Anekdoten – Chapters
Kscope
http://www.kscopemusic.com/
Rating: B+
Any band that features not one, but two mellotron’s so
prominently in their music has got to be pretty serious about
their progressive rock influences. Formed in 1991 Swedish band
Anekdoten have been one of the leading acts paving the way for
the next generation of prog rock. Their often lengthy, dark,
melancholic compositions have kept fans of the genre satiated
now for five full length albums. Chapters is an excellent
two disc retrospective just released by Kscope Music, featuring
nineteen songs covering the entire gamut of their career thus
far.
Disc one concentrates primarily on material from their three
most recent albums and songs such as “From Within”, “Gravity”
and “A Sky About To Rain” reveal a gorgeously murky, psychedelic
current flowing through the gothic tinged arrangements. The
densely layered mellotron work of Nicklas Barker and Anna Sofia
Dahlberg takes these inherently brooding compositions to a whole
other level. Speaking of Barker his metallic guitar work on
“Groundbound” finds him taking a page directly out of the Robert
Fripp school of crunch, circa 1974’s Red album. Closing
track “When I Turn”, originally written back in 1997, makes its
long awaited debut, thanks to a delicate piano contribution from
Opeth’s Per Wiberg.
Disc two highlights material from the bands early years and
includes demo versions of no less than five tracks. This disc
contains equally stunning performances, but really proves how
far the band’s sound has developed over the years. After hearing
the sprawling epics “Sad Rain” and “Book Of Hours”, coupled with
the heavier more direct approach employed on “Nucleus”, the King
Crimson comparisons are once again certainly justifiable. I
think the best way to enjoy this compilation is to start with
the second disc and then move to the first, to really see how
they moved past these comparisons and into more of their own
sound.
If this is ends up being your introduction to Anekdoten, then
you couldn’t have picked a better place to start because
Chapters provides a great overview of the bands career to
date. After you make your way through this impressive collection
of music, then it might be time to start seeking out each
individual release for a more comprehensive look into one of
Sweden’s best kept secrets.
-Ryan Sparks
