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SUMMER SHOWS ADDED
(update) Tickets selling fast for ANATHEMA ‘An Evening With’ - May 21, Islington Academy, London
Tickets selling fast for ANATHEMA ‘An Evening With’ - May 21, Islington Academy, London
Gig added: 2010-09-11 - PL - INO ROCK, INOWROCLAW
Gig updated: 2010-05-15 - RU - MOSCOW, TOCHKA CLUB
Gig updated: 2010-05-14 - RU - ST PETERSBURG, ORLANDINA CLUB
Gig updated: 2010-05-08 - TR - ANKARA, ODTU VISNELIK (OPEN AIR)
Gig updated: 2010-05-09 - TR - IZMIR, SOYER KULTUR VE SANAT FABRIKASI (OPEN AIR)
Gig updated: 2010-05-07 - TR - ISTANBUL, MACKA KUCUKCIFTLIK PARK (OPEN AIR)
Gig updated: 2010-05-03 - TR - ANTALYA, GENCLIK SENLIGI
Gig added: 2010-05-06 - TR - BURSA, RESIMLI
Gig added: 2010-05-04 - TR - ESKISEHIR, 222 PARK
(update) BULGARIA SHOW CANCELLED
Bulgaria show cancelled
Gig added: 2010-07-14 - IT - PISTOIA BLUES FESTIVAL, PISTOIA
Gig added: 2010-05-14 - RU - ST PETERSBURG, ORLANDINA CLUB
(update) SONISPHERE ISTANBUL CONFIRMED!
Gig added: 2010-08-20 - DE - SUMMER BREEZE FESTIVAL, DINKELSBUEHL, GERMANY
Gig added: 2010-06-26 - TR - SONISPHERE FESTIVAL, BESIKTAS INONU STADIUM, ISTANBUL
SONISPHERE ISTANBUL CONFIRMED!
(update) SUMMER SHOWS ADDED
CONFIRMED FOR SONISPHERE FESTIVAL SPAIN!
(update) SUMMER SHOWS ADDED
Gig added: 2010-07-09 - ES - SONISPHERE FESTIVAL, GETAFE OPEN AIR, MADRID
Gig added: 2010-09-09 - GR - GAZI TECHNOPOLIS, ATHENS
Gig added: 2010-09-08 - GR - SALONICA - PRINCIPAL CLUB
Gig updated: 2010-06-19 - DE - COLOGNE, LUXOR
Gig updated: 2010-06-16 - DE - HAMBURG, KNUST
Gig added: 2010-06-25 - BE - GRASPOP
(update) SUMMER SHOWS ADDED
Gig added: 2010-06-11 - UK - DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, DONINGTON PARK, DERBY, UK
Gig updated: 2010-04-24 - NL - DRACHTEN, IDUNA
Gig updated: 2010-04-23 - NL - DORDRECHT, BIBELOT
Gig updated: 2010-04-22 - NL - DEVENTER, BURGERWEESHUIS
NEW ALBUM RELEASE DATE
Gig added: 2010-05-21 - UK - LONDON, ISLINGTON ACADEMY
Gig added: 2009-09-06 - SE - Malmö, KB
Gig added: 2009-09-07 - DK - Copenhagen, Vega
Gig added: 2009-09-08 - NO - Oslo, John Dee
Gig added: 2009-09-09 - SE - Gothenburg, Sticky Fingers
Gig added: 2009-09-11 - SE - Stockholm, Klubben
Gig added: 2009-09-13 - FI - Helsinki, Nosturi
Gig added: 2009-09-14 - FI - Oulu, Teatria
Gig added: 2009-09-15 - FI - Tampere, Klubi
Gig added: 2009-09-18 - DE - Potsdam, Waschhaus
Gig added: 2009-09-19 - DE - Osnabrück, Kleine Freiheit
Gig added: 2009-09-20 - NL - Zoetermeer, Boerderij
Gig added: 2009-09-21 - NL - Haarlem, Patronaat
Gig added: 2009-09-22 - NL - Nijmegen, Doornroosje
Gig added: 2009-09-23 - BE - Vosselaar, Biebob
IN PARALLEL
Gig added: 2009-10-24 - UK - LEEDS, University of Leeds
Gig updated: 2009-10-24 - UK - DAMNATION FESTIVAL, LEEDS
Gig added: 2009-11-08 - UK - HELLFIRE, Birmingham NEC
Gig updated: 2009-10-24 - UK - DAMNATION FESTIVAL, LEEDS
Gig updated: 2009-11-08 - UK - HELLFIRE FESTIVAL, Birmingham NEC
Gig updated: 2009-11-08 - UK - HELLFIRE FESTIVAL, Birmingham NEC
Gig updated: 2009-11-08 - UK - HELLFIRE FESTIVAL, Birmingham NEC
Gig added: 2010-04-22 - NL - DEVENTER, BURGERWEESHUIS
Gig added: 2010-05-07 - TR - ISTANBUL, MACKA KUCUKCIFTLIK PARK (OPEN AIR)
Gig added: 2010-05-06 - BG - SOFIA, HRISTO BOTEV HALL
Gig added: 2010-05-06 - BG - SOFIA, HRISTO BOTEV HALL
(update) NEW WEBSITE
(update) TOUR BLOG
TOUR BLOG
New website
Gig updated: 2009-11-14 - LB - BEIRUT ROCK FESTIVAL, Beirut, Lebanon
Gig updated: 2009-11-14 - LB - BEIRUT ROCK FESTIVAL, Beirut, Lebanon
Gig added: 2009-11-14 - LB - Beirut, Forum de Bayrouth

