WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE HERE

I discovered this album (and at the same time this band) because it was mixed by Steven Wilson. I remember that I didn't went to my philosophy class that day to go to my local reccord store and I end up buying this album just because the the man that owned the store said to me it was great. And it is indeed, in my opinion, a great album. All the songs just flows out one after each other so perfectly and each pieces have a really strong personality.

The opener ''Thin Air'' starts the album and right away gives the tone. Etheral voices and atmospheric guitar melodies with a strong progression, it really make you feel you are having some transcendantal experience with the universe; and that is a subject they seems to particulary loves.

''Summernight Horizon'' has that same strong feeling with nice drumming and guitar chords, it pretty much continue in the same way the album have started.

Then comes the nice piano driven ''Dreaming Light''. Appart from being another song talking about how light just fill your soul of peace, the music still speaks for itself. It is uplifting and has a great production with the solo that I particulary likes.

''Everything'' is also a nice song with some female backing vocal that gives a great feel to the song.

The two next song are for me two part of the same song. ''Angels Walk Amough Us/Presence'' could is a strong moment of that album. The first part have great guitars melodies and the vocals are really good. The song flow likes the others, in a stream of peace and contemplation. It could sound cliché, but on this album Anathema really arrive to make the feel reach out to the listenner. ''Presence'' is one of my favorite moment. The organ just start with guitar in the background, and while Ville Valo of HIM talks about the eternity of live, the organ just go stronger until Lee Douglas start singing ''Only you can heal your live'' on a lean back drum. Kind of spiritual I would say.

Then the next song is more a come back to earth. ''A Simple Mistake'' is another great produced song with all the elements we have seen on the other songs and keep the progression of the album.

''Get Off Get Out'' really bring something new in the rhythm we the vocals and the more heavy guitar parts. In all, it gives another punch to the listenning experience.

''Universal'' is also very interesting. Starting slowly with orchestral synth and vocals, it continue with a calm drum part and grow stronger as the song progress and gives a great guitar solo. Then it falls down to let a powerful intrumental part to take place.

Starting with radio interferences until another speach about spirituality is spoken, ''Hindsight'' is a perfect final for this reccord. It is calm and uplifting and the guitar then just gives all of its power on a flying melodie to end the song same way it has started, calmly, and peacefuly.

I would rate this album 4.5/5. The music is on all tracks very well performed and interesting, but the lyrics could have been some time more diversified. But in the end, this reccord is an highlight from 2010 and it essential to give it a listen.