ANTIMATTER

Surprisingly, it is not the material form The Judas Table that takes the lion's share of the album's tracklist. Instead, most songs (six in total) are taken off Antimatter's 5th LP Fear of a Unique Identity, with The Judas Table coming off second (with three songs), while only a smaller number of tracks are from Antimatter's earlier records (Saviour, Leaving Eden). It happens to be the case that Fear of a Unique Identity is my least favourite Antimatter's album to date, which inevitably colors my sentiment towards this live release. In truth, the live rendition of tracks like "Paranova" and "Wide Awake in the Concrete Asylum" exceeds their studio counterparts that are included in the original LP, confirming my suspicion that part of that album's issue lay in the sound production. Freed by the dull and grey production, these songs pack a groove that it was hard to envisage and enjoy on the album versions. Other issues, however, persist, like the tracks' excessive duration and the fact that they tend to feature melodies that are generally uninspired, especially when compared with Moss' other songs included here.

These are mostly concentrated in the second-half of the show, which is the part that I enjoy the most. The two fan-favourites from debut album Saviour, "Over Your Shoulder" and "The Last Laugh", are once again a show-stopper, with their mystifying hybrid between electronica and dark rock. "Leaving Eden" is also a great song, one of the best cuts from the crepuscular album it gives the name to. Here lead guitarist Dave Hall is called to the tall order of reproducing Danny Cavanagh's (Anathema) awesome solo that features on the song's studio version, and he delivers in spades. In fact, Dave Hall's performance is one of the album's highlights? his playing full of feeling and emotions, and not just sterile technicality. The rest of the band is very solid too, and the band's overall performance is excellent throughout the show. The sound production is also good, although Ste Hughes' bass may be a tad too prominent in the mix compared to the guitars.

In terms of visuals, there isn't much to note. The performance is absolutely gimmick-free: the most scenic feature of the whole show is probably Dave Hall's use of the e-bow, which says it all, really. The pro is that what you see is exactly what you hear: four guys playing their hearts out to some of their favourite tunes in a natural environment, no frills added. The cons is that the whole show is a bit static and gets a tad monotonous over time, which of course is a problem especially if one is watching this at home on their couch, rather than live in the venue.

Overall, Live Between the Earth & Clouds should appeal to all Antimatter's fans, especially those who appreciate the band's more alt-rock, electric-oriented period between Fear of a Unique Identity and The Judas Table. Personally, I lean more towards the band's acoustic singer-songwriter material (from Saviour, Leaving Eden, Planetary Confinement) or their proggier later output (Black Market Enlightment), and therefore this is not a release that I revisit often. But it is a solid release: good songs, good performances, good production. Simples!

I love this record. The intimate, semi-acoustic setup is perfect for Antimatter's crepuscular, mellow music, especially those songs from earlier albums that feature a mix of acoustic singer-songwriter music, dark electronica and moody post-doom (Savious, Planetary Confinement, Leaving Eden). These are indeed the records that are most represented on this live release, with absolute masterpieces such as "Leaving Eden", "The Last Laugh", "Redemption", "Conspire", "The Weight of the World", and "Legions". Other songs are taken from The Judas Table, which is the album Antimatter were touring at the time ("The Judas Table", "Stillborn Empire", "Black Eyed Man"). Overall, the tracklist offers one highlight after the other, leaving the audience in awe and barely able to catch a breath between one song and the next.

Moss' acoustic guitar delivery is stunning - his playing full of emotion and feel. His voice is excellent too. The strings further enhance the dark hypnotic essence of the material, adding depth and even more darkness, if possible, to the music. Alina Belova's beautiful backing vocals achieve a similar effect. Her deep voice perfectly complements Moss' deep tenor voice, making me wish that one day they would record an album together. The delicate acoustic lull of the songs is occasionally broken by an electric guitar solo by Dave Hall or by Fab Regmann's drumming - adding one more dimension to this incredible show. One small complaint I have, however, is that Alina suddenly disappears halfway through the show, so her vocals are only featured on the first half of the songs, making for a somewhat unbalanced outcome.

