Anekdoten - Until All The Ghosts Are Gone (2015)

Y hora al fin cerramos una semana a puro Anekdoten, y lo hacemos con el que para mí es su mejor disco y su último registro discográfico, 46 minutos de pura Gloria Musical que te lleva hasta el cielo de un tremendo patadón en el culo. Un disco del cual hemos hablado mucho en algunos post, comentarios y chats, un verdadero discazo que no tiene un solo segundo de desperdicio. Luego de ocho años han pasado desde su último disco volvieron con todas las pilas puestas y un sonido muy cercano al nuevo Opeth para ofrecernos esta obra maestra, un obra de arte absoluta con colaboraciones de lujo, entre ellas la de Theo Travis (King Crimson, Steven Wilson), Marty Wilson-Piper (The Church, All About Eve) y Per Wiber (Opeth), cosa que no es de extrañar dado que Anekdoten es una de las grandes inspiraciones de los Opeth (y ahora les hicieron varios guiños a la nueva onda de los Opeth, entre suecos se entienden). Sin duda es un disco preciso y precioso, completo, lleno de color en su eterna oscuridad y con momentos de auténtico éxtasis musical. Una maravilla que no puede faltar en nuestra Biblioteca Sonora. Extremadamente recomendable!

Artista: Anekdoten

Álbum: Until All The Ghosts Are Gone
Año: 2015
Género: Rock progresivo
Duración: 46:20
Nacionalidad: Suecia

Bienvenido al reino de la melancolía de delicadas y poderosas oscuridades suecas.
Anekdoten es una banda sueca heredera del sonido de la primera época de King Crimson y desde 1990 han venido evolucionando hasta lograr ser una de las más reconocidas del género, se caracterizan por su uso del mellotrón a diestra y siniestra, su pesado, denso y oscuro sonido dominado por el bajo y el chelo. Su música se asocia generalmente son el rock progresivo de la década de los '70 más allá de King Crimson han versionado canciones de Van Der Graaf Generator o Magma a lo largo de su carrera.

Aquí todo está cuidado al mínimo detalle, destacando la expresividad y los cambios de dinámicas que lo hacen sumamente entretenido y lo deja muy lejos de la monotonía.

Los suecos Anekdoten no han descubierto la pólvora, ni siquiera un sucedáneo. El ADN del sonido de la banda, nacida en los albores de la aciaga década de los 90 en Estocolmo, está compuesto por una carga importante de la contundencia de King Crimson, el melodrama de Cressida y el indiscriminado uso de Mellotron de Gracius o Spring, todo ello aderezado con extra de tristeza escandinava y sobredosis de buen gusto.
Tres discos superlativos en sus primeros seis años de andadura, el impactante debut "Vemod" (93), el no menos increíble "Nucleus" (95) y el colosal "From Within" (99), cimientan una sólida estructura ideada para perdurar a la vez que dotan de un prestigio, ampliamente merecido, que sobrevive a día de hoy y sobrepasa a un buen puñado de compañeros de viaje y compatriotas. Es con su siguiente trío de álbumes, el atrevido "Gravity" (03), el monumental directo en Japón "Waking The Dead" (05) y el que supone su menos logrado disparo hasta la fecha "A Time Of Day" (07), con el que consiguen desmarcarse tímidamente y de forma progresiva de sus influencias primigenias y lograr un sonido "propio" fácilmente identificable.
Ocho años han pasado desde aquél último disco en estudio, sospechosos: todo indicaba a que el recopilatorio "Chapters", publicado en el 2009, iba a ser su canto de cisne, cuando, súbitamente, en esta primera mitad del 2015 y gracias a la divina providencia, anuncian este mayúsculo "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone".
La primera impresión al escuchar el disco es que han revitalizado e incluso actualizado su sonido, sobretodo el de las guitarras, en detrimento de aquél sabor añejo que los encumbró... Sólo es una prematura apreciación, a la segunda escucha, incluso sin terminar la primera, te das cuenta de que toda la imaginería retro-progresiva sección UK 70's está ahí, incólume y presidiendo todo.
Las composiciones se van sucediendo con la misma cadencia que en aquél poderoso "Nucleus" pero con una inusitada rapidez... Sí, el disco se hace corto, muy corto. No es que sus anteriores entregas sobresalieran por el largo minutaje, es más bien cuestión de acierto e insultante poderío lo que te obliga a quedarte con hambre de más. "Shooting Star" abre decidida el álbum, en sus diez minutos el cuarteto sueco descarga con rotundidad y anticipa todo lo que va a venir en el resto de piezas. "Get Out Alive" es el adelanto, lo primero que tuvimos oportunidad de escuchar y el ejemplo más válido de esa falsa actualización. En este inmenso medio tiempo Anekdoten vuelven en cierto modo a recrear aquél "Gravity" con sus mil giros y registros. El tema gana con las escuchas, si de buenas a primeras te engancha, es cuando te familiarizas con él cuando te descubres tarareando sus coros y necesitando ese formidable interludio de guitarra distorsionada. "If It All Comes Down To You" aparece de repente para deleitarte con su hechizante calma y esas increíbles líneas de flauta que Theo Travis presta a los suecos. Con "Writing On The Wall" vuelven el drama y lo heróico, la voz de Niklas Barker se torna teatral y profunda y el entramado de teclas te retrotrae a la escuela británica del Sinfo clásico. Un tema para escuchar mil veces seguidas y dejar que ese Mellotron te atraviese el alma con una sola pero mortal trayectoria. "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" nace inofensiva pero su naturaleza triste y depresiva acaba por hacerte pensar más de la cuenta resultando la perfecta antecesora para la última pieza del disco: la inmensa, faraónica y leonina "Our Days Are Numbered" que parece sacada de las mismas sesiones de su debut y que cierra de forma apoteósica, perversa y decididamente crimsoniana, un disco formidable.
Anekdoten no han inventado la pólvora, ni siquiera un sucedáneo, pero amigo, camarada, no hay una puñetera banda en todo el espectro Prog actual que consiga volarte el peluquín, y parte de la sesera, de la misma forma. Grandiosos. Un 8, por supuesto.
PUNTAJE: 8 / 10

