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Anathema (band)

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Anathema
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1990 in Liverpool, England
FounderVincent Cavanagh, Daniel Cavanagh, Jamie Cavanagh, John Douglas, Darren White
FateIndefinite hiatus (2020)
Headquarters
Liverpool
,
England
ProductsMusic albums, live performances
Number of employees
6 (final line-up members)
Websitewww.anathemamusic.com

Anathema was a rock ensemble originating from Liverpool, England, established in 1990 by Vincent and Daniel Cavanagh, bassist Jamie Cavanagh, drummer and keyboardist John Douglas, alongside vocalist Darren White.

The group maintained a rigorous touring agenda, starting in 1992 with the American death metal act Cannibal Corpse. Their live performances spanned extensively throughout Europe, the United States, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Turkey. In later years, Anathema headlined prominent venues including London's O2 Arena, Wembley Arena, and the London Palladium, and notably shared the stage with Stephen Hawking at the Starmus Festival 3.

Over their career, Anathema produced 11 studio albums, among them Distant Satellites (2014), which includes the track "Anathema," honored as Anthem of the Year at the Progressive Music Awards. Their 2017 release The Optimist secured Album of the Year at the same ceremony.

1990–1995: Serenades and The Silent Enigma

Originally formed in 1990 under the name Pagan Angel, Anathema began as a doom metal band. That November, they recorded their debut demo titled An Iliad of Woes, which garnered interest from UK metal bands and record labels.

Their second demo, All Faith Is Lost, recorded early in 1991, led to a contract for four albums with Peaceville Records. The band's initial release through Peaceville was the The Crestfallen EP in November 1992, followed by a tour supporting Cannibal Corpse.

Their first full-length album, Serenades, brought them wider recognition; notably, the "Sweet Tears" music video was featured on the MTV playlist. In 1994, they toured across Europe and performed at Brazil's Independent Rock Festival.

In May 1995, vocalist Darren White departed to establish The Blood Divine. Rather than hiring a new singer, guitarist Vincent Cavanagh assumed vocal responsibilities. This lineup embarked on a UK tour with Cathedral and released The Silent Enigma, signaling a stylistic move towards gothic metal.

1996–1999: Eternity, Alternative 4, and Judgement

The 1996 album Eternity highlighted atmospheric elements and cleaner vocal delivery—a direction further refined on the subsequent album Judgement. The band supported these releases with a European tour.

Drummer John Douglas exited in 1997 and was succeeded by Shaun Steels, formerly of Solstice, who also performed with My Dying Bride.

During 1998’s release of Alternative 4, lineup changes occurred: bassist/keyboardist/composer Duncan Patterson left due to creative differences and was replaced by Dave Pybus. For live shows, Martin Powell, previously associated with My Dying Bride, joined the ensemble. Founding drummer John Douglas returned to replace Steels.

In June 1999, Anathema unveiled Judgement, marking their complete evolution from doom metal towards slower-paced, experimental music reminiscent of artists such as Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley, and partly Radiohead. Their lyrical themes continued to delve into melancholy and despair.

2000–2009: A Fine Day to Exit and A Natural Disaster

In 2000, Martin Powell and Cradle of Filth's keyboardist Les Smith exchanged positions, with Smith becoming an integral part of Anathema.

Prior to the release of A Fine Day to Exit, bassist Dave Pybus departed to join Cradle of Filth. His role was initially filled by touring bassist George Roberts, followed by Jamie Cavanagh taking over permanently.

In March 2002, Daniel Cavanagh temporarily left the band to collaborate with Duncan Patterson's project Antimatter, but returned the following month in time for the launch of A Natural Disaster and the subsequent European tour. This era saw the band embracing a more atmospheric and progressive style, as demonstrated in songs like "Flying" and "Violence".

Following the closure of their label Music for Nations after its acquisition by Sony BMG, Anathema found themselves without a record company despite touring the UK alongside Finnish rock group HIM in April 2006. Opting for a self-reliant strategy, they began releasing music directly through their website, enabling fans to contribute donations voluntarily. The band maintained an active presence across European venues, with guitarist Danny Cavanagh occasionally performing acoustic sets.

