Anathema have released several live DVDs but never anything quite like this. Filmed in September 2012 at the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis in Bulgaria and featuring the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra, Universal presents a band instilling in their emotionally charged songs an even greater potency.
The setlist focuses primarily on material from Weather Systems and We’re Here Because We’re Here, beginning with Vincent Cavanagh and Lee Douglas’ impassioned duet, ‘Untouchable (Parts One and Two)’. Their harmonies mesh beautifully while the strings surge and soar, urging them on to greater heights. The addition of an orchestra makes this music more grand, epic in scale, while intimate-yet-emphatic vocals deliver the strong emotional content in Danny Cavanagh’s lyrics.
If the intensity of 'Untouchable' has you reaching for the hankies and/or the oxygen mask then ‘Thin Air’ and ‘Dreaming Light’ will provide no respite. If you’ve seen Anathema live then you know the score - a more passionate live band is difficult to imagine; they put themselves (and the audience) through the wringer. Vincent smoulders, baring his soul. By contrast Danny eggs on the crowd as Master of Ceremonies, whipping them up and acting as a conductor for the exchange of positive energy between musicians and fans.
The string section underpins and complements the songs without being obtrusive or deviating from the recorded versions. A noticeable exception comes during the instrumental bridge of ‘A Simple Mistake’ where an eastern modal flavour augments proceedings. A throbbing ‘Closer’ benefits from an arrangement by prog veteran, Canterbury scene keys wizard, Dave Stewart. ‘Fragile Dreams’ closes the main set in a new slower, half-time guise and is the final song with the Plovdiv Philharmonic - the band return for a rocked-up set of encores venturing further back in time, a powerful rendition of ‘Internal Landscapes’ is the highlight here. A reprise of ‘Fragile Dreams’ in its more familiar rock arrangement completes the circle.
Lasse Hoile’s transparent editing and direction are well-paced, not getting in the way of the performances while focussing on the right visual at the right moment. It’s a far cry from his first Porcupine Tree concert film which suffered from artsy, distracting visuals. Here the balance between the director’s eye and the excitement on- and off-stage is perfect.
If you’ve already immersed yourself in Anathema’s world then this film will make you fall in love all over again. It’s also the perfect place to begin for the curious. Given the depth and breadth of this music it’s time Anathema reached a wider audience - these are songs of love, life and death, of our common shared experience on this planet, of the universal.