Carlos Torrecilla Abenoza


El disco abre con "Shooting Star" que es una obra de arte absoluta y vale la pena el disco solo por esta canción. Sin duda hay pasajes en este disco que te dejan la piel de gallina, temas como "Get out alive", de aire muy sinfónico, con partes que harán olvidarte del mundo; o la delicadeza al más puro estilo folk rock a lo Jethro Tull ("If It All Comes Down To You"), pero quizás sea redundante hacer un análisis demasiado exhaustivo ya que son toda una maravilla para los oídos, todos sus sonidos, melodías y pasajes hacen que llegues a tocar el cielo. Temas complejos pero al mismo tiempo directos y contundentes, con toques psicodélicos, y un estilo muy propio consiguen un nivel que muy pocos son capaces de alcanzar. Una verdadera maravilla musical.

Veamos ahora qué dice nuestro eterno colaborador involuntario de siempre, que siempre tiene una acertada opinión para dar:

Los fantasmas se van y una nueva vida surge para Anekdoten
Hoy nos toca en volver nuestros ojos y oídos al cuarteto sueco ANEKDOTEN, que regresa al ruedo con su nuevo disco “Until All The Ghosts Are Gone”, 8 años después de su placa precedente “A Time Of Day”. Desde entonces, el único ítem fonográfico de la banda que teníamos a nuestra disposición era el recopilatorio doble “Chapters”. De todas maneras, no todo estaba paralizado y estático en el universo de Nicklas Barker [guitarras, mellotrón, teclados y voz], Anna Sofi Dahlberg [mellotrón, sintetizadores y violín], Jan Erik Liljeström [bajo y voz] y Peter Nordins [batería y percusión]. Por ejemplo, Barker ha estado activo en MY BROTHER THE WIND, uno de los exponentes máximos de la última generación de la psicodelia progresiva escandinava; es muy posible que ésta sea la clave para entender porqué los guitarreos en esta nueva obra de ANEKDOTEN ostentan una rudeza tan especial. Cabe añadir que la paleta sonora exhibida a lo largo de “Until All The Ghosts Are Gone” se enriquece con aportes ocasionales del teclista Per Wiberg (exintegrante de OPETH), el muy solicitado saxofonista-flautista Theo Travis y el guitarrista Marty Wilson-Piper (el mismo de THE CHURCH). Aunque Dahlberg aporta algo de violín de su parte, se extraña su rol de cellista que tantos matices interesantes motivaba en los repertorios de los primeros álbumes de la banda: es obvio que desde los días del “Gravity” ella se siente cómoda como mellotronista… bueno, así son las cosas. Veamos ahora el repertorio del disco, ¿vale?
Durando poco más de 10 minutos, ‘Shooting Star’ abre el álbum con un despliegue de energía expresiva tan exquisito como místico que transcurre como un destello único a través de toda la inmensidad del cielo. Alternando pautas rítmicas de 15/8 y 7/8 para el largo jam instrumental inicial, el ensamble pone toda la carne en el asador para anticipar la aureola lírica con la que se arma la sección cantada (con ecos del “Gravity” además del último paradigma de PORCUPINE TREE). Para la segunda sección instrumental, el grupo articula unas cadencias exóticas de ligero sabor arábigo para los sucesivos lucimientos de los ornamentos de mellotrón, solos de órgano y fraseos de guitarra. Cuando surge la nueva sección cantada desde donde se impulsa el clímax conclusivo de la canción, el vitalismo incesante de la pieza completa sus labores de focalización melódica y amplitud expresiva. ‘Get Out Alive’ sigue a continuación en una clave distinta: con un compás más reposado y una densidad sónica más pronunciada, la pieza elabora una actitud de lamento reflexivo a través de su luminosa garra rockera. Los momentos donde la densidad, sin desaparecer en verdad, pasa a niveles más sutiles, las capas de los teclados se apoderan del rol protagónico para reafirmar la