A Natural Disaster
Anathema · 2003
55 min · 10 tracks · alternative rock
Ethereal melodies intertwine with heavy guitar riffs, creating a haunting soundscape that captures emotional turmoil and introspection.
Top tracks — play these first
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Closer — This track exemplifies the album's emotional core with its soaring vocals and poignant instrumentation, encapsulating themes of longing and connection.
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Harmonium Start here — Opening the album, this track sets a reflective tone with its delicate piano and ethereal vocals, showcasing Anathema's shift towards a more melodic style.
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A Natural Disaster — The title track blends intricate arrangements with intense emotional delivery, serving as a powerful centerpiece that embodies the album's overarching themes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends ethereal melodies with heavy instrumentation, showcasing emotional depth and dynamic contrasts.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a soft piano introduction in 'Harmonium' that gradually builds into layered instrumentation, setting a reflective tone.
- Tracks like 'Pulled Under at 2000 Metres a Second' feature dynamic shifts between quiet, atmospheric sections and heavy guitar riffs, creating tension.
- Several tracks incorporate extended instrumental passages, allowing for emotional exploration without relying solely on lyrics.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- long, immersive listening sessions
- atmospheric background focus
- contemplative emotional explorations
- gradual builds and payoffs
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Marks a departure from early death-doom roots, showcasing a new sound direction.
- Themes
- emotional turmoil· longing and connection
- Career context
- Released in 2003, A Natural Disaster was Anathema's sixth studio album, marking their departure from the death-doom roots of their early work. Following a period of experimentation with their sound, this album showcased a more melodic and atmospheric approach, solidifying the band's evolution into alternative rock and progressive music.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Opeth· Paradise Lost· My Dying Bride
Tracklist
- 1 Harmonium Start here 5:28
- 2 Balance 3:58
- 3 Closer 6:20
- 4 Are You There? 4:59
- 5 Childhood Dream 2:10
- 6 Pulled Under at 2000 Metres a Second 5:23
- 7 A Natural Disaster 6:27
- 8 Flying 5:57
- 9 Electricity 3:51
- 10 Violence 10:45
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Damnation
Opeth
Shares ethereal melodies and emotional introspection with a blend of progressive rock elements.
Viva Emptiness
Katatonia
Explores themes of emotional turmoil and longing within a haunting atmospheric soundscape.
In Absentia
Porcupine Tree
Combines heavy guitar riffs with melodic atmospheres, reflecting deep emotional connections and introspection.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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