Daniel Cavanagh
Photo by Caroline Traitler
On September 23, 2020, the British alternative/progressive rock band Anathema announced an indefinite hiatus.
While the band’s sound evolved from gothic metal in their early days to progressive rock, their exceptional songwriting and unique sonic landscapes continued to captivate a deep and dedicated fanbase. Now, two core members who were integral to Anathema’s music, Daniel Cavanagh and Daniel Cardoso, have formed a new band called Weather Systems and released the album “Ocean Without A Shore”. This new work continues to deliver the same beautiful, deeply immersive sound that has long resonated with Anathema’s devoted followers.
We have a chat with Daniel Cavanagh about the album and his plans for the future.
Interview / Text Mamoru Moriyama
Translation Hiroshi Takakura
Muse On Muse : Anathema announced an indefinite hiatus in September 2020. While the global pandemic was ongoing at the time, it may not have been the only factor in this decision. Could you reflect on the circumstances that led to the hiatus?
Daniel Cavanagh : I was sad that Anathema broke up. It is a shame, but it’s important to note that I am still close with Vincent (and John) and I love and miss them, and probably I will always miss them. I have their blessing and support to continue making music with Weather Systems and that is important to me. This band is a natural continuation of the legacy of Anathema.
MM : You and Daniel Cardoso are releasing a new work under the name WEATHER SYSTEMS, titled Ocean Without A Shore. Could you share the details of how this project came to be?
DC : This is a band, not a project. It came to be because I still had the songs that were going to be the Anathema album. Vincent encouraged me to record them, and he thought Weather Systems was a good name, so I went with that. Daniel and I have always had the same vision for the band, that it is – if Anathema was Game of Thrones, this band is House of the Dragon. It is a continuation. That’s why we chose this name also. Also, it helps fans to understand that we will always play Anathema songs live.
MM : The band name Weather Systems is also the title of Anathema’s 2012 album, and your new release, Ocean Without A Shore, includes “Untouchable, Part 3.” Given that Weather Systems (2012) featured “Untouchable, Part 1” and “Untouchable, Part 2,” there seems to be a strong connection between the two works. Could you explain the relationship and concept behind this new band?
DC : This album is not a concept album, but it is possible to say that it is related to the 2012 album because of the connection in the songs you mentioned. I think that Ocean Without A Shore is less dark than the 2012 album, and I like that. It feels good to write songs that have more spirituality and less darkness. Also, if you put all the Untouchable songs together on a Spotify playlist, they all flow together very well. Also, songs lyrically refer to each other on this album. Track 5 refers to track 2 and track 1 refers to track 8. This gives the feeling that all the songs belong together.
MM : It seems that many of your supporters are not casual listeners but rather deeply engaged, core fans of your music. What would you say are the key elements of this new release that you want them to focus on?
DC : I honestly don’t have any expectations, nor do I have any advice on how listeners should approach the record. It is entirely up to the listener to make up their own mind. Everyone will compare it to Anathema, and I understand that, and that’s okay. I do think that this is a more consistently good songwriting album than Distant Satellites and The Optimist. I am sure about that. 100%
MM : Will Weather Systems continue to operate as a band? Could you share your plans for your future musical activities?
DC : Yes, it will. We will also play Anathema songs (maybe even full albums) live, as these songs were written by me, and I love them. To be honest, I don’t look to the future very much, I tend to take life one day at a time, but we will tour, and we will make another record, “if God spares us all,” as we say in England.
WEATHER SYSTEMS / Ocean Without A Shore
01 Synaesthesia
02 Do Angels Sing Like Rain?
03 Untouchable Part 3
04 Ghost In The Machine
05 Are You There? Part 2
06 Still Lake
07 Take Me With You
08 Ocean Without A Shore
09 The Space Between Us