atmósfera reinante con otro matiz rumbo al momento final. La tercera pieza, que responde al título de ‘It All Comes Down To You’, está a cargo de mostrar la dimensión más etérea de esta voz renovada de los ANEKDOTEN. El colorido que aporta la flauta al inicio del último pasaje instrumental ayuda bastante a realzar la espiritualidad ensoñadora que se destila tanto del desarrollo temático como de la letra introspectiva (no desde lo nostálgico sino desde la serenidad de un optimismo tranquilo); el solo de guitarra final es simplemente hermoso, haciéndose eco del lirismo flotante que la flauta había iniciado. ‘Writing On The Wall’ emerge bajo pautas semejantes a las de ‘Get Out Alive’ pero esta vez comenzando con arreglos globales un poco más espartanos a la hora de proveer a la sección cantada de la ambientación instrumental exigida. Es a partir de la frontera del cuarto minuto y medio que los recursos de densidad sónica e inquietud emocional empiezan a hacerse notar en el espectro instrumental, aunque todavía con una actitud mesurada que permite la creación de momentáneos espacios para pasajes centrados en la guitarra acústica. Para los dos últimos minutos, el grupo gesta un clímax que nos envuelve en una neblina rotunda a través de la cual se hacen notar los destellos de un extraño sueño: ¿es ese sueño una expresión de nuestras ansias inconscientes?, ¿o más bien, la premonición de un evento triste en el horizonte cercano? El enigma es manejado con un vigor certero, lo cual permite a esta canción instaurar el clímax decisivo del disco.
La pieza homónima es la penúltima del repertorio: siendo básicamente una balada en 6/8 que nos remonta a esa dimensión evocativa que siempre ha caracterizado a las composiciones más introspectivas de la banda (sobre todo, desde los tiempos del “From Within”), funciona como un oasis de tranquilidad emocional después de la fecunda explosividad de ‘Writing On The Wall’. Tal vez el rol de ‘Until All The Ghosts Are Gone’ consiste en echar una mirada calmada hacia los cánticos precedentes y repensar sus significados. Las presencias de la guitarra acústica de 12 cuerdas de Wilson-Piper y de la flauta de Travis son esenciales para completar la atmósfera de la canción. Los últimos 8 ½ minutos del disco están ocupados por el instrumental ‘Our Days Are Numbered’, canción que perpetúa y recicla la densidad masiva de ‘Get Out Alive’ y ‘Writing On The Wall’ con un frenético vitalismo que nos devuelve, al modo del cierre de un círculo, a la garra estilizada e incandescente de ‘Shooting Star’. La polenta de esta pieza es inquietante y cautivadora a la vez; los matices de saxofón que emergen a mitad de camino, mientras se instaura una atmósfera nocturna, añaden convenientemente una aureola de misterio al asunto. A partir de aquí, el ensamble global desarrolla un crescendo monumentalmente hipnótico que sirve para coquetear levemente con ciertos estándares del space-rock mientras se aproxima al contundente golpe final. Así completamos nuestra experiencia con “Until All The Ghosts Are Gone”, un disco que sin llegar a esa excelencia arrolladora que la colocó en sitiales estratosféricos durante el revival de los 90s, y sin marcar tampoco derroteros espectacularmente renovadores para la actual línea de trabajo de ANEKDOTEN (la seguida en los dos discos anteriores), repone al susodicho cuarteto en un lugar muy importante dentro del escenario progresivo del presente año 2015. Se extrañaba a Nicklas Barker, Anna Sofi Dahlberg, Jan Erik y Peter, y nos han demostrado cabalmente que aún mantienen intactas sus energías creativas.
Nota: 8/10

César Inca

Y seguimos con gente que tiene ganas de escribir, que no es mi caso, prefiero seguir escuchando este disco nuevamente:

