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Trollheart · 12-18-2015, 11:19 AM

Title: The Judas Table
Artiste: Antimatter
Year 2015
Nationality: British
Familiarity: 60% Loved Planetary Confinement, was not so gone on Lights Out
Genre: Dark Ambient, Acoustic, Melancholic Rock
6

Expectations: Hard to know what to expect from Antimatter, album to album...

1. Black eyed man: Dark, Floydesque feel to this, sort of orchestral with a brooding mood to it. The vocal is oddly quavery with delayed echo, again very Floyd. Lovely violins, one of the hallmarks of Antimatter, with the return of Rachel Brewster after her absence from the last album. A great sort of ambient instrumental section culminating in a pants-wetting guitar solo and a beautiful vocal followed by yet another solo. Sweet. Antimatter are back!
2. Killer: Almost an industrial-meets-new-wave synth to open this, kind of staggered idea in the melody, more delayed-echo vocal. Piano reminds me of the best of Depeche Mode or New Order. Not that I know those bands that well, but this is the feeling I get. Powerful guitar punching through now, bassy synth laying down the lines.
3. Comrades: Looks like we may be temporarily returning to the soft but dark acoustic tone of Planetary Confinement, where I always felt Mick Moss was at his very strongest. It's true that Antimatter's music has changed since the departure of Duncan Patterson in 2005, with Lights Out something of a different animal, but this shows echoes of the kind of thing they could put out together, even if Moss is alone now. Just starkly beautiful, with delicate violin lines underscoring the passion and then a stunning slow guitar passage. Man I love this guy's work. I just get this overwhelming feeling of peace and bliss and contentment when I listen to him. May have to change my AOTY list.
4. Stillborn empire: Kind of a slightly trip-hop feel to this (yes, I finally know what it is, and I'm going to use it whenever it's appropriate) and it's driven on a lovely piano line with Moss's tortured vocals lording it over everything. Just amazing. And now he brings in guest female vocals, as has been Antimatter's forte for some time, adding real power punch and passion (yes yes, alliteration I know) to what is already a strong track.
5. Little piggy: Back to acoustic ballads with a bitter edge, another element that is directly in Moss's wheelhouse, and few do it as well as he, at least, few that I've heard. More soft violin from Rachel Brewster and yet another all but perfect song. Moss seldom puts a foot wrong, and this is very much back to the idea of Planetary Confinement. Beautiful violin solo takes us out.
6. Hole: The beautiful simplicity of the acoustic guitar and the voice. Yes I know I'm using the word beautiful a lot. Listen to the album and tell me you aren't compelled to do the same.
7. Can of worms: Lovely piano intro with dark guitar behind it, then my god the power in that voice. It just explodes in anger and frustration on the chorus. Takes you by the throat and does not let go.
8. Integrity: I'm jsut amazed at how every track seems to get better. Well, not really: I know I love Antimatter and need to check the albums I've missed out. This is a superb almost power ballad with strong synth lines and great percussion with what I think is an organ screaming through and a great guitar solo. Lush vocal chorus with a mechanised, distant vocal and a female vocal all make the ending of this almost unbearably gorgeous.
9. The Judas Table: The returning violin of Rachel Brewster add just the right touch of melancholy to the title track, with a wounded, harrowing vocal line which is complemented by another female guest voice, think it's Jenny O'Connor. A dark, sombre piano rides behind the sparse guitar riff, giving this a very fragile and yet very solid feel. Ah, just listen to it: you'll see what I mean.
10. Goodbye: A soft acoustic ending with almost heartbreaking emotion. Good god, what is this in my eye?

Final result: My AOTY list just got seriously crashed! This could take number one, honestly. I don't think it will, but it's going to be top three easily, and that's only because there are albums that are just that little bit better in front of it. Everyone should listen to this album. I mean it. It should be mandatory. This album is so good it physically hurts. In the best possible way.

Rating:

12-18-2015, 11:19 AM	#54 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Title: The Judas Table Artiste: Antimatter Year 2015 Nationality: British Familiarity: 60% Loved Planetary Confinement, was not so gone on Lights Out Genre: Dark Ambient, Acoustic, Melancholic Rock 6 Expectations: Hard to know what to expect from Antimatter, album to album... 1. Black eyed man: Dark, Floydesque feel to this, sort of orchestral with a brooding mood to it. The vocal is oddly quavery with delayed echo, again very Floyd. Lovely violins, one of the hallmarks of Antimatter, with the return of Rachel Brewster after her absence from the last album. A great sort of ambient instrumental section culminating in a pants-wetting guitar solo and a beautiful vocal followed by yet another solo. Sweet. Antimatter are back! 2. Killer: Almost an industrial-meets-new-wave synth to open this, kind of staggered idea in the melody, more delayed-echo vocal. Piano reminds me of the best of Depeche Mode or New Order. Not that I know those bands that well, but this is the feeling I get. Powerful guitar punching through now, bassy synth laying down the lines. 3. Comrades: Looks like we may be temporarily returning to the soft but dark acoustic tone of Planetary Confinement, where I always felt Mick Moss was at his very strongest. It's true that Antimatter's music has changed since the departure of Duncan Patterson in 2005, with Lights Out something of a different animal, but this shows echoes of the kind of thing they could put out together, even if Moss is alone now. Just starkly beautiful, with delicate violin lines underscoring the passion and then a stunning slow guitar passage. Man I love this guy's work. I just get this overwhelming feeling of peace and bliss and contentment when I listen to him. May have to change my AOTY list. 4. Stillborn empire: Kind of a slightly trip-hop feel to this (yes, I finally know what it is, and I'm going to use it whenever it's appropriate) and it's driven on a lovely piano line with Moss's tortured vocals lording it over everything. Just amazing. And now he brings in guest female vocals, as has been Antimatter's forte for some time, adding real power punch and passion (yes yes, alliteration I know) to what is already a strong track. 5. Little piggy: Back to acoustic ballads with a bitter edge, another element that is directly in Moss's wheelhouse, and few do it as well as he, at least, few that I've heard. More soft violin from Rachel Brewster and yet another all but perfect song. Moss seldom puts a foot wrong, and this is very much back to the idea of Planetary Confinement. Beautiful violin solo takes us out. 6. Hole: The beautiful simplicity of the acoustic guitar and the voice. Yes I know I'm using the word beautiful a lot. Listen to the album and tell me you aren't compelled to do the same. 7. Can of worms: Lovely piano intro with dark guitar behind it, then my god the power in that voice. It just explodes in anger and frustration on the chorus. Takes you by the throat and does not let go. 8. Integrity: I'm jsut amazed at how every track seems to get better. Well, not really: I know I love Antimatter and need to check the albums I've missed out. This is a superb almost power ballad with strong synth lines and great percussion with what I think is an organ screaming through and a great guitar solo. Lush vocal chorus with a mechanised, distant vocal and a female vocal all make the ending of this almost unbearably gorgeous. 9. The Judas Table: The returning violin of Rachel Brewster add just the right touch of melancholy to the title track, with a wounded, harrowing vocal line which is complemented by another female guest voice, think it's Jenny O'Connor. A dark, sombre piano rides behind the sparse guitar riff, giving this a very fragile and yet very solid feel. Ah, just listen to it: you'll see what I mean. 10. Goodbye: A soft acoustic ending with almost heartbreaking emotion. Good god, what is this in my eye? Final result: My AOTY list just got seriously crashed! This could take number one, honestly. I don't think it will, but it's going to be top three easily, and that's only because there are albums that are just that little bit better in front of it. Everyone should listen to this album. I mean it. It should be mandatory. This album is so good it physically hurts. In the best possible way. Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018