Anathema - Untouchable 2. Emotion vs technical

When Lee Douglas sings her part of the song, it gives me outright chills. Makes the hair on my arm stand up. It’s the only song I have ever heard that facilitates that response. Truly emotional and just haunting. That song (parts 1-2) is truly a masterpiece. The YouTube video of anathema playing at the ancient structure in Bulgaria was a perfect backdrop for the lament contained in this song. The more I hear of anathema the more impressed I am. The emotions inherent in their songs strike far more a chord in me than the cold, detached technical brilliance from a King Crimson, Yes, Genesis etc. When I think about it, if I want utter technical brilliance I’d just listen to Tribal Tech - a musician cant get more technically perfect than them.

I do love some Anathema, though I'm rather new to them and only know their albums since "We're here because we're here". My favourite is Weather Systems, and the first one I got it Distant Satellites, which I like just about as much. However, I don't really understand the usual complaint about emotion on prog, or the classic prog bands. I can hardly imagine a more emotional song than Epitaph, and starless can capture the agnst as well as Anathema can, with that sad melody beginning the song, and then making it's triumphal return at the end. And then there's things like Prince Rupert Awakes, Bolero, Exiles. And Schizoid Man can be very accurate at transmiting some, well, schizofrenic emotions. And then sadness and desperation are not the only emotions there are, and so I would say Yes comes in, often portraying some more positive emotions. And so on.

Coming down to taste is undoubtably accurate, since interpretation differs for all of us. I hear a Yes or King Crimson song and while I hear the many facets of the music, I hear (and see when video is avbl) the utter lack of emotion. It’s as though it’s all occurring by rote. I hear/see Anathema or Sylvan or Pendragon and I see/hear passion and a locked in body/emotional/mental state that pours through the songs. I appreciate the talent and brilliance that a King Crimson puts forth, but invokes no other emotion in me other then a ‘job well done, lads. Played perfectly’. Cold sterile endeavor accomplished. Compared to the raw emotions that an anathema both puts forth and creates via their music / live shows.

Worst concert I ever went to was in the late 80s - the Cars. They just stood on stage motionless and emotion-free and cold sang their songs. Time and money not well spent. That’s what I see and hear within too much prog rock. The concentration and motive to make complex music at the cost of not reaching for ones soul.