Los suecos de Anekdoten se toman las cosas con calma: desde “A Time of Day” de 2007 que no editaban material fresco y, en casi ocho años, poco y nada se supo de ellos, salvo el lanzamiento del compilado "Chapters" (2009) y una que otra foto colgada en redes sociales, que mostraba al cuarteto trabajando en el estudio. Pero sobre un nuevo disco, nada concreto. Eso hasta marzo de este año, cuando sin mucha parafernalia anunciaron la llegada de "Until All the Ghosts Are Gone", su sexto álbum.
Puede haber pasado casi una década sin que Anekdoten editara nuevas canciones, pero el tiempo parece no hacer mella en su música. Las seis piezas que dan vida a "Untill All the Ghosts Are Gone" ofrecen todo lo que un seguidor de los suecos puede esperar: melodías intensas y sombrías, pero a la vez entrañables, siempre abrazando la escuela más clásica del progresivo. Una buena muestra se aprecia en 'Shooting Star', movimiento que abre el disco y que, en sus diez minutos de duración, destaca por sus extensos pasajes instrumentales y trepidantes solos de guitarra y Hammond, que hacen un guiño al sonido más reciente de Opeth.
Precisamente, un ex miembro de la banda liderada por Mikael Akerfeldt dice presente en el trabajo, el tecladista Per Wiberg, quien, junto al guitarrista Marty Wilson-Piper (The Church), colabora en el registro. Pero, si se trata de apariciones ilustres, "Untill All the Ghosts are Gone" cuenta con la presencia del experimentado flautista y saxofonista inglés Theo Travis (Steven Wilson, Gong, Soft Machine), cuyos vientos le imprimen una belleza única a la nostálgica balada 'If All Comes Down to You', uno de los puntos altos del álbum.
Tampoco podía faltar el uso del mellotron, quizá el rasgo más distintivo de la música de Anekdoten. Aunque su protagonismo no es tan prominente como en otros tiempos, su añejado sonido sigue siendo clave en la propuesta de la banda. Esa aterciopelada melancolía tan insigne en la música de los suecos, evidenciada en temas como 'Get Out Alive' o 'Writing on the Wall', no podría concebirse sin las planchas de mellotron sonando de fondo.
La poderosa instrumental 'Our Days Are Numbered' es la encargada de cerrar el trabajo, pieza que acumula intensidad en sus nueve minutos y desemboca en un caótico final en el que el mellotron y el saxo de Theo Travis se funden para inundarlo todo. Un acertado epílogo para “Until All the Ghosts Are Gone", álbum con el que Anekdoten renueva sus pergaminos y demuestra que sus inquietudes están más vivas que nunca, pese a haber estado ocho años sin ofrecer música nueva. El trabajo no solo se encumbra como uno de los lanzamientos progresivos más sólidos y destacados en lo que va de 2015, sino que además, aspira a ser el punto álgido en la discografía del cuarteto sueco, a la par con el imprescindible "Gravity" de 2003.

Javier Valladares Vásquez

Y como siempre que podemos, van algunos comentarios en inglés, claro que hay muchos otros por si quieren buscar.

Until All The Ghosts Are Gone is the long awaited album from Anekdoten, a wait of eight years since the excellent A Time Of Day. Fortunately it's been worth the wait as it's as good as and sometimes better than most of their back catalogue. Some achievement when you consider the illustrious company it keeps.
It's clearly recognisably Anekdoten with no great leaps in style from the last few albums which is fine by me. The haunting and melancholic melodies, the dynamic rhythm section and of course the ever present Mellotron. There is little in the way of Nucleus style dissonant riffs here but the album is bookended by some particularly powerful moments. Six tracks in total, the middle four to a large extent occupying their mellower and melodic ground though Writing On The Wall does have a powerful guitar driven ending and Get Out Alive packs quite a punch. The opener, Shooting Star and instrumental Our Days Are Numbered show the heavier side of the band, the latter being the nearest we get to the earlier style of the band with some powerfully oppressive and brooding guitar and keyboard work with guest Theo Travis adding some welcome sax flourishes. Shooting Star is perhaps most satisfying of all, the lull of the verse after a particularly bombastic opening being particularly effective before things take off again for an exhilarating instrumental workout with Per Wilberg (ex-Opeth and another guest) adding some strong Hammond playing.
As a whole Until All The Ghosts Are Gone is a stunning achievement, an album that can sit proudly alongside anything in the bands past. Fans who prefer the first two albums may have wished for more along the lines of Our Days Are Numbered but with no weak tracks I can't fault it. I'd be very surprised if this is not in the top ten albums of the year here on PA, so highly regarded is this great band.

