Anekdoten - From Within (1999)


5 stars One of my favourite bands, ANEKDOTEN, is here with their third studio album. Besides some tracks that sound typical ANEKDOTEN, there are also some tracks that show a small change of direction in their music. The change is towards a softer, more unique and own sound. ANEKDOTEN 's music is comparable to KING CRIMSON and HÖYRY-KONE with lots of Mellotron and other interesting instruments such as Cello, Rhodes, Vibraphone and Wurlitzer. Their music has a big contrast between melancholic, slow and quiet to bombastic and chaotic but yet complex. My favourite tracks are "Kiss of Life" with powerful Mellotron and the 11-minute "Hole". Although I haven't got used to Anekdoten's slightly new approach, this album isn't bad at all, but it doesn't reach the same heights as their previous albums "Vemod" (1993) and "Nucleus" (1995). ANEKDOTEN is still high above the average bands today, and this album is highly recommended.     

Review by Greger
PROG REVIEWER




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5 stars From Within. Sometimes Anekdoten is refered to as a very King Crimson inspired band. Crimson was all over the place, with albums weaved together from very diffrent musical colours. This is a lot more consistent in the soundpicture/style chosen. But You might say it sounds a bit like "something" from "RED". Heavy Prog, again dosent fit very well the album, this is not heavy like Rush / Porcupine, most of the time its very far from Heavy. Anyway this is unik, the vocals, the cello, the constant bass pounding, dosent sound like anything but Anekdoten. Its prog. rock at its very best, mellotronish, symphonic, melodic, yet very harsh at times, and it is music that makes me want to close my eyes, and just flow deeper into inner space. Dont get me wrong, this is absolutely not easy listning nor is it Ambient, but still its demanding and rewarding in a way, that lying down with closed eyes, is perfect. The guitars does sometimes split the air, and crack the wallpaper, in the power sections of the songs, but not as in "guitar solo", in a way that fits, and keep the flow. From Within is not as hard and experimental as Nucleus was, its more dreamy, could be easily recommended as the Album, for those not into heavy music, looking for something very much its own, but still in the line of what Crimson did in 73-75 period.

Another true masterpiece of 90's prog. from this strong Swedish outfit.
tamijo | 5/5 | 2010-11-11


Studio Album, released in 1999

 Tracks Listing

1. From Within (7:25)
2. Kiss Of Life (4:40)
3. Groundbound (5:25)
4. Hole (11:09)
5. Slow Fire (7:26)
6. Firefly (4:49)
7. The Sun Absolute (6:39)
8. For Someone (3:31)

Total Time: 51:04

Line-up 

- Jan Erik Liljeström / bass, voice
- Nicklas Berg / guitar, Mellotron, Wurlitzer, voice
- Peter Nordins / percussives, vibraphone
- Anna Sofi Dahlberg / Mellotron, piano, Rhodes, cello, voice

Guest musician:
- Simon Nordberg / Hammond organ and piano


http://freetexthost.com/nrlac2aqd6

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