Weather Systems is the ninth album by the British rock band Anathema. It was released on 16 April 2012 in Europe via Kscope and 24 April 2012 in the US via The End Records. The band describes the album as "not background music for parties. The music is written to deeply move the listener". The album was recorded in Liverpool, North Wales and Oslo, each place significant to Anathema's past, present and future. The record was produced by band members Vincent Cavanagh and Daniel Cavanagh, as well as Christer-André Cederberg.
Recorded and released between the departure of Les Smith and the full-time joining of live member Daniel Cardoso, it is the first album of the band to not feature a full-time keyboardist since Judgement in 1999.
The album's official track list was announced on 2 February 2012.
In the special edition, both discs come in a limited pressed hardcover digibook like their previous albums: Hindsight, We're Here Because We're Here, and Falling Deeper. Kscope store also has the standard jewel case edition with the album on CD format and no DVD. The American version of the album comes in a digisleeve.
The special edition DVD can only be found on the European pressing directly from Kscope. Also, the DVD features the album in 5.1 surround sound.
Tracklist:
Disc 1 (CD)
- Untouchable Part 1 06:14
- Untouchable Part 2 05:33
- The Gathering of the Clouds 03:27
- Lightning Song 05:25
- Sunlight 04:55
- The Storm Before the Calm 09:23
- The Beginning and the End 04:53
- The Lost Child 07:02
- Internal Landscapes 08:52
Time: 55:44
Disc 2 (DVD)
- Untouchable, Part 1 (5.1 surround sound) 06:14
- Untouchable, Part 2 (5.1 surround sound) 05:33
- The Gathering of the Clouds (5.1 surround sound) 03:27
- Lightning Song (5.1 surround sound) 05:25
- Sunlight (5.1 surround sound) 04:55
- The Storm Before the Calm (5.1 surround sound) 09:23
- The Beginning and the End (5.1 surround sound) 04:53
- The Lost Child (5.1 surround sound) 07:02
- Internal Landscapes (5.1 surround sound) 08:52
Time: 55:44
Terrorizer noted that the album had "a lot to live up to" following We're Here Because We're Here. The review noted that the songs on Weather Systems are "not instantaneous" as the previous album, but its highlight is the way it decides to gently ebb from a dreamlike state in songs like 'The Beginning And The End' into the huge crescendo of 'The Lost Child' and elating release of 'Internal Landscapes'." and concluded that "Is it another masterpiece? Of course it is."
The narration on "Internal Landscapes" is from a 1981 interview with Joe Geraci.
"Internal Landscapes" is dedicated to William Cavanagh.
Titles spelled in lower case.
Recording information:
Recorded at Aerial Studios, Wrexham; Parr Street Studios, Liverpool and Christer-André Cederberg's place, Oslo
Mixed at Christer-André Cederberg's place, Oslo.
Mastered at Propeller mastering, Oslo