''Alternative 4'' is the fourth album by the British rock band

Anathema Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...

. It was released on 22 June 1998 through

Peaceville Records Peaceville Records is a British independent heavy metal record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw (of the bands Instigators and Civilised Society) in Dewsbury, England in 1987, who was also a one-time drummer of Sore Throat ...

. Like ''

Eternity Eternity, in common parlance, means Infinity, infinite time that never ends or the quality, condition, or fact of being everlasting or eternal. Classical philosophy, however, defines eternity as what is timeless or exists outside time, whereas ...

'', ''Alternative 4'' is sung with clean vocals. Various reviews categorised this album as

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...

, depressing and atmospheric.

Background

The title of the album is derived from Leslie Watkins' book ''

Alternative 3 ''Alternative 3'' is a 1977 British television mockumentary. Only aired once in the United Kingdom, it was later aired in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand as a hoax. Purporting to be an investigation into the UK's contemporary " brain drain" ...

''. Bassist and co-principal songwriter

Duncan Patterson Duncan Patterson (born 5 June 1975) is an English musician, best known for his work as a member of Anathema (1991–1998) and Antimatter (1998–2005). Career Patterson was a driving force behind Anathema's success during their earlier years, be ...

had read it a few years before they wrote the album. The book is about

conspiracy theories A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * * * * The term has a nega ...

, and most songs on ''Alternative 4'' are about trust. Patterson is now playing in a band with same title, and the songs are based on similar themes. It is the last album with Patterson, and also the only album released without John Douglas. He was replaced by

Shaun Steels Shaun 'Winter' Taylor-Steels (born Shaun Steels, 22 August 1970) is a British heavy metal drummer and bassist. Steels, born in Normanton, West Yorkshire, is of Scottish and Norwegian descent on his mother's side of the family. Steels replace ...

in 1997 but returned in 1998.

Track listing

Personnel

Vincent Cavanagh Vincent Cavanagh (born 29 August 1973 in Liverpool) is an English singer and guitarist best known as a co-founder (and the sole constant member) of British rock band Anathema. Vincent took over as Anathema's vocalist following the departure of ...

- vocals, guitars *

- drums *

- bass, keyboards, piano * Danny Cavanagh - guitars, keyboards, piano ;Guest musicians * Andy Duncan - drum loops on "Empty" * George Rucci -

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

;Production * Duncan Patterson - cover concept * Tim Spear - cover art * Noel Summerville - mastering * Doug Cook - mixing assistant * Simon Dawson - engineering assistant * Kit Woolven - producer, mixing * Lili Wilde - photography (band)

References

1998 albums Anathema (band) albums Peaceville Records albums {{1990s-metal-album-stub