Track Listing

1. Harmonium
2. Balance
3. Closer
4. Are You There?
5. Childhood Dream
6. Pulled Under At 2000 Metres A Second
7. A Natural Disaster
8. Flying
9. Electricity
10. Violence

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86324 in Music
• Released on: 2004-02-24
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A new path, but always good...
Anathema is a band who wants to improve their music in each step they take. Actually, they are capable of it. This album and the older ones are the proof. If you like novelties keep going with this band.

gets better with age
I don't like to throw 5 star reviews around when there are so many other ones here, but considering the play time this disc has received in my car, I can't justify anything less. It's not as heavy or over the top like some of their old milestone albums, but there's an underlying seriousness to this one that, in many ways, is much more effective. Interestingly, my least favorite track is the title track, but the entire album works well to listen to from start to finish. No matter how much Anathema has changed, I feel like they still make songs that I have no problems identifying with. It's not perfect, and, yeah, some parts work better than others, but I can overlook those flaws because I never get the sense that they don't stand behind their music. It's a great album, and I hope listeners will allow time to have it grow on them.

One of the greatest and most progressive and beautiful albums ever...
Sure, Anathema started out as a British Doom Metal group, being one of the great pioneers of the genre. They released a few albums of Doom Metal, nothing that ever caught my attention. I absolutely hate Doom Metal in all of its forms. The slow, dragging out of songs, the all too common and repetitive depressing lyrics, and the annoying vocals. There isn't much room for imaginitive or creative musicianship because everything seems to be done at a slow snails pace. Its all the same to me.
Then, Anathema decided to let go of the past, and embrace the present and changed their style up slowly, shedding the growls and the intense Doom approach and took on a more rock approach. Still depressing, but it was a start.
Then along comes "A Fine day to Exit", and their Magnum Opus, "A Natural Disaster". Two albums that have totally stepped away from their past and their Doom roots and into the wonderful and beautiful spacious world of ART-Rock, a genre that trascends traditional rock and alternative music and is more of an intense feeling of atmospheric and ambient rock that captures the heart and touches the soul.
"A Natural Disaster" in my opinion is Anathema's best album ever. Sure, the lyrics are still depressing and sad, but this time their approach is different. Taking on a more intellectual and artistic approach, "A Natural Disaster" works on so many different levels. A heavy influence and range of electronic elements and progressive rock elements make this album must have. Some compare "A Natural Disaster" to other artists like Radiohead. I would say that to an extent this is true, but only in the ambience and atmospheric way.
Literally, this album is one whole progression of musical climax and bliss.
There is so much beauty in this album, you have to hear it to understand. Epic songs like "Balance", "Closer", "Are you there?", "Pulled under at 2000 meters a second", "A Natural Disaster", "Flying", "Electricity" and "Violence" just grab your heart and your soul and they never let go. Compositions that are sonically and dynamically perfect along with vocals and lyrics that are top notch and fit the moods perfectly, this album is pure perfection.
The eerie and sadness of "Electricity" makes the hairs on my body stand even to this day and I have heard that song a million times. The climax is so beautiful.
"Flying" is a poignant song that is so atmospheric its amazing.
There is way too much to say about each song on this album and not enough time, you MUST buy this! If you like ART-Rock or emotional music you will love this album!
Sure, they ditched their Doom metal for a more poppy/Radiohead-ish/Coldplay sound but with more Progressive elements, but who cares? It works really well for them, like this was what they were meant to do. Go to their web site(do a search for it), they explain how they lost a lot of fans and how many of their die hard fans do not understand why they changed styles, and the band explains that they are about letting go of the past, experiencing a moment and moving on and that they have grown as humans and as musicians, and naturally with all growth, you are lead onto different paths. True, amazing artists change and flow with time and world, their work is never the same. Anathema are TRUE amazing artists.
The beauty on this disc is un-matched and I am suprised that "A Natural Disaster" did not elevate Anathema into worldwide popularity status(not that I would want them to become poster boys and girl and sell out, but its really that good). The sheer depth of each song is well crafted and much better than anything I have ever heard of theirs, and I have heard it all. Much more can be said through silence, mellow music and clean sun vocals than can ever be achieved through raspy and growly vocals with tons of distorted guitar. The piano on this album says it all in a forray of emotions.I highly recommend this album to everyone who appreciates ART-Rock or amazing music and beautiful music.