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Anathema > Judgement > Reviews
Anathema - Judgement

A high point in Anathema’s discography - 94%

lukretion, January 2nd, 2021
Written based on this version: 1999, CD, Music for Nations

Anathema’s fifth full-length, Judgment, is where things finally started falling into place for the band. Anathema had been honing their dark, atmospheric metal/rock sound since their death-doom beginnings, but it is only on Judgment that they found the right formula for a (near) perfect album. Emotionally-charged, extremely musical, with a strong identity, and very consistent in quality, Judgment is one my favorite albums of all times, and not just within Anathema’s discography.

The differences relative to their previous album, Alternative 4, are many. First, the band went through a line-up shake up. Long-time bass player Duncan Patterson left the band. This could have been a fatal blow for the band because Duncan had contributed to a lot of the songwriting on Anathema’s previous two albums, Eternity and Alternative 4, and he was at the time one of the creative driving forces of the band. The transition went smoothly, however, with Danny Cavanagh stepping up in the role of main songwriter and Dave Pybus joining in as Duncan’s replacement - and doing a very fine job at it. This was not the only line-up change, though. Founding member John Douglas returned on drums after sitting out the recording sessions for Alternative 4, where he was replaced by Shaun Taylor-Steels. Moreover, on Judgment we also hear for the first time the voice of Lee Douglas, John’s sister, who from this point onwards will become a regular guest and eventually a full member of the band in later years.

Sound-wise, there are also significant differences between Judgment and Alternative 4. The latter played on the contrast between gentle piano motifs and uncomfortable metallic blasts, making for a claustrophobic and angular listening experience. Judgment is much lusher and smoother. At its core, it is an acoustic album: the metallic riffs are replaced with gentle acoustic guitar strums and arpeggios that, in most songs, constitute the whole backbone of the music. Guitar distortion is used sparingly and mostly for dynamic effect in the songs’ crescendos. Vincent’s low-register singing also contributes to the mellow atmosphere of the record, and so does the deep, bass-laden sound and production provided by Ventimiglia (Italy) Damage Inc. Studios. The Pink Floyd influences, which on previous releases were layered not-so-subtly on a metal backdrop, here have matured into a more cohesive sound that the band has made their own. There are still a few Gilmourish moments (the guitar solos on “Emotional Winter”; the instrumental “2000 & Gone”), but for most part Anathema show that they have finally fully absorbed the influence of Roger Waters and co., and elaborated it into something new.

The end-result is a very emotional album, dark but hopeful and serene at the same time, transmitting very different vibes compared to the dispassionate, bitter sensations of Alternative 4. Because of this, some consider Alternative 4 the last “metal” album that Anathema have released. They may be right: Judgment veers decidedly towards more alternative rock territories, with some hints of dark/gothic rock. Yet, with the benefit of hindsight, I cannot help but notice that this is the same sound that many bands that are nowadays considered “progressive metal” (for instance, Riverside) will adopt in subsequent years. In this sense, I think Anathema were actually pioneers of our contemporaneous “prog metal” sound.

The album tracklist is nearly flawless. Each song has its own identity, from heart-rending ballads to dark, angrier affairs. The quality of the songwriting is consistently high, making each song a little masterpiece, with melodies that are strong and memorable without being cheap. The first 4 tracks (“Deep”, “Pitiless”, “Forgotten Hopes”, “Destiny Is Dead”) form an interconnected mini-suite, each track bleeding into the next one. It’s a great way to start the album, which draws the listeners in from the get-go, without leaving them time to breathe. “One Last Goodbye” is a beautiful, poignant ballad dedicated to the Cavanagh bothers’ mother who had passed away a few years prior. It is one of the most memorable and popular Anathema’s songs, and for good reason: its simple melody is absolutely stunning and Vincent’s singing perfectly transmits the deep pain of loss. “Parisienne Moonlight” is a short piano-based ballad where we find the first of many future duets between Lee Douglas and the Cavanagh bothers (Danny, in this case). Then there is “Judgment”, the title-track, a darker piece that starts slow before exploding in an almost punkish finale. Drummer John Douglas also contributes to the songwriting with a bunch of grittier tracks with awesomely introspective lyrics, among which “Don’t Look Too Far” and “Wings of God” stand out. The only two tracks that I consider skippable in this very fine album are the anonymous “Make It Right (F.F.S.)” and the tentative “Anyone, Anywhere”.