Visually, the DVD offers a worthy counterpart to the excellent audio recording. Suffused lights illuminate the musicians, who play close to one another and seated, creating an intimate, cosy atmosphere that immediately invites the audience in. Spotlights are used to highlight key passages in the performances and cool close-ups offer a detailed view of the musicians, often focusing on Moss, but also on Hall and Regmann when their performance calls for it.

Overall, An Epitaph is a must-have live album for any Antimatter's fan out there. This album perfectly captures the essence of this awesome, dark rock band - eternally suspended between acoustic sensibilities and heavy rock pathos. The tracklist is awesome, collecting some of the best Antimatter's songs Moss has ever written. The audio production is great and the visuals complement the music perfectly. If you can own only one Antimatter's live album, it should be this one.

In terms of sound, Fear of a Unique Identity combines the styles Moss had already explored on previous Antimatter's albums. Melancholy acoustic singer-songwriter pieces in the style of Antimatter's third LP Planetary Confinement are juxtaposed to the kind of dark rock tunes that the band had showcased on Leaving Eden, while hints of moody electronica hark back to Antimatter's beginnings (Saviour, Lights Out). The songs are more heavily textured than on previous records, with guitars, synths, violins and programming frequently running in parallel throughout a song. This makes the album feel fuller and more "electric" compared to other Antimatter's LPs, slightly losing however the strong ebb and flow of dynamics that had been a hallmark for the band up to this point.

Despite keeping a focus on verse-chorus structures, on Fear of a Unique Identity Moss also experiments with somewhat longer form compositions, with instrumental detours and bridges occupying a conspicuous part of the album's duration. Most tracks thus exceed the 5-minute mark, and some even approach prog-epic proportions, such as the 6 minutes of "Paranova" or the 8 minutes of "Firewalking". Here, however, likes one of the major pitfalls of the record: there are not sufficiently interesting musical developments happening in these tracks to justify their elongated form. The instrumental passages do little more than repeat endlessly the main riffs or motifs. The bridges pass by anonymously, and even the choruses fail to leave a strong impression, lacking those hooks that Moss had instead dispensed in abundance in his previous songs.

The production by Al Groves is another weak point. Everything on this album sounds slightly muddy and muffled, almost as if every color and brightness had been suck out of it, to render it grey and lifeless. Maybe that was intentional, as it kinda fits the record's lyrical theme. But it certainly isn't a great move, because it adds to the sense of dreariness and dullness that the songs' excessive duration already induces. As a result, all tracks tend to blur into one another, making the whole listening experience rather tiresome, as the clock watching starts well before the album reaches its midway.

Ultimately, there are only a handful of tracks that I really like and return to on this record. These are the shorter, acoustic tunes ("Here Come the Men", "A Place in the Sun") as well as the single "Uniformed & Black", which packs a good punch and a catchy refrain. The rest of the songs somewhat miss that spark, energy and catchiness that had made so many of Moss' previous songs such brilliant earworms. As a result, I consider this album the weakest Antimatter's full-length released to date.

Soundwise, the new LP is not radically different from the previous one, mixing acoustic singer-songwriter music with dark rock and electronica - all imbued in deep melancholy and gothic/doomy atmospheres. The songs are driven by Moss' guitar, alternating between acoustic arpeggios and strumming, and more electric distorted riffs. There are a handful of guest musicians on the record, providing excellent guitar leads and solos, including Dave Hall, Kevin Dunn, and Glenn Bridge. Rachel Brewster is also back with her beautiful violin harmonies, while the rhythmic section, comprised of bassist Ste Hughes and drummer Liam Edwards, keeps a groovy steady beat for most part. Female backing vocals are perhaps less prominent than on previous Antimatter's records, and are provided by Jenny O'Connor and, on "Little Piggy", by Kirayel.

