ANTI-M: Damage

Anti-M

Damage

© 2008 Topographic Productions (763786660522)

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Haunting melodies and hard rock riffs backed by a mix of progressive percussion and electronic drum loops give them their new sound as a female fronted electronic goth rock band.

notes

Review
With Anti-m's new sound, songs like LET U IN are sure to be Smash Hits! --John Dickson-SantaBarbara.com

Product Description
After a long hiatus, Anti-M are back with a harder darker sound. In the past Anti-M have used guest musicians for most of their guitar work ( Ronnie Montrose on Positively Negative). However, Jon Moseley now fills that position full time giving Anti-M powerful rhythms and emotional solos. Barbara Moseley also joins the band full time on lead vocals having previously only appeared as a guest vocalist. Keyboardists Ruston Slager (who also sings and sounds a bit like David Bowie) and John (Wedge) Wardlaw contribute their electronic wizardry giving Anti-M their trademark sound. The band is also joined by Derek Poultney on drums and electronic percussion and guest bassists Scott Wardlaw and Tim Landers ( Loreena McKennitt, Tori Amos, King Crimson Jazz Trio).
Anti-M has always been hard to classify but with the female fronted harder rock sound Anti-M have joined a sub-genre of such bands as Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, Garbage, Within Temptation, The Gathering and Nightwish. At the same time they have kept their electronic side which has led to reviews that compare their sound to the likes of Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, the Human League and Peter Murphy. While Anti-M have their own unique sound and have not attempted to sound like any of the bands mentioned, their influences can certainly be heard.

Anti-M have moved forward with a new harder darker sound on the 2008 release of DAMAGE, kind of like Evanescence blended with Depeche Mode. Bands like Garbage, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil come to mind. Progressive influences can also be heard as many reviewers have said the album opener reminds them of Rush. DAMAGE is a "masterpiece" reviewers are saying.

DAMAGE Review 4-08
Satriani Meets William Orbit with a Bit of Bowie to Create a Masterpiece.

By no means do I intend criticism of this fine work by the title
above. "Damage," the latest release from Anti-M, melds many styles into a
captivating composition; one that draws you in, challenges you, enlightens
you, and subtlety demands listening. My first brush with this CD was met
with judgment and skepticism. I remember thinking, "I don't like that
guitar sound." I meant (as a fellow guitar player), rack-mounted, overly
processed, distortion effects with signature metal licks. That thought
came to me in the opening bars of "Let U In," but left prior to the song's
conclusion. I like "Damage" - a lot. This is an amazing accomplishment for
the apparently Santa Barbara-based studio band. "Damage" does not disappoint.

The opening drones of the instrumental "Dreaming in Metaphor" set
the stage for this journey. At the get-go the talent shines in chord
voicing and chord choice. The ear is led to resolution that does not take
place. Instead, a more interesting motif is presented, and the listener is
beckoned to go further. When the guitar starts you are enticed to label
this music, but the smart listener (not me first time around) resists. Do I
hear Rush? Perhaps. The classical guitar flourish is tasty and provides
excellent contrast. A repeat of the guitar melody leads us back to the
drones.

"Let U In" snaps you to attention with its quick yet sensual opening
cry. The listener is treated to their first introduction of the truly
fantastic female vocalist. Benatarian verses and choruses explode with
power and meaning. The arpeggio coda is a good touch.

The Title track, "Damage", sans-lyrics, displays excellent keyboard
and guitar-doubled melodies. I may be wrong, but I hear acoustic drums as
opposed to the prevalent use of drum machine. The china cymbal works well.

The diamond of this music walks into the room via "Deep." Sublime
barely describes the level of perfection found here. The vocalist is
celestial, evoking the Seraphim. I am unable to listen to this song too
often.

The heavy guitaring in "Rage" holds this semi-instrumental down.
The effects applied to the vocals, both overdubs and electronic effects, are
well done. There is a definite middle-eastern tone achieved in several
parts. As one of the longer pieces, it continues to introduce new material
to the listener until it dissolves into drums and bass-like sounds.

The third name is this article's title shows up in "It's All
Inside." The short break-out launched at 0:52 is fresh. It ends quickly,
but resurfaces at 2:06. The vocals and composition is superb. What seem to
be real drums accent this song well. The herald at the end gets your
attention.

Syncopated lyrics in the verse lead off "Little Things." The Pop
sound of this song would make an excellent soundtrack for the latest "chick
flick." I hope the band takes that as a compliment -- those songs make a
lot of money! Direction: "As theme song ends, dissolve to long shot of
coffee shop on rainy day."

David {bowie} shows up again in "Beautiful Babe," both in the lyrics and thetimbre. In a change of mood, the female vocalist arrives, calls to the
man.and he answers. Then two are one. The sensuality of this song is
undeniable.

"Waita While" takes a very different direction. Moody, searching,
and longing melodies are woven into this tapestry. The underlying piano
holds this piece together while new tones are introduced throughout.

Plucked notes (on the bass?) start "Rose of Love." The mix of Devo
and falsetto works for this electronica. Although the guitar will not let
you forget that this is pure rock.

"Godzilla vs Rodan" demonstrates excellent synthesizer composition,
tone sculpting and sound mixing. The syncopation keeps this piece
interesting.

The wonderful ballad "Into the Rain" is an effective bridge to the
hard-cutting "Incineration." The guitar here defies criticism. Wow! The
guitar is mated with majestic soaring keyboard lines until it all slides
down to a slow dark dirge that is "Shiver." I am not completely sure what
"Shiver" warns of, but I'll be sure to avoid it.

Two longer pieces draw the record to its close. "Damage in the
Dream" could be seen as repetitive of other styles and material previously
presented, yet it presents its message. Dream leads the listener to "The
Sixth Extinction" which mixes traditional piano, classical styles and Rick
Wakeman inspired runs into a technical fury. The guitar enters to give us a
quick lesson before the piano finishes us off.

If you thought Anti-M got soft, "No Kill I" pushes that aside.
Guitars and keys knock your head off. Anti-M always finds the melody, (an
attribute of most Yes songs as described by Jon Anderson in almost any
interview). The lyrics tell us "goodbye," the guitar and drums push us out
the door to the gates of hell....but we are met by the angel once again
----- the crystal notes of "Deep" return and are matched with a lone music
box, as we look into the lonely eyes so Deep.

This is a masterpiece.
As submitted to the anti-m.com web site.

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