The last track on the album is a poignant and melancholic one, the sung vocal suits very well.

Overall, it is a very enjoyable album although not on the same level as the first two in terms of music quality.

Anekdoten returned with another raw, uncompromising album that is subtle and mellow as a contrast. The first track shows the development in the last two years: More confidence in new instruments, more variation in singing and less stiffness, also some inspiration by avantgarde and metal music. The intro is one of the heaviest by Anekdoten. Unusual singing on "Harvest" reminds me of alternative rock, especially in the end. The anthemic "Book of hours" is a lengthy piece taking its time to reach climax. The guitar notes in the intro accompanied by mellotron slowly take crescendo. The experimental part comes after a mellotron chorus featuring disonant avantgarde notes. "Raft" and "Rubank" have a unpolished and also unfinished feeling. "Here" is one of the few tracks on the album featuring cello to create a layer of deep sadness. "This far from the sky" is my favourite track on the album. The metallic riffs interchange with mellow guitar tones and excellent flute. The melotron chorus especially the crescendoed one at 3:30 leaves me speechless. Delicate guitar and heavy King Crimson like sounding parts add to the beautiful listening experience. The last track is quite different - mellow sounding harmony vocals, cello soundscape and xylophone in the end.

Anekdoten reached another level of maturity with this album and the album stood the test of time. Highly recommended.

Together with Änglagard, Anekdoten are the most famous Swedish bearer of the King-Crimson message in the 90's.

In comparison to Änglagard, Anektoden is less melodic, melancholic and stiffer, in other words, slightly different. It is also more accessible than Änglagard, in my opinion.

Vemod is one of their best albums if not the best one. A good balance of instrumental and rarely sung music as well as presence of violin and mellotron bring the KC authenticity.

"Karelia" is a trademark instrumental combining heavy and mellow moments having a memorable dark mellotron intro. Delicate guitar lines belong to another highlight. "Old man and the sea" is in its composition a complex piece very much resembling King Crimson style. "Where solitude remains" has a killing melancholic solo in the end and 3/4 rhythm pattern in the beginning. The mellow "Thoughts in absence" showcases flute, jazz guitar licks and synths, something that Opeth could be doing in 20 years on. "The flow" is not surprisingly focusing mainly on the music flow rather than melody or arrangements until the 5th minute when a very progressive experimental dynamic section kicks in. "Longing" has a pastoral and broken feeling that makes it the most peaceful track on the album.

The album "Vemod" is characterised by mature composition and playing and will be a welcome addition to any prog music collection.