Lyrically, the album marks a return to more personal writings, based on Moss' own life experiences rather than the kind of social commentary he attempted on Fear of a Unique Identity. In fact, The Judas Table is a concept album, where Moss writes about the people who he has met throughout his life and who have betrayed or disappointed him. The more personal lyrics lend themselves to a more passionate and emotional delivery, which is exactly what Moss gives us here.

The big selling point of this new set of songs is the strength of their melodies and their ability to make their point concisely and incisively, something that Fear of a Unique Identity was definitely lacking. A handful of tracks included here have become all-time classic for Antimatter's fans, which testifies to the strength of the LP's material. These include opening track "Black Eyed Man", splendidly suspended between acoustic mellowness and sudden surges of power, the bitter anthem "Stillborn Empires" and the semi-acoustic piece "Little Piggy", with its humorous but caustic lyrics, beautifully interpreted by Moss. Other strong tracks include "Comrades", "Integrity" and the title-track "The Judas Table", which is more of a grower but actually one of the most ambitious and interesting songs of the record. There are also weaker pieces, however. The likes of "Killer", "Hole" and "Can of Worms" are not quite up to the level of the rest of the material, and the LP may have benefitted if at least some of these filler tracks would have been excluded. In terms of production, The Judas Table is a big step up compared to Fear of a Unique Identity. Daniel Cardoso (Anathema) takes on production duties here and he provides the music the kind of depth and warmth it needs, making it feel natural and close to the listener in a way the perfectly fits Moss' instrumentation and intimate delivery. I also appreciated the sequencing of tracks on the album: I love how, after an electric and fairly aggressive beginning ("Black Eyed Man", "Killer"), the LP gradually transitions to a more acoustic and mellow phase ("Little Piggy", "Hole"), before injecting another dose of electric energy ("Integrity", "The Judas Table"), until its short acoustic outro ("Goodbye").

Overall, The Judas Table is a strong album that sets Mick Moss and Antimatter right back on course, after the slight misstep of the previous album. Moss seems to have found again his penchant for writing brooding yet exquisitely melodic and catchy tunes, which are present in spades on this record. There are some slightly duller tunes too, which is why this LP does not quite match the level of splendor of some previous Antimatter's releases (Saviour, Leaving Eden).It is nevertheless a strong return to form for the band, showing once again glimpses of Moss' extraordinary dark rock sensibilities.

Black Market Enlightenment is still rooted in Mick Moss' typical songwriting style, juxtaposing acoustic and electric elements to create a dark, melancholic atmosphere that perfectly suits his deep, tormented vocal delivery. Dashes of electronica emerge continuously throughout the album, and so do the aforementioned Pink Floyd influences. Alternative rock and gothic rock are also styles that Moss occasionally incorporates into his musical palette, adding a further degree of raw moodiness to the proceedings.

Although this eclectic approach is not new to Antimatter, the LP's 9 songs stand out for their adventurousness and the ease with which they push limits. In terms of structure, Moss detaches himself from the standard verse-chorus blueprint that had characterized much of Antimatter's preceding output. The songs take a dilated form, where melodies do return recursively but without following a rigid, predefined structure. Instead, Moss lets the music take off in any direction that may be most suitable to capture the mood and atmosphere of each composition. Sometimes, a song develops into a long instrumental break. Other times, new melodic ideas are weaved into a song's texture, taking the whole piece in a different direction. There is a distinctive sense of "everything goes" that prevails on this album and makes it terribly exciting, as one is kept on their toes all the time, unsure where the music may go next.

Black Market Enlightenment also stands out for the use of richer tone colour compared to previous Antimatter's records. While Moss had used violins before in his band's albums, here he greatly expanded the range of "unusual" instruments employed in a rock context. Flute, saxophone and qamancha (a type of Armenian stringed bowed instrument) find a lot of space on the album, adding tons of character and variety to the songs. The qamancha is a particularly fitting instrument here, with its oriental, vaguely Beatlesy sound that perfectly complements the lyrical theme of the album (centred on Moss' own experience with drugs, but also touching on how mind-altering substances were popularized by 1960s/70s psychedelia and rock music).