Paul Fowler

This is ANEKDOTEN's sixth studio album but the first in eight years. Mind you there have been four little Anekdotens born during this time as life goes on. Man this one has really blown me away, I honestly wasn't expecting something so great as their last one "A Time Of Day" was my least favourite studio album up to that point. There seems to be a theme on this one and "death" is the subject matter. The cover art is a photo of an old, haunted looking house that they found on an island near Stockholm.
It's pretty cool that they have a few guests helping out including Australian Marty Wilson- Piper who played guitar in THE CHURCH. I asked on another site how the heck he ended up on this album being a half a world away when Mattias Olsson(ANGLAGARD) told me that Marty now lives in Stockholm, Sweden. Theo Travis also guests here and he became aware of this band when Steven Wilson played him the album "From Within", as a result Theo knew he had to work with these guys. We also get ex-OPETH keyboardist Per Wiberg guesting on one track. He's an old friend of the band who actually played Grand piano on "Vemod" then again later on a song from "Chapters". Lastly sax player Gustev Nygren guests on the final tune.
"Shooting Stars" is without a doubt one of the best openers that this band have come up with. They actually brought Per Wiberg in because Nicklas wanted there to be an organ/guitar duel in it and man does it work well. I don't remember hearng such powerful organ runs on an ANEKDOTEN album before. How good is this song when it kicks into gear. Powerful to say the least. The organ runs rough-shod at 1 1/2 minutes followed by mellotron. Not worthy! It's the guitar's turn after 2 minutes ripping it up in a big way. A calm follows as we get vocals for the first time. "Hold your head up high" is such an appealing line during the chorus. Some heavy [&*!#] 4 1/2 minutes in after the vocals have stopped. That organ/guitar duel begins before 5 1/2 minutes as they trade solos and check out the drumming. It's so majestic 6 1/2 minutes in, then the vocals follow as it settles back. "Get Out Alive" has such a powerful and majestic intro as the vocals arrive around a minute. I'm so moved after 2 1/2 minutes then we get an instrumental break after 3 minutes as the guitar grinds away. Vocals are back before 5 minutes then Anna adds violin, what!? Okay she played cello on the debut but I wasn't expecting this. Another instrumental break follows.
"If It All Comes Down To You" features Theo Travis on flute and man what a gorgeous track. Even the guitar and keyboards are so beautiful here, not to mention the mellotron. It's like being in this sublime dream really. Vocals around a minute and I really like the vocal line on the chorus that is repeated like an echo. A nice guitar solo signals a wondrous instrumental section with some amazing flute. "Writing On The Wall" is mellotron heaven early on and check out the guitar before 1 1/2 minutes. It calms down with vocals before 2 minutes and I love the liquid sounding keys 3 minutes in. It turns instrumental after 4 1/2 minutes. Another calm before 7 minutes then it kicks in fairly heavily. So good! A mellotron storm ends it. "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" features both Wilson-Piper and Travis. Nicklas is in fine form vocally here and a fuller sound arrives before 2 minutes. There's so much depth and the flute is such a nice touch. A beautiful track with some excellent guitar 3 1/2 minutes in. It ends with a stunning instrumental. "Our Days Are Numbered" starts off with mellotron and sparse sounds but when it turns powerful it sounds incredible with the mellotron, bass and more. Another calm follows then at 5 minutes it starts to build with sax and an urgent rhythm. It becomes so intense with the sax blasting holes in the soundscape.
Man this was well worth the wait. My oldest daughter bought me this from I-Tunes but I need to get a physical copy. It's early yet but this is already a top three ANEKDOTEN album for me, and that's saying something as they are a top three band in my world.

John Davie

Now this is a Progressive Rock album! Great mix of styles and moods and lots of instrumental choices and stylings that are fairly fresh for Anekdoten. I guesss the eight years off tending to other projects served Nicklas, Ana Sofia, Jan Erik and Peter well. 1. "Shooting Star" (10:10) opens deceptively quietly for what is to follow. A hard driving album with some organ and lead guitar stylings that remind me of URIAH HEEP-era Ken Hensley and BLUE OYSTER CULT's "Buck Dharma" Roeser and even a little of TRAFFIC-era Steve Winwood and NEKTAR's Roye Albrighton. Definitely one of the best long-play prog songs of the year and one of the best songs overall! Depsite the awesome mood and key changes, this song maintains its hard driving force throughout the entire ten minutes. I can never believe how quickly this song plays! Just awesome energy! (10/10)
2. "Get Out Alive" (7:32) opens with what I call their signature "oppressive heavy-happiness." While driving us into despair and doom Anekdoten's music somehow maintains an upbeat,"happy" feel to it. The band just can't go full-out doomer. Devil may care, they must love the music too much. The vocals and doomer lyrics are somehow quite fitting for the music and yet I love how they feel secondary to the heavy (and light--from the sixth minute on) instrumental parts. Nice Frippertronics in the fifth minute. That one note Nicklas bends up and then down is so cool! Awesome song. (10/10)
3. "If It All Comes Down to You" (5:52) Melllotron drenched with CRHIS REA-like lead guitar riffs playing tantalizingly over the top, this song is just gorgeous and very jazzy--almost in MOTORPSYCHO or THE AMAZING territory. The constant background 'tron and Theo Travis flute play are awesome but it's Nicklas's delicate guitar play and the background tuned percussion (xylophone?) that make this song for me. (10/10)
4. "Writing on the Wall" (9:03) opens with another familiar Anekdoten opening and settles into a structure not unlike their masterpiece "Hole"--that is, until the lead vocal establishes its surprisingly light melody. An especially heavy subject matter is treated rather lightly, almost happily, for sure lackadaisically as if in complete resignation to the belief that there is absolutely nothing to be done. Perhaps the weakest song on the album, it is still a pretty good song. Some nice drum and guitar work in the middle over Ana Sofia's awesome chord progression of the Mellotron foundation. The delicate guitar and synth "raindrops" interlude section is very KING CRIMSON-esque before bursting back into a two minute, two-part outro with some awesome REINE FISKE-like guitar soloing. (8/10)
5. "Until All the Ghosts Are Gone" (5:07) opens with full band, some nice guitar work, and more of Theo Travis' awesome flute (and saxophone) work. The vocal feels and sounds a bit too much like older Anekdoten, but the acoustic and electronic interplay is awesome throughout. between acoustic and electric guitars, mellow drum play, multiple keyboards and even some harmonized vocals. Acoustic and electric guitars, mellow drum play, multiple keyboards, beautiful flute play, and even some harmonized vocals for the repetition of the catchy final lyric, "Praying that it will work out ok" is really nice. (9/10)
6. "Our Days Are Numbered" (8:36) is an instrumental with a familiar Anekdoten feel, driving acoustic drums with bass, electric guitar and keyboards weaving with and around each other in and out of synchrony and from collective play of the melody to weaving into harmony structures. Return of Nicklas' new "Buck Dharma" guitar play preempts a brief polyphonic section before all music drops away for bass and echoed sax notes and riffs float around the background. The band gradually builds back its volume and full presence until at 6:28 Theo Travis' saxophone screeches out some awesome notes to signal the beginning of a section in which there is a kind of gradual whole band climb until at 8:15 it all comes to a head for the finale. Another gem! (9/10)
I don't feel as positively about any previous Anekdoten studio album as I do about this one. Until All the Ghosts Are Gone deserves five stars all the way. A masterpiece of progressive rock music that is definitely a candidate for Album of the Year!

