Anubis GateIn advance of their anticipated sixth album in 2014, prog metal band Anubis Gate have chosen to release this 21 minute, three track ep. “Sheep” is available to download for free, with the band’s consent, via the Nightmare Records web site. It’s a bit of publicity for them of course, but this head-on approach is also an adventurous move, as the band has had their financial problems due to an ongoing issue over the control of rights of their previous material, in addition to the common disadvantages of unpaid downloads and having to “pay to play” at concerts. So a free download is an interesting survival tactic, but one which may generate interest and with luck will ultimately pay dividends for the band.

In case you don’t know, Anubis Gate are from Denmark. Last year I interviewed the band’s guitarist and keyboard player Kim Oleson who harrumphed politely when I suggested that their music might have connections with the Scandinavian melodic metal scene. Kim’s response was (and I might as well as well quote him at this point) was that “we draw much of our inspiration from metal which is not Scandinavian, with seventies prog bands and melancholic pop thrown in”. The thing about Anubis Gate is that there’s a lot of detail and a lot to savour. By their own admission, creating the new album has been a painstaking process. It’s evident that great care has gone into the blend of the previous albums, so although classic metal may be an essential ingredient, the finished product has always been different and original. “The Detached” (2009) is a complex prog album, while the self-titled “Anubis Gate” (2011) mixes progressive and classic metal moods, but it’s also dark, uplifting and hopelessly catchy at different times. It’s also going to be a tough act to follow.

This EP consists of two cover songs and a track off the forthcoming album. I’ve always thought that the sign of a good band is one who can take a great song and present it in a different light or even improve on it. Here Anubis Gate give Mr Mister’s “Broken Wings” their own treatment. The original version is a nice enough song, but here Kim and the guys extract every last grain of subtlety with the expansive and colourful guitar work, and even succeed in enhancing the level of emotion while removing the cheesiness. That’s quite an achievement. What strikes me is that clarity of detail: Anubis Gate are self-confessed perfectionists. They pull it off here on “Broken Wings” by making the rhythm sections crisper and more flamboyant, and expanding them, allowing us to wallow in the song rather than being dominated by the lyrics. At the same time there’s a funky beat from the drum section, and singer Henrik Fevre takes the song up several notches with his sharp and soulful vocals. He is a great asset. Ironically once brought in a stand-in, Henrik has a distinct and effortless-sounding voice. This version of “Broken Wings” is more direct than the original but there’s greater depth and intensity which manifest itself one final time in the blaze of instrumental colour at the end.

If covering “Broken Wings” was not enough, Anubis Gate took on a potential monster in Pink Floyd’s “Sheep”. I recall the original being dark and melancholic. Rather than re-create the original, which would be pointless, after the initial tinklings Anubis Gate go on the attack and increase the energy level. Their version retains the landscape changes of the original including the psychedelic passages. “Sheep” by Anubis Gate is edgy, dynamic and exciting. Amongst the intricate guitar work, Henrik’s tones come flooding in. His emphasis as ever is that of a story-teller, matching the progressively powerful passages. An echoing sound builds up. Programming enhances the power. From progressive intensity there’s dreamy reflection, then the expressive drum tones lead into a dramatic build-up and a driving section. It almost stops. The mood is soft and melancholic. Electronic sound waves run through the heart, and from distorted and cosmically-inspired electronica this epic track returns to the classic section and driving 70s style prog. Urgent cries ring out. This is potent. The combination is energetic, and the rendition is spell-binding.

“Destined to Remember”, which opens up this ep, has the classically layered ingredients of an Anubis Gate song. There’s a steady and sophisticated build-up of drum and guitar. Henrik’s tones are typically clear, emphatic and high in the range, giving it an epic feel. The track has weight and drama. The chorus is catchy and smooth. There’s a fluid transition into a guitar section and a dynamic dark and heavy passage. This leads to harmonies and the memorable chorus. There are shades of the “Anubis Gate” album about this track. It seems to end mid-stream, and I felt that that on the emotion-sapping scale of prog, the band could have rounded this off and sapped our emotions some more. “Destined to Remember” wasn’t the completed article for me, but it seems that the band may recognise this too, as they have promised a more developed version for the new album.

I do sometimes wonder with these bands who are courting precision and perfection whether they are stifling instinct and creativity. Precision does not mean anything exciting. Nor can emotion be manufactured. Yet in spite of the evident quest for clarity and perfection, which seems to be an ongoing cause in the case of Anubis Gate, none of the tracks on “Sheep” come across as introspective. In fact the opposite applies. Emotion and richness on all levels are conveyed. I felt I was invited in. There is fineness of touch, and so there is new meaning in the interpretations of the two cover tracks. The sounds and ideas within this work are of high quality and raise hopes for the forthcoming album. Try this EP, and you may share my enthusiasm.

(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)

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