But the true beauty of this album lies in the way these individually-magnificent tracks form an even more magnificent whole. The album has a great pace: the seamless alternation between softer and heavier pieces provides enough variation to keep the listener entertained. The cohesive sound and the serene but dark atmosphere tie the songs together in an emotional arc that draws the listener in and keeps her locked in throughout its 57 minutes. At the end of the day, what matters is not whether this is a metal album or not, but the quality of the music: and on that front Judgment is a near perfect album and certainly one of the highlights in Anathema’s outstanding discography.

An Emotional Masterwork - 92%

Luvers, July 22nd, 2020
Written based on this version: 1999, CD, Music for Nations

Anathema are the musical equivalent of metamorphosis. No one introduced to the band through their early years could have envisioned them becoming this. The change from death/doom metal to this progressive rock is as entertaining as it is staggering in its success. It can be career ending to do an about face with your established identity, there is simply too much connection for most fans to completely disassociate with the change. However, despite the rarity, it can be career rejuvenating to do so. This is far less likely and as much a case of luck as it is about the output but Anathema prove to belong in the latter group. No doubt the band continues to evolve two decades after this release, but this was clearly the zenith of their evolution, everything led to this, their magnum opus.

Despite having thirteen tracks the album has two different conceptual pieces, taking up just more than half of the album. The first of these conceptual pieces are tracks one through four and sets the stage for a very disheartening voyage into the cynicism that fills the wide spectrum of sound. The piece establishes the music as the heaviest it will be on the record but also captures some of Vincent’s Cavanagh’s strongest vocal melodies. The helplessness expressed in the final verse of the “Deep”, the trauma expressed in the coda section of “Forgotten Hopes”, the melancholy expressed in the bridge section of “Pitiless.”

Musically is where the album demonstrates the bands commitment to evolution, since the compositions act as a microcosm of the band themselves. Judgment’s heaviest moments are early on, even though they are interspersed with light melodies that jumbles your emotions into assorted fits. Like the band themselves the album loses most of its metallic edge as it continues, also like the band however the album still occasionally issues the doom metal they were first known for. The biggest absence of this record vocally is the lack of any death growls to be found, however this was something the band had been phasing out over time.

The six tracks on the album that are not part of the conceptual pieces range in variety, and do not contain as many dynamics as the others, which make them just slightly less interesting. Four of these tracks "Make It Right", "Don't Look Too Far", "Anyone, Anywhere" and "2000 & Gone” are the weakest, but only relative to the rest of the material. Anyone, Anywhere features excellent piano playing by guest pianist Dario Patti of the amazing Giuntini Project. "2000 & Gone” is an instrumental and, while great itself, was such an odd choice to end the album. This misplacing costs the album a few precious points, but is not enough to detract from the overall quality. The emotional journey would have been much stronger if it had ended with the best of these six remaining tracks, "Emotional Winter" and "Wings of God".

The former is a melancholic piece of shifting tension while also an homage to the Gilmour-led era of Pink Floyd and the latter is a doom metal opus about ones contention that leads to their rage. To be sure this lyrical theme is not groundbreaking but the way it is done remains exceptional. Interestingly, despite being heavy on guitar throughout - and the last three minutes focusing on a guitar solo - the song is credited entirely to drummer John Douglas. This misplacing costs the album a few precious points, but is not enough to detract from the overall quality.

The second conceptual piece of this record are the ballads found between tracks six through eight. “One Last Goodbye” is the bands most popular song, at least of their ballads, and one listen demonstrates why. They somehow make such an obviously somber song pleasant enough to experience where the journey goes. Both the soft and heavy sections, along with the sad lyrics, makes this the very outlining of sorrow. The bleak expressions in the guitar solo are so emotionally heavy that they devastate the grasp on your emotions. This song was dedicated to Helen Cavanagh, the mother of the Cavanagh brothers, and it is impossible to not feel the loss weighing down their hearts. This is further expanded by the following track "Parisienne Moonlight," which is a concise interlude that is just as poignant for the vocals of Lee Douglas, wife of drummer John. While not exactly a lead performance since Danny Cavanagh sings the low register, she was a really great addition to the albums overall sound and feel. The title track is next and acts as the aggressive conclusion to the stated emotions by being somber and with emotional vocals in the first half before exploding to one of the very few moments of unbridled metal to be found in this collection. This three song piece is the absolute finest moment of the record and, possibly, of Anathema’s entire career.

The entire album is their most accessible, with so many diverse parts capable of appealing to so many different tastes. This encompasses, more than any other collection of written material by Anathema, what they want to say in clearest form. A highlight deserving of repeated listens for any music lover. The album to judge others in its class by. THE album by Anathema to deserve that distinction. THE.

It should be enjoyed on a whole but the emotional highlights of the album are "Deep," "One Last Goodbye," "Parisienne Moonlight," and "Wings of God."