The LP is best experienced in one sitting, letting the music ebb and flow with its explorative nature and terrific sense of dynamics. There are no weak tracks here, although the central part of the album ("Partners in Crime", "Sanctification" and "Existential") stands out as one of the most adventurous and bold sequence of songs in Antimatter's discography. "Sanctification" stuns with its slow, almost imperceptible crescendo that takes us from a sparsely-arranged, tip-toed beginning to a thunderous finale where drummer Fab Regmann (Décembre Noir; Disbelief) does not shy away from his metal heritage delivering some great blast beats. Meanwhile, "Existential" features a posthumous contribution by the late Aleah Stanbridge, whose beautiful backing vocals add an ethereal touch to this already haunting composition.

Ultimately, Black Market Enlightenment is one of Antimatter's best records to date. Comprised of brand new material from the first to last song, the LP finds Moss in a state of songwriting grace: inventive and fearlessly experimental, but always deeply melodic and accessible. The end result is an album that keeps on giving and remains fresh and interesting even after multiple listens, in the best progressive tradition.

It turns out I shouldn't have worried at all: at least three-quarters of A Profusion of Thought are made up of stuff from the stars - easily some of the best material that Mick Moss has ever penned in his whole career. Moss is a very special songwriter, who mixes acoustic and electric elements in a unique sound. Fingerpicked or gently strummed acoustic guitars naturally coexist next to distorted riffs and chords - almost as if a doom band had decided to re-arrange music written by an offbeat and melancholic singer-songwriter. Moss is also a very eclectic musician, embedding in his songs elements from traditional metal styles (mainly doom and gothic), progressive rock, alternative rock as well as electronica. The weights of these different influences has shifted over the years, from the glorious dark electronica experiments of Antimatter's earlier albums (Saviour, Lights Out), to the more alt rock-oriented sound of Fear of a Unique Identity and The Judas Table, to the stunning progressive undercurrents of the band's latest LP Black Market Enlightenment.

The great thing about A Profusion of Thought is that, because its songs have been originally composed over the years and for different albums, we get to experience the full gamut of Antimatter's diverse influences and styles in the short space of a single LP. Slow-burning dark rock pieces like "No Contact" are juxtaposed to bluesy acoustic ballads ("Fold") and Floydian-tinged dystopian laments ("Paranoid Carbon"). Elsewhere, Antimatter stun us with a foray in Depeche Mode electro-gloom ("Templates"), while "Heathen" is the closer they ever got to write a bona-fide goth anthem. It's absolutely exhilarating to navigate the manifold twists and turns offered by the LP, which is undoubtedly the most varied and polymorphous collections of songs the UK band has released so far.

Moss' intelligent arrangements and strong sense of melody ensure that, despite its variety, A Profusion of Thought remains cohesive and coherent from start to finish. His voice and guitars are the red thread that runs through the whole record and give it its own unique identity. Daniel Cardoso's (Anathema) warm and natural production also contributes to this effect. He puts a lot of emphasis on bass sounds in the mix, which exalts Moss' riffy approach to the bass instrument and gives the music a groovy and intimate feel overall.

A few paragraphs above, I said that three-quarters of this LP are stellar. "What about the remaining quarter?" you may wonder. Well, that is a bit more hit and miss, if you ask me. The last three songs of the album in particular feel like filler material. The melodies are slightly duller and the arrangements less exciting. They overall sound like lesser versions of some of the preceding tracks, which gives the record a slightly sketchy ending.