Drew Fisher

Since the early 90's, Swedish band Anekdoten have delivered a series of melancholic Mellotron fuelled heavy prog albums, and their latest release `Until All the Ghosts Are Gone' is only their sixth studio album in 22 years. The band have never released anything close to a poor album, each one a honed progression and refinement of the previous work, always growing in confidence every single time. While `Ghosts' doesn't herald a massive change in direction, it moves on from some of the Alt/Indie rock experiments of previous discs `Gravity' and `A Time of Day' for something of a return to the earlier brooding lengthier moments of the albums before those (without the outright heavy King Crimson aping of their early days), and it quickly reveals to be their most dense, mature and even subtle release to date.
Opener `Shooting Star' instantly pleases with heavy gutsy guitar bursts, slinking bass, Hammond organ ripples and that searing Mellotron that's the Anekdoten trademark, and despite being loaded with lengthy instrumental passages, it features an early killer chorus that roars like a chest-beating anthem. Some of the twisting riffing guitar moments over eerie electronics remind of the recent Opeth albums (unsurprising to find an ex-member of that band Per Wiberg guesting here on organ), and the opening electronic drone is the hint of a direction that the band should explore more often in the future! A plodding heaviness pervades `Get Out Alive', and Anna Sofi Dahlberg's softly groaning cello in the finale is sophisticated and grand without being overwrought. `It Comes Down To You' is an instant Anekdoten classic, as surprisingly romantic and warm as the band can get with gorgeous chiming guitars, a calming vocal from Nicklas Barker with a wistful lyric and a reflective flute solo from guest Theo Travis, it's sure to become a favourite amongst fans.
Founding member, bass player and original main vocalist Jan Erik Liljestrom takes his sole lead vocal on `Writing on the Wall', driven by weeping sombre Mellotron but with a few scorching devilish twists to make it truly infernal and overwhelming! Cello, flute and 'Tron weave together throughout the gloomy title track, and instrumental `Our Days Are Numbered' is a thrilling finale. Mellotron alternatively swoons with orchestral-like flair and slices like a razor, the bass rattles and pulses with purpose, guitars wail histrionically, Peter Nordin's snappy drumming holds down dark grooves and Gustav Nygren's unhinged saxophone blares with dirty debauched unease.
As always, the vinyl length format the band adopts means the album stays at a reasonable length and never allows any filler moments to sneak in, just six extended atmospheric pieces and not a wasted second. The status Anekdoten now hold these days in progressive rock circles is well deserved, and it's also refreshing to find a band that takes their time with each work, not putting out product every single year to fill a gap, instead patiently releasing superior musical statements that make for yet another superb addition to their small but precious catalogue of work.
`Until All The Ghosts Are Gone' is a crowning achievement for Anekdoten, one of the absolute standout progressive rock albums of 2015, and sure to feature highly in the end of year Top Ten lists.
Five / five stars.

Michael H.

