Daniel Cavanagh* – Monochrome

All throughout their career, Anathema created many moments of unparalleled beauty, either wrapped in gloom during the nineties or gradually turning into the light as they moved through the 2000s.

Daniel Cavanagh was instrumental in this; he had always been the main songwriter within the band, while members came in and walked away, so I always believed that the core lyricism in the band's music was rooted in him.

"Monochrome", his 2017 "solo" album, was the first to include only songs penned by Daniel exclusively for this one, containing no covers or songs taken from other projects, and it clearly shows Daniel's gift to write passages of unparalleled musical beatitude in songs like the opener "The Exorcist" which, together with "This Music", "Soho" or "Oceans Of Time" (these three with the great Anneke Van Giersbergen and her unique voice giving an extra touch of class and beauty), could have easily be part of any Anathema album of the era between "A Natural Disaster" and "Distant Satellites".

It's the more introspective moments, however, the ones that give this album a personal, unique voice and essence, a true "solo work" character: "The Silent Flight Of The Raven Winged Hours" and "Some Dreams Come True" are compositions that build up from simple piano riffs, slowly unfolding into true musical meandering landscapes that will successfully pass through both darkness and light with flying colours.

All in all, one of those beautiful, perfect albums to listen to with the lights down low in a quiet rainy evening as the sun goes down.

All throughout their career, Anathema created many moments of unparalleled beauty, either wrapped in gloom during the nineties or gradually turning into the light as they moved through the 2000s.

Daniel Cavanagh was instrumental in this; he had always been the main songwriter within the band, while members came in and walked away, so I always believed that the core lyricism in the band's music was rooted in him.

"Monochrome", his 2017 "solo" album, was the first to include only songs penned by Daniel exclusively for this one, containing no covers or songs taken from other projects, and it clearly shows Daniel's gift to write passages of unparalleled musical beatitude in songs like the opener "The Exorcist" which, together with "This Music", "Soho" or "Oceans Of Time" (these three with the great Anneke Van Giersbergen and her unique voice giving an extra touch of class and beauty), could have easily be part of any Anathema album of the era between "A Natural Disaster" and "Distant Satellites".

It's the more introspective moments, however, the ones that give this album a personal, unique voice and essence, a true "solo work" character: "The Silent Flight Of The Raven Winged Hours" and "Some Dreams Come True" are compositions that build up from simple piano riffs, slowly unfolding into true musical meandering landscapes that will successfully pass through both darkness and light with flying colours.

Released just 3 years after the original "Monochrome", "Monochrome/ Colour" is a slightly expanded edition, containing the same seven songs plus four bonus tracks. I won't enter the discussion on whether such an early re-edition was needed, and just highlight that the acoustic versions of "The Exorcist" and "The Silent..." plus the previously unreleased "Found" and "Scandinavia" are thoroughly enjoyable and keep the essence of the songs in "Monochrome".

All in all, one of those beautiful, perfect albums to listen to with the lights down low in a quiet rainy evening as the sun goes down.

Superb album from Cavanagh. Wonderful issue on heavyweight vinyl in a gatefold jacket. Sounds tip top.