Despite the unspectacular finale, A Profusion of Thought is a mighty strong record that provides a beautiful bird's eye perspective on the different shades of dark rock/metal Antimatter have been dispensing for more than two decades now. The diversity of the material included here, together with its consistently high quality, give the LP a feel of a "Best Of?" collection, which is however made up of previously unreleased songs. As such, A Profusion of Thought will appeal to both old fans and newcomers to the band. The former will revel in the trip down memory lane the album provides as it pokes at styles and influences that have not been so prominent in Antimatter's music since the early 2000s. Newcomers will instead find that A Profusion of Thought is a great place to start exploring the catalogue of one of the most consistent dealers of darkness out there in the musicsphere.

[Originally written for The Metal Observer]

"No Contact" first title clean, dark on a minimalist guitar arpeggio allowing a slow rise and giving breadth, a saxophone in the line SUPERTRAMP comes to break a time then return to Mick with his spleen, hypnotic voice associated with saturated electric guitars ANATHEMA for an adrenaline-filled finale. "Paranoid Carbon" cold synth intro chilling the air, when the voice combines perfectly with the tonality of the dark instruments on an ambient MASSIVE ATTACK, latent alternative rock movement with its progressive sounding at the end and the addition of Irish which improves. "Heathen" leaves on a dark wave tune of the 80's, BUSH in his progressive alternative rock universe, tune of 'Just an illusion' too; Mick raises his voice and gives a strong range; the sax joins it before the heady and hypnotic final crescendo. "Templates" continues on these electro sounds with a slide guitar in the background; monolithic rhythm carried by the basic synth for a melancholic, simple, unpretentious melody; yes it was without thinking of this debauchery of sounds in the end with a sound scratched by the distortions; pleasant arabic end. Acoustic "Fold" to magnify Mick's voice; good in lack of ANATHEMA I find a little semblance for the depressive side; piece where beauty joins melancholic darkness, to be listened to in form so as not to waste away, the CAVANAGH-like solo can make you cry, Mick has a plaintive touch in fact.

"Redshift" arpeggio with flute to amplify stereophonic minimalist sound; slow atmospheric melody with Mick and Irish subtly complementing each other; the hypnotic chorus is reminiscent of ANATHEMA, AMAROK and X-Files. The sax slightly disturbs the air which was well calibrated, singular. "Fools Gold" pours on another style, more rock like THE GATHERING of the beginning; the flute comes to help the plaintive guitar and the vocals, there is also DIRE STRAITS with this crystalline slide guitar; the most progressive track here with a guffawing voice-over break, shrapnel sound, drum rolls THE CURE could play, hold a fly now; the more consensual ending. "Entheogen" with the sound of waves in the distance and a return to electronic sounds now drawing on SIMPLE MINDS, a delicate, lively and hovering title; repetitive title also with Mick using his voice as an instrument; Vardan takes us on a journey with an innovative oriental sound thanks to the qamancha for a daring, languorous musical trip. "Breaking the Machine" for the interlude where spleen competes with atmospheric sluggishness, a real progressive gem in itself that took 20 years to craft, my favorite. "Kick the Dog" faster and jerky rhythm for a radio edit car more rock track featuring Mick's tormented guitar one last time.

ANTIMATTER is full of haunting thoughts and shows a musical showcase reminiscent of 2007's magnificent 'Leaving Eden' with moody atmospheric sound alternating electro, post, acoustic; more alternative sound from different archives of the last 5 albums, finally revealed to the public. Glaucous, suave, cottony atmospheres, a voice apart, emotion in bar, a bewitching sound, ANTIMATTER hits hard.

And curiously, this album sounds more than I expected llike the great Alternative 4 from Anathema, which is undoubtedly the best album where Patterson has ever participated. Therefore, depressing environments with sad guitars and piercing bass melodies reappear, adorned by not always well-tuned female voices and Moss's elegant vocals.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that there are three or four brilliant songs, the album becomes dull in the long run, preventing repeated listening. The mediocre female singin does not help either.