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Anathema by 282 people

Anathema is an alternative rock band, formerly doom metal band formed in 1990, initially under the name 'Pagan Angel'. Their first demo, entitled An Iliad of Woes, was released in November that year. 'An Iliad of Woes' introduced Anathema to the English metal scene, allowing Anathema to play gigs with bands like Bolt Thrower and Paradise Lost.

At the beginning of next year, the band adopted its current name, and gained a lot of attention with the release of their second demo entitled All Faith Is Lost, resulting in a four-album deal with Peaceville Records. Their first release under the label was The Crestfallen EP in November 1992. They took the material from that album on the road, touring with Cannibal Corpse.

Serenades, Anathema's debut LP, attracted a lot of mainstream attention, propelling their "Sweet Tears" music video onto the MTV playlist.

Anathema's went on its first European tour in 1994, which was closely followed by gigs at the Brazilian Independent Rock Festival.

In May 1995, vocalist Darren White parted with the band, eventually forming The Blood Divine. Rather than recruiting a new vocalist, the band decided that guitarist Vincent Cavanagh should assume White's role. This new formation debuted by touring with Cathedral in the United Kingdom.

The release of Eternity came in 1996, relying more on atmospheric sounds, and starting the transition to clean vocals; the album Judgement would later consolidate this style. A European tour followed the album's release.

The second member to leave the band was drummer John Douglas, who departed in the summer of 1997. He was replaced by Shaun Taylor-Steels, formerly of Solstice, who would also later play drums for My Dying Bride.

Alternative 4 was released in 1998. During this time the band underwent many line-up changes. Bassist/songwriter Duncan Patterson quit due to musical differences and was replaced by Dave Pybus of Dreambreed, where Duncan had played bass for a short period. Martin Powell (who had played keyboards and violin for My Dying Bride previously) also joined the band. Finally, John Douglas returned to the drums.

In June 1999, the album Judgement was released, marking Anathema's complete shift from the doom metal genre, focusing instead on slower and more experimental songs. This new sound has been likened to artists such as Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley, and to a lesser extent, Radiohead. However, the essence of the band remained the same. Their songs continued to express a feeling of depression and, more often than not, desperation.

During the same year Martin Powell switched positions with Cradle of Filth's keyboardist Les Smith, who came to be an integral member of Anathema.

Shortly before the release of A Fine Day to Exit, Dave Pybus announced his departure from the band and later joined Cradle of Filth. He was replaced by touring bassist George Roberts, and later by Jamie Cavanagh.

In March 2002, Daniel Cavanagh announced his departure from the band, joining Duncan Patterson's band Antimatter. However, he later rejoined Anathema in 2003 for the release of A Natural Disaster, and started their European Tour. This accelerated the changes in Anathema's tone, towards the atmospheric and progressive, as exhibited in album tracks 'Flying' and 'Violence'.

Upon the closing of their label Music for Nations after its purchase by Sony BMG, Anathema found itself without a record label, despite having completed an extensive tour of the UK with popular Finnish rock band HIM in April 2006. During their search for a new label, the band have adopted a more 'DIY' approach to music release, embracing the internet and releasing songs via their own website, for which fans may donate a monetary sum of their own choice. Despite the obvious lack of label-based tour support, the band continues to play dates across Europe, guitarist Danny Cavanagh also playing the odd low-key acoustic concert.

The band's newest album was originally to be titled Everything. Its release date has been pushed back several times, sparking much controversy and speculation amongst fans. In August 2007, Danny Cavanagh responded by posting a blog to the bands MySpace page, announcing that the new material would be played on a full European tour prior to it being recorded, and that the new album, now tentatively titled Paradigm Shift, would consist of perhaps fourteen songs broken up over two discs. During a concert in London he said that Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree would produce the new album. In May it was announced that recording for the new album, undergoing yet another name change to be titled Horizons, was well under way. They are playing alongside Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride on 19 September 2008 at London Forum, they will then do a headline tour at various venues around the UK starting in Manchester on 4 November 2008 and going on to play the Islington Academy, London on 7 November. According to Metal Hammer magazine (Feb. 09), the band is considering record label offers for the release of their forthcoming album.

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Anathema by 282 people

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