My ALL-TIME Greatest #7
As much as I love their past albums it's fair to highlight the present work in recognition of the maturity attained. What was already so good acquires in these songs, specially on the composing department, an extra dimension of quality: the original way they sound and makes them so immediately recognizable is fortunately untouched but the music is more elaborate and 'finished'.
Global Appraisal
What amazes me most since the first time I heard them, and gets now even more nuanced, is the uniqueness of the mix they achieve of characteristic affinities with 'traditional prog' and a modern and very personal 'progression', exploring on their own account new ways of expression.
I get immediately captivated right from the first notes by this singular architecture: the bass soloing upfront in the mix, the ever present Mellotron giving profundity and grandiosity, the peculiar voice of Nicklas carrying a dramatic accentuation to the lyrics, the rhythm guitar and drums marking the odd time in a kind of balancing move - what a treat, really, this band is!
Goodies
I have to praise the tasteful and criterious use of acoustical instruments (namely guitar, vibes, flute, sax & cello) that far from getting submerged in the dense sea by the opposite punctuate the surface with interesting tasteful surprises that heighten the mystery of the journey, making it more the most rewarding.

Jose Simoes

For a while I'd written off Anekdoten as also-rans of the Scandinavian prog scene - it's not that I didn't like their sound, From Within is a pretty good album, it's just that the sound didn't really vary enough from album to album (or, for that matter, from song to song) to really keep me interested.
Well, after taking a good long break to recharge their creative batteries I'm pleased to say that Anekdoten have pulled off the difficult task of extensively revising their sound whilst still creating something that is true to their personality and history. There's still plenty of Crimso-fied technical noodling afoot, but this time it's enhanced by a sense of playfulness and whimsy reminiscent less of 1970s prog and more of the 1960s psychedelic forerunners of the prog scene. Organ gets to play as much as, if not more than, the Mellotron which was previously the band's trademark, the vocals actually occasionally seem hopeful or cheerful, and there's a sense of dynamism and spontaneity which I haven't previously heard in Anekdoten's music, but which is extremely welcome. Welcome back, gang.

W. Arthur

Anekdoten returns after a long absence to gift us with Until All the Ghosts Are Gone, another rock solid entry into the 'heavy prog' sub-genre, and heavy it is, abounding with massive bass and guitar riffing, and pounding, tension-filled songs. However, it's also filled with beauty and nuance through artfully arranged songs and many- layered sounds of mellotron and organ.
"Shooting Star" wastes no time in showing us why Anekdoten remains one of the more powerful, creative, and heavy sounding bands around - even after 8 years of hiatus. The two guitarists lay down an amazing amount of sound, crushing the listener during the song's numerous fortissimo moments while also showing their restraint during other moments. The use of negative space and ambiance has always been a strong suit for the band, and here it's juxtaposed to the massive riffing - and not to mention unexpectedly aggressive soloing from Barker - very well indeed. It's an optimistic song that takes you to places dark and bright in 10 jam-packed minutes of thick, heavy, wonderful music; off to a great start, though things get much darker thematically from here on out.
"Get Out Alive" sadly takes a while to get going, weighed down by vocals that plod along until electrified by a terrific instrumental break that concludes with a sense of strong sense of drifting melancholy. A busy song, even though slow tempo, and probably the weakest on the album.
The wonderful "If It All Comes Down to You" shows the band's ability to craft very likable and approachable music using a blend of sensitively incorporated mellotron, vibes, and guitar tones. It's about as pop-friendly song that the band has ever produced, though its complex instrumentation and prog-feel probably won't convince people who aren't use to listening to music this dense. Still, its a great moment of lightness in the mix, even though it's basically a break-up song, and the contributions by Theo Travis' flute soloing is a great touch.
"Writing on the Wall" continues in achingly melancholic form, being excellently composed for dramatic and emotive effect, especially the four minutes of instrumental work that concludes the song. This leads me to album's conclusion, "Our Days Are Numbered," a powerful instrumental song with amazing tension and performances throughout. Once again, when Anekdoten is at their best, they absolutely nail it. This may be one of their best songs, and it certainly carries an 'end of the world' feel to it's rousing climax.
While not a perfect album, Until All the Ghosts Are Gone does a tremendous amount of things exceptionally well. This doesn't surprise me, given my ratings of past Anekdoten albums; the band rises above in so many ways, but there's just something illusive that keeps the music from resonating with me. It's this lack of emotional connection that I've decided to keep my rating at a 4-star. You will not be disappointed with Until All the Ghosts Are Gone, but if you're like me, you probably won't connect or remember much of it specifically afterwards. A great album for fans of loud, heavy, artistic rock.
Songwriting: 4 - Instrumental Performances: 5 - Lyrics/Vocals: 3 - Style/Emotion/Replay: 4

