Album Review: Anathema - We're here because we're here

What a glorious and fantastic title for an album!
If there ever was the question asked why Anathema might be here, now we know it, the answer is simple and clear, they are here because they are here.

First I have to say, that this is the first album I heard from Anathema, I knew them a long time, but never listened to their work. So I discovered them by accident.
The Liverpudlians, who are headed by Vincent und Danny Cavanagh, required 7 years to release the next album after "A Natural Disaster" and it became a great Progressive Rock album. For all of you who think of Anathema as a Death Metal band, those times a over, this album has nothing to do with Death Metal and also nothing with Metal.
Surprisingly, this album should please fans of bands like Sigur Ros, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree whose mastermind was the producer of "We're here because we're here." It is a very spheric album that you have to hear more than a few times to listen to, but than it will occupy your ear canal.

As I'm not the best describer of sounds and music, here is an example from youtube
 

For me "We're here because we're here" definitely is one of the best albums of the last few month!

8/10 points

Review: Dunlop MXR M-117 Flanger

So, it was time for a new stompbox. First, I tried to build a flanger by myself, but all my attempts were in vain. So I decided to do a little research in my local music store to find a flanger which could fulfill my needs and wishes.

I tried Paul Gilbert's Ibanez Airplane Flanger, which I really liked in the taxi mode but wasn't able to find any reasonable way to implement the take-off mode into my playing.

The second flanger I tried was the MXR M-117 Flanger and this little stompbox broke my heart by storm. First this pedal very silent! I would not say that I'm a huge fan of Van Halen, but with this pedal you have a essential tool on your board to reach his sound. As I'm more the Blues to Hard Rock player, it was very important for that the MXR Flanger is able to produce a subtle flange tone, which the MXR is able to do. Also a chorus like Sound is possible.

But where there is light, there is always also a shadow. The pedal requires a separate  power supply with 18V, of course you can use also two 9v battery packs, but who wants to change every two weeks the battery, just because he forgot to turn out the jack?

Me not!

8/10 points!