The End of an Era - 88%

Gothic_Metalhead, July 23rd, 2018
Written based on this version: 1999, CD, Music for Nations

As I wrap up my first band topic I will be reviewing I felt that it was a good time to review 'Judgement' since there hasn't been a recent review in a while. 'Judgement' is one of those albums where I paid less attention to during Anathema's career in the 1990s even though I've listened to the album once before. However, one thing I did notice is that when I talked to my metal friend a while back about Anathema is that he considered 'Alternative 4' to be Anathema's last metal record while I said 'Judgement' is their last metal record. Upon listening to 'Judgement' again for the sake of doing this review, there are moments where Anathema has not dabbled with metal elements. Though what stayed the same in this album is the melancholy and the atmospheric sounds. Another thing I've been pondering about is the band leaving peaceville records for Music For Nations which made think that it signifies Anathema's changing sound, but there are better reasons for the band to slowly drift away from metal that I will mention later. Overall, 'Judgement' is not as good as 'Alternative 4', but it still has great appeal for me since it is still depressing and melodic. It also has some gothic elements left which led me to think that this album is Anathema's last gothic metal record.

First of all, the musical landscape has grown more alternative, but in most songs has kept some of its metal ground. Songs like 'Deep', 'Pitiless' and 'Make it Right (F.F.S.)' has kept those moments in the album, but most of the album has become more rock. However, what made the album very gothic metal is 'Forgotten Hopes', 'Make it Right (F.F.S.)', and 'Emotional Winter' where they keep up with some of the heaviness that was left over from previous works and still attaining that dark and melodic atmosphere. The keyboards that we heard aren't as depressing as 'Alternative 4', but are still kinda depressing and fits well with the mood of 'Judgement' like its lyrical content and Vincent Cavanagh's vocals. Speaking of Vincent Cavanagh's vocals, they remain the same as the previous record, but gives an outstanding performance in terms of emotion that still remains melancholic. I also like the key changes that I hear in the album with good examples like 'Deep', 'Pitiless', and 'Wings of Gods' because the key changes make for a more melodrama sound. The more alternative rock sounding songs on the album were not bad, it does show some blueprints of where the band will be heading in the future, but at the same time these match well with the heavier songs in 'Judgement.'

When Duncan Patterson left the band, I felt that the lyrics to 'Judgement' would have fallen flat without that dark and depressing shade that the lyrics had provided. However, the lyrical themes to 'Judgement' are really fantastic and shows that Anathema isn't too dependent on Patterson's lyrics. Most of the lyrics are written by Vincent Cavanagh and surprisingly John Douglas. Douglas also wrote the music for three out of thirteen songs of the album without Cavanagh which I found impressive. Sure it isn't as deep as in 'Alternative 4', Anathema's lyrical themes evolved without Patterson and has developed a much more straightforward look into depression. 'One Last Goodbye' is also very moving that pays tribute to Vincent and Danny Cavanagh's mother Helen who passed away a year ago. I also love that the lyrics is trying to speak to the listener throughout the majority of the album. Though I hate when I hear the lyrics "Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust" because it's too cliche and too overdone among many bands in rock and metal music, but that didn't really matter because 'Pitiless' still sounds great and has some skillful writing. 'Judgement' shows the Cavanagh brothers songwriting more mature and developed. They are able to leave depressing songs inter songs that would be understood among a much broader audience. I especially loved how John Douglas took part in the songwriting process. It shows that things are all patched up between Anathema and Douglas and would remain that way for years to come.

After listening to 'Judgement' a second time, I was left wondering if 'Judgement' was really their last gothic metal record, let alone playing even any metal. It definitely shows the band evolving more to what they would later become, but it also show signs that the band still has heaviness in some of the songs. I feel that gothic metal would be a better way to describe this album because you can still have melodic songs in a gothic metal record and still have mostly heavy stuff going on in it as well. In the end, 'Judgement' is the last record that showed any trace of metal and that's all I can really say about that. As for how the album sounded, 'Judgement' is still an impressive album that helped Anathema reaching out to a broader audience. Good parts of atmosphere, a great performance from Vincent Cavanagh, the return of John Douglas, and simple melancholic lyrics are a reason for 'Judgement's success. Their best songs are still being played today and has helped the band with reaching bigger success with fans than 'Alternative 4.' The saddest thing about 'Judgement' is of course the end of an era, where Anathema would stop playing metal, no longer appreciating any trace of metal, and also to the fact that no one at the time probably knew that the music of 'A Natural Disaster', and 'Falling Deeper' were yet to come. I guess Anathema decided that time that in hindsight it was a fine day to exit. Pun intended.