2010–2013: We're Here Because We're Here and Weather Systems

On 20 March 2010, Anathema revealed plans to release We're Here Because We're Here, which officially launched on 31 May 2010 under the Kscope label. During the recording sessions, Lee Douglas—sister of drummer John Douglas—was formally integrated as a vocalist after previously contributing as a guest on earlier albums. That year, the group appeared at the UK Download Festival, sharing the stage with bands such as A Day to Remember and Bullet for My Valentine.

The band announced Falling Deeper on 6 July 2011, with its release occurring on 5 September 2011. This album consisted of orchestral reinterpretations of earlier tracks and featured "Everwake," which included vocals by Anneke van Giersbergen. On 12 September 2011, keyboardist Les Smith parted ways with Anathema due to creative disagreements.

Their ninth studio effort, Weather Systems, was released on 16 April 2012 through Kscope, achieving chart positions of No. 50 in the UK and No. 19 in Germany.

On 8 November 2012, Daniel Cavanagh announced that Daniel Cardoso had become a full-time member of the band, resulting in Cardoso and John Douglas exchanging duties between keyboards and drums.

Anathema performed their inaugural concert in India at IIT Madras during the Saarang Rock Show on 12 January 2013.

The live album Untouchable, recorded at Plovdiv's ancient Roman theatre alongside the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in 2012, was released as a double vinyl on 24 June 2013. This performance was also made available on Blu-ray, DVD, and CD under the title Universal on 17 September 2013.

In February 2014, Anathema took part in drummer Mike Portnoy's Progressive Nation at Sea tour aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel Pearl, departing from Miami.

2014–2020: Distant Satellites, The Optimist, and indefinite hiatus

On 28 March 2014, Anathema revealed their album Distant Satellites, which was officially released on 9 June 2014 through Kscope. The production took place in Oslo, Norway, led by Christer-André Cederberg, with several songs mixed by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree. This album introduced a stronger presence of electronica influences. It was made available in four distinct formats: CD, vinyl, media book, and a deluxe edition. The supporting tour commenced on 22 May in Istanbul, continued throughout Europe, and included the band's inaugural performances in Australia during August 2014.

After the Australian leg proved successful, an acoustic tour covering New Zealand and Australia followed in 2015. This tour featured Daniel, Vincent, and Lee performing without the other band members. Later that year, they issued A Sort of Homecoming, an acoustic live album and video captured at Liverpool Cathedral.

In April 2015, Anathema launched the Resonance Tour across Europe, showcasing a retrospective setlist that included selections from their debut album Serenades. Former vocalist Darren "Daz" White and bassist/keyboardist Duncan Patterson made guest appearances on stage during these concerts.

The band unveiled The Optimist in 2017, which earned them the Album of the Year accolade at the Progressive Music Awards.

By August 2019, Anathema parted ways with Kscope and signed with Mascot Label Group, with plans to release their twelfth studio album in 2020. Nevertheless, on 22 September 2020, they announced an indefinite hiatus.

Daniel's solo work Cellar Door and subsequent project Weather Systems

Daniel Cavanagh introduced a solo album titled Cellar Door alongside launching a new musical endeavor named Weather Systems, which serves as a continuation of Anathema's 2012 album bearing the same name. In December 2021, John Douglas became part of Weather Systems. The project’s debut album, Ocean Without a Shore, was released on 27 September 2024 and includes tracks like "Untouchable Part 3" and "Are You There? Part 2".

Members

Final line-up

  • Daniel Cavanagh – lead guitar, vocals, keyboards (1990–2020; brief break in 2002)
  • Vincent Cavanagh – rhythm guitar (1990–2020), lead vocals, keyboards (1995–2020)
  • John Douglas – drums (1990–1997, 1998–2020), keyboards (2011–2020)
  • Duncan Patterson – bass guitar, keyboards (1991–1998, 2018–2020)
  • Lee Douglas – lead and backing vocals (1999–2020)
  • Daniel Cardoso – drums, keyboards (2011–2020)

Former members

  • Jamie Cavanagh – bass guitar (1990–1991, 2002–2018)
  • Darren White – lead vocals (1990–1995)
  • Shaun Steels – drums (1997–1998)
  • Dave Pybus – bass guitar (1998–2001)
  • Les Smith – keyboards (2000–2011)

Touring musicians

Discography

Studio albums

External links

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