WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE HERE

I hope since it's my birthday today you will put up with some ramblings from yours truly. It would have been Antoine's birthday today too, as well as Ronnie James Dio's, but both are gone. It's been a good day in spite of having to work. Listened to ANEKDOTEN's "Gravity" this afternoon, sort of a present to myself. The greatest gift I received today though was listening to this complete album on my way to work. It was sunny, I left plenty early so I could take my time and drive the long way so as to enjoy this new album from ANATHEMA. I've actually been listening to it for about a week now. It's different from their previous albums. Sure you know it's them right away but the lyrics are different. This band really is a family with three Cavangh brothers along with the brother / sister duo of John and Lee Douglas.They share expenses and just about everything else.The pictures in the liner notes are very meaningful to them. There's one of the school they went to, the old neighbourhood and streets they frequented. As I said before something has changed with this band.

The song "Presence" has this man speaking words and he talks about reading a little exerpt in a book that said "Life is not the opposite of death. Death is the opposite of birth, life is eternal." And you can't help but feel this is really the band speaking through this man as he talks about life. It was an epithany as it were. Life changing words. So we get this album cover much like EPIGNOSIS' album cover where light chases away the darkness.This is a very spiritual album, not religious at all but very spiritual and positive. And emotional beyond anything I have ever heard. Steven Wilson who mixed it said it was one of the best albums he has ever worked on.

"Hindsight" begins with this woman speaking these words "Intangible. Eternal. Without beginning nor end. The nameless, formless energy that permeates all living things.That sweeps through nature like a ripple in an ocean, sending cascades of timeless wonder through the air, on the song of a bird, the freshness of the morning air. A clear calling for our inner nature to awaken beyond our every day lives, and fears...". This album contains very powerful words along with just as powerful music.The combination has left me not knowing what to say. All I can do is feel as water rises in my eyes then falls throughout this experience. Lots of strings here and perhaps mellotron I don't know.The atmosphere is thick and powerful though. "Dreaming Light" and "Angels Walk Amongst Us" are beyond beautiful.The latter especially when he cries out "Mother can you hear me ?" which brings to mind right away that emotional song from "Judgment" called "One Last Goodbye" about their mom.

Best album of 2010 ? I can't answer this now but in time I will. The fact i'm even considering this questions in regards to this album is enough.