Despite everything, lovers of the darker and more melancholic electronic progressive may appreciate this Saviour.

Best Tracks: Over Your Shoulder (beautiful guitar melodies and good vocals), Psalms (enters in the trip-hop field, but it's a good song) and The Last Laugh (definitely, when Moss sings the album is better)

My Rating: **

It's the first album I hear from this band, and I must say that despite the style that they practice is my favorite kind of prog (dark, atmospheric and dense) this collection of songs lack some kind of hook.

The production is fine, and the vocals clear and deep, but apart from a pair of tracks the album is rather dull and insubstantial.

Best Tracks: This is Not Utopia (the catchiest track of the album), Sanctification (complex and powerful) and Between the Atoms (good instrumental development)

Conclusion: if you are into bands like Riverside and Anathema, you'll probably find Black Market Enlightenment interesting. But in my opinion, this is an irregular album with a songwriting that is not enough interesting or imaginative to be considered a worthy addition to any prog music collection.

My Rating: **

While the previous album had a more stripped down effect, BLACK MARKET ENLIGHTENMENT expands the dimensions of the elements set forth once Moss essentially went solo. This album's theme is that of drug addiction and tackles the extremely heavy subject matter in the lyrical department while creating a dark and lugubrious musical backdrop to push it forward. The material is some of the most complex that ANTIMATTER has done with a sense of melancholy that hangs over the album like a lingering black cloud but very effective indeed as the impeccably produced mix and excellent compositions create one of the rare instances where Gothic rock and progressive rock work so well together. This is surely one of the most tense listens of the year as it walks a tightrope between complete emotional breakdown and a sense of suppressed rage waiting to explode but somehow keeps its cool throughout its run.

While Mick Moss is the sole member who plays acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, bass and provides vocals, BLACK MARKET ENLIGHTENMENT also adds four extra musicians providing flute, saxophone, drums and a traditional Iranian bowed string instrument called the kamancheh (also kamanche, kamancha or qamancha.) There are also two female vocalists that provide a feminine touch on backing vocals. While the creepy mid-tempo music adds an almost shoegazy sort of guitar distortion with Moss' Gothic vocal style leading the way, the Middle Eastern percussive drives and the kamancheh take the music to an eerie new world where various strains of reality intersect in an unfamiliar way. The synthesizer rich darkwave atmospheric overcast keeps this one in the clouds like a perpetual brain fog that is tuned into some foreign radio station that is set to sadness.

Like most Gothic related music whether it exist in the extremities of metal or the more sensual touches of the Nick Cave camp, this music is eerily romantic and fragile. While the music generally creeps along, the Middle Eastern drumming can become energetic especially on tracks like "Essential," and while the guitar heft is mostly reserved as an atmospheric generator with echoey distortion, it is also implemented to create some metal riffs that chug along to add a sense of crescendo to the mostly stoic and detached emotional tug of war. Moss' vocal style is very limited as he sings in a low register but has mastered the art of eking out emotional responses with subtle vocal vibrato and tantalizing trills. While BLACK MARKET ENLIGHTMENT has been accused of moving more to the world that Anathema (which ironically ex-founder Duncan Patterson played in) has carved out and there is some truth to that, the mood remains more reserved and much more dependent on the darkwave synthesizer dominated atmospheric touches to convey its overall plan.

With utterly addictive composiitons that are instantly catchy and a nice interplay between the sensual acoustic, heavy electric and atmospheric elements, BLACK MARKET ENLIGHTENMENT qualitatively connects the listener to the subject matter and draws you into the bleakness of the grimy world of substance abuse. The instantly catch tracks will hook you immediately but the sophisticated and subtle mix of the swirling storm of sonic interplay will keep you coming back for more. This album is considered heavier than previous ones and offers just enough bombast to create the perfect corrivalry of musical elements. ANTIMATTER is not only back but seems to be getting better with each new album. Favorite track: "Between The Atoms" which also happens to be the longest.