Jeff Morgenroth

"Untill All The Ghosts Are Gone", the sixth album from Swedish rockers Anekdoten seems to have stirred up quite a fuss around here. Now, Anekdoten is a band that I am only mildy familiar with. Having only listened to their "From Within" album, and some tracks from "Gravity". I was intrigued to see that one of their albums had managed to rate higher than "From Within". So having thoroughly enjoyed "From Within" in the past, I decided to give it a listen and see if all the hype is really true.
It doesn't take long to realize that this was a much different beast than the Anekdoten I was familiar with. "Until" features the Keyboards and Mellotron much more than the Guitar and Drum focused music I had previously heard in "From Within". As a result, their sound is much fuller than in the past; and with the occasional use of Acoustic Guitar, it has a much lighter sound as well. However, that's not to say that they have dropped their trademark dark and heavy sound, but rather expanded upon it. Focusing less on the heaviness has allotted them a lot more free space in writing than in the past, and they take full advantage of it here. Now sounding less like a full-force hard-prog band, and more towards a dark hard-symphonic sound.
Their new musical direction shines brightly in each track, and it's clear that all the time away from the band has really gotten their creativity flowing again. There is never a moment where I feel the urge to press the skip button, considering how much of a shame it would be to miss even a second of this!
"Until" is a breath of fresh air in an era dominated by Swilson and company. Anekdoten demonstrates to us their mastery of moody heavy-prog, as well as revealing the more beautiful side of their music to us; and for that, they have earned a fan in me.

Nicholas Glimpse

Wow! I think this is one of the best work ever in the last thirty/forty years!Magnificent compositions in the best melancholic way.Anekdoten returns with a great,complex,structured album in which all the instruments are perfectly blended and the flute of Theo Travis added something special to the songs.For me it's incredible that in 2015 is possible to imagine such a wonderful work.Just the beginning tracks, "Shooting Star",by itself, worth the cost of the album.My only disappointment is that its too short!But this is in the vein of all Anekdoten albums.Sorry for my English(this is my first review here)but i'm so excited for this i consider a real masterpiece.Absolutely five stars!

Francesco

A new album by Anekdoten is always an event in prog circles. So when "Until..." was announced, I was very happy ! But then, I remembered the last album by Anekdoten, which was a little bit disappointing. But finally, Until All The Ghosts Are Gone is a very good surprise. One of the best Anekdoten releases. Great composition, complex, with influences of King Crimson, Pink Floyd or Radiohead. The musicians are awesome ! The best track is clearly Shooting Star, a 10-minutes epic song. A very good release, and one of the best of 2015 obviously, almost as good as the last GY!BE.

Florian Decros

Eight years after their last, excellent album, this would class as a come-back for some bands. But Anekdoten have never been prolific, and it was previously usual for their cult following to have to wait four years between albums. Their guitarist, vocalist, and driving force Nicklas Barker has been engaged recently in the wonderful side-project My Brother The Wind, and that certainly has been a consolation for the silence from Anekdoten.
But they are back with a vengeance, no question! Probably like many, I was expecting some intrusion of MBTW-like psychedelia in their sound - instead the jaw-dropping opener Shooting Star is replete with influence from Steven Wilson and Opeth; imagine a confluence of Luminol, Raider II and Slither, taken up a gear with a positive energy I did not think Anekdoten possessed. The second track Get Out Alive starts like a familiar middle-period Anekdoten number, but then again takes off like a torrent. Also in this vein is the final track Our Days Are Numbered. These tracks rank among the best this great band have ever produced. Like a few other reviewers, I feel Anekdoten's only weakness is the competent but characterless voice of Nicklas Barker, and I always feel uneasy on first hearing a track that sounds like he will over-vocalise. One or two of the other tracks fell into this category initially, but in every case the music takes over and I really don't have a criticism in the end. The deep concept behind the lyrics I detect to be religious, sometimes euphoric, sometimes despairing and I'm not qualified to judge the overall picture. But this is a masterpiece, no question.
Verdict: recommended to Steven Wilson fans. HIGHLY recommended.

Einwahn

Hasta acá llegó mi entrada, seguir diciéndoles que no se pierdan este discazo es al pedo. Implemente un trabajo impresionante y disfrutable por demás. Extremadamente recomendable!

Lista de Temas:
1. Shooting Star
2. Get Out Alive
3. If It All Comes Down To You
4. Writing On The Wall
5. Until All The Ghosts Are Gone
6. Our Days Are Numbered

Alineación:
- Nicklas Barker / electric & acoustic guitars, Mellotron M400S, organ, vibes, vocals
- Anna Sofi Dahlberg / Mellotron M400S, organ, Fender Rhodes
- Jan Erik Liljeström / bass guitar, vocals
- Peter Nordins / drums, cymbals, vibes, percussion
With:
Marty Wilson-Piper / lead guitar, electric guitar & acoustic 12-string (5)
Per Wiberg / Hammond organ (1)
Theo Travis / flute (3,5)
Gustav Nygren / saxophone (6)