Deep Inside. - 85%

Perplexed_Sjel, July 4th, 2008

It is hard not to admire the progressionist nature of Liverpool’s Anathema. There are occasions where the experimental, or avant-gardé styling of this British act can become a bit infuriating. For example, the ’Eternity’ era of Anathema. Whilst one does accept the ’Anathema way’ of chopping and changing, one doesn’t believe that the talents of the band were harnessed well enough throughout that record and it seems like a grey spot on what has been a mostly successful career, especially after the death/doom era that started it all. The potential is certainly there, but it is not portrayed in the correct manner. So, ‘Judgement’ signifies the next step in the long career of the Liverpudlian’s. It’s the fifth full-length and one that is received well on the whole by audiences around the world. To me, whilst this record does differ in terms of the musical content, the appeal of Anathema is much the same as it has always been, even stretching back to the early days of the bands career when those crushing guitars laid down a superb doom metal sound. ‘Judgement’ is certainly a classy addition to the atmospheric pieces of Anathema, but in the grand scheme of things, it won’t be classed as the ultimate Anathema record, though it does come very close. The one to really showcase what Anathema’s music is all about. Although I do like this record, like I said, it isn’t the best available. However, do not let that take away from the experience.

One thing Anathema has always provided me with is a lyrical connection. I could always relate to the lyrics the band provided with their music. That made Anathema special to me. I loved the way in which the music and the vocals could speak volumes to me, but in distinctly different ways. Since Vincent Cavanagh took over the vocal duties in 1995, he has grown into one of the best vocalists the rock genre in the modern era of rock music. His lush voice sings with a tremendous amount of passion, power and precipitates the underlying emotive nature incredibly well. Songs like ‘Deep’ and ‘Emotional Winter’ explain the very nature of the songs in their titles. Both songs portray deep emotions. It is one thing to be able to state that the music is intensely brilliant, but to be able to suggest that there is a perfection in terms of lyrics is usually unheard of. Anathema’s talents aren’t all centred in one direction. Some examples of the divine lyrics:

“A fettered heart, waking
A tainted youth, fading
Leave it all behind
Delirious again
Mesmerise my senses
Souls entwine one more time.”

“How fast time passed by
The transience of life
Those wasted moments won't return
And we will never feel again.”

Whilst the music itself is undoubtedly filled to the brim with emotion, the vocals are slightly different in their emotional approach. I’ve always enjoyed the way Anathema incorporate backing vocals, whether that be through an additional male vocalist, or a female vocalist, which tends to add a certain amount of depth to the music. The beauty is enhanced by female vocals more so than through male vocals and that leads me to believe that Anathema are deceptively brilliant at manipulating the perception of their music. Whilst there is an overriding sense of simplicity in terms of the instrumental parts, the soundscapes push all simplicity aside to leave nothing but complex human emotions on show for us all to see. Anathema’s inviting style is incredible. Not only do they aptly portray the lyrical themes, but the music also breaks down the complexity of life’s hardest emotions and showcases to the audience a revealing and bluntly truthful look at the ways in which we work. The production is perfect as well, which allows the creativity to flow without anything stopping it in it’s tracks. The creativity of Anathema’s musicians is something that will never come into question. The musicians behind the music are experienced and know what it takes to perform for a wide ranging audience at a very high level. Their song writing has gone from strength to strength and doesn’t ever seem to fade. The well certainly isn’t running dry. The creative juices, at this stage in Anathema’s career, has only gotten running. Especially since Anathema have such talents at their disposal. The ability to be able to bring in female vocals, or splice up a song with a mesmerising acoustic isn’t something every band can achieve.

Anathema are by no means one dimensional. The use of acoustics, varied vocalists, pianos, keyboards and the rest make this a very intricate piece of work in terms of layers. Although the music is indeed layered on top of one another, it doesn’t ever seem clustered in it’s approach. In terms of originality, Anathema’s ‘Judgement’ is very original in an odd way. Although the positives remain the same, they’re created and enhanced in various ways. Each album differs from one another, whilst remaining the same in certain ways. In terms of negatives, well, they’re hard to point out. There are no real outstanding negatives. The vocals are godly, in all forms, the guitar work is immense, the production is perfect, the bass displays individuality at it’s best, the drums are perfectly adapted to the sound of Anathema. This is a subtle emotive journey with some harder and harsher sections that allow the audience to take away many different positives.

Enjoy the heartache - 93%

Marx_Rattlehead, November 4th, 2006

Well, I'll try to go straight to the point: this folks, is trully a masterpiece of the late 90's, maybe one of the few. It may be not be as good as its predecessor "Alternative 4", but keeps up the good wook, musicianship and songwriting. While "Alternative" was a very experimental release (almost piano-driven), "Judgement" is a bit heavier and manages to come back with the spirit contained in albums such as "Eternity", but incorporated in their new atmospheric rock sound.


