The new Anathema cd (number 6) is the next logical step in their musical evolution. What started as a death-metal band transformed into a ‘more rock than metal’ oriented company. Although not immediately catchy “A Fine Day To Exit” becomes better every time you listen to it (this is mostly the case with Anathema albums). The first song “Pressure” reminds me immediately of Radiohead and this is another indication of the more rock/pop style that Anathema has adapted. The entire album is more accessible to the general public than its predecessor “Judgement” and this is most present in the emotionality of the vocals. Where “Judgement” marveled in melancholy and brought tears to your eyes, “A Fine Day To Exit” is more modest. Still Anathema is more suited for the rainy Sunday afternoon, but in a more Radiohead kind of way. The characteristic guitar sound of the previous albums (in particular from “Eternity” up to “Judgement”) is still present and so are the occasional female backing vocals. The mix between up tempo and slow songs is perfect, with “Pressure”, “Release” and especially “Panic” being more fast(er) rock songs and “Looking Inside” and “Barriers” being ballads.

According to the band, the artwork resembles a new start or a turning point in life, but the untrained eye and ear may mistake it to be an invitation to suicide. In the rearview mirror are the eyes of a child which resembles a rebirth after the person behind the steering wheel of the car drove to the beach, took all his/her clothes of and prepared for suicide by writing a final note and maybe taking pills and loading a gun. Decide for yourself, but the lyrics are indeed more towards a new beginning than to an self determined end. One critical note: track number 9 (the last track) takes up 18,5 minutes of the entire album and yes you guest in right; it contains mostly complete silence in the middle part of the track. If you subtract this last song (definitely the worst one) from the total time of this cd, than only 44 minutes of listening pleasure remain. To bad if you had hoped for 75 minutes of Anathema. But apart from this minor flaw, this is an album than any Anathema fan should have!