Antimatter

I can understand why Antimatter is being marketed to the metal crowds, with its Anathema connections (the band includes ex-Anathema member Duncan Patterson and a guest appearance by Danny Cavanagh). Besides, few of us are so one-dimensional that we can’t appreciate quality when we find it outside the realm of the heavy. I hope the band can catch the ears of some non-metal fans though, because Antimatter has the potential to appeal to a wide audience. Saviour is a little hard to pin down as an album, but rather than sounding confused or disjointed, it flows beautifully through each transition. The opening title track has more beefed-up guitars and a heavy rock approach, but what follows are dark electronic near-instrumentals, trippy Portishead-like tracks and softer, soulful airs. The use of several vocalists that complement each other superbly in style adds to Saviour’s multi-textural qualities, as do the reinterpretations of their own songs offered as bonus tracks. Antimatter’s debut is deeply moving, disturbing and peaceful all at once.