JUDGEMENT

This is my favourite Anathema album. I think it strikes the perfect balance between their metal leanings of their early days and their ability to produce beautiful acoustic guitars and keyboards centred melancholia. The songs are slow paced without sounding like a dirge, varied whilst remaining cohesive, and filled with the introspectively mournful lyrics we have long since come to expect as a staple in the band's armoury.

It isn't a flawless album, and there still are weaker tracks, but it holds up well to repeated listens, even within the course of one day. It has a sound that is distinct and easily recognisable as belonging to this particular band.

There are several particularly strong tracks present here, more so than previous (or, indeed, later) Anathema albums. 'One Last Goodbye', a song about the death of the Cavanagh brothers' late mother, is particularly of note. Forgotten Hopes, Make it Right, Judgement, and the female-vocalled Parisienne Moonlight all shine to make this the band's strongest release

4/5