The opener "Deep" has Anathema written all over it and I can't think of a better song to open this cage of broken hopes, promises and loss. Yes, the lyrics are still traditional Anathema, although more emotional when it comes to love affairs. The guitar work provided by the the Cavanagh brothers is stunning, and will surely grow on you as you listen to it again and again. They are one of those few bands whose lyrics can speak for YOU, as if they were written by your own trembling and desperate hands. I should mention Vincent's vocals either. Here, he reaches the top of his performance. His singing is full of grief as we can see in songs like "One Last Goodbye", an absolute anthem for the broken hearts and one of their most known classics to date.


The highlights include: Deep, Forgotten Hopes, One Last Goodbye, Parisienne Moonlight, Judgement and Wings Of God.


If you're new to doom/atmospheric rock, "Judgement" is a good album to start, but I suggest you to listen to it in the mood, not on a 'happy hour'. Put it on the CD Player, call your girlfriend and enjoy the soundtrack.

Deep, indeed - 93%

stefan86, November 10th, 2004

If I'd make a guess list of my most played albums through my lifetime, "Judgement" would be one of my top guesses. For about ten years this album has been a constant in my playlist, and still feels fairly fresh. Compared to "Alternative 4", its predecessor, "Judgement" represents a wider spectrum of feeling. Where "Alternative 4" was a ride through pure depression both lyrically and musically, this album represents a big change in sound and a slight change in lyricism in the band's future direction.

Opening track "Deep" is a good representation of the overall feeling. Detailed, textured layers of clean and semi distorted guitars portray a deep feeling of despair presented in a fine tuned progressive rock environment. One of the great things about "Judgement" is how the tracks seem to flow together flawlessly. During the first three songs the mood shifts from ethereal, almost willingly indulgent despair ("Deep") through angst filled sadness ("Pitiless") and finally into the alcoholic, defeated atmosphere of "Forgotten Hopes".

Despite the major changes, the individual songs flow like running water. Anathema make good use of interludes as well. "Destiny Is Dead" and "Parisienne Moonlight" serve as less intense pauses between the rather bombastic songs. I'm not a big fan of instrumentals or interludes, but on "Judgement" they are used in a perfect context.

Aesthetically, this album is much cleaner than earlier Anathema, both in terms of vocals and instruments. Vocally, all traces of screams and raw sound has been removed for a pure clean vocal approach. This is not a bad thing since "Judgement" features excellent vocals in terms of both technical performance and feeling. The gloomy, progressive song structures have also been trashed in favor of songs mostly based within a verse/chorus format with some slight variations. Once again not a bad thing, because Anathema never were about pure musical exploration for me, rather emotional expression.

Song structuring aside, the pure flow of the music has also improved, probably yet another effect of the more standardized song writing. Call me a pop loving bastard, but in this case it really works. As for standout songs in the second half of the album, I find it hard to find any since they're all about equally good. Expect what you hear when you hear "Deep", emotional bombast with instrumental precision in a progressive rock format.

I really fail to find anything negative to say about the album despite my best attempts. That probably means that it's damn good.

One of Doom Metal's finest - 83%

CrowTRobot, July 18th, 2003

Being a fan of many different musical genres outside of extreme metal, I came to greatly appreciate the direction that Anathema has taken with their later work. Mixing Doom Metal tendencies with acoustic interludes, and even a touch of Prog-Rock here and there, Judgment succeeds in maintaining my interest on a majority of the listens. I was quite surprised at this, as Anathema's earlier albums seemed to lack originality, or even variation, for that matter, but these concerns don't apply here. Vincent Cavanaugh's voice is above average during the length of the 13 tracks offered here, which can only add to its greatness.

However, don't expect to be jumping around or even thinking about happy things when listening to this album. Some of the moments can be very depressing, and the lyrics accomplish just what they set out to do: purvey a sense of remorse and tragedy. This is what emotional music should sound like, not some manufactured teen angst number that uses the same recycled concept over and over again.

I must concede, though. Nothing is perfect, and this album falls victim to that trend. While the outstanding songs are dispersed throughout the album to great effect, such as "One Last Goodbye" and "Forgotten Hopes", there are a few repetitive tracks that I just feel the need to skip over once in a while. Don't let this deter you, however, as you won't be disappointed by the aspects of the album that really matter: the effective instruments, the appropriate additions of keyboards, and even an appearance by a female vocalist. My Dying Bride, you can kiss Anathema's ass for all I care.