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There are few acts to have survived such a massive musical transformation as Liverpool's Anathema. Along with Paradise Lost, the group was at the forefront of Europe's burgeoning doom metal scene during the early '90s. The band's blend between goth's despondency and death's brutality was a distinctive turn in style as sibling guitarists Vincent and Danny Cavanagh were noted as the genre's most compelling shredgods.

Over the past decade, the brothers have drifted towards a more commercially accessible attack, softening the brittle sonics with melancholy melodies, dark atmospherics and trippy elements that have stretched into grand, orchestrated epics. Consistent with the disc's title, Exit is a complete break with the band's past, presenting a spacey, conceptual opus influenced by Pink Floyd's galactic spaciousness and Radiohead's dramatic presentations, that defines their new sound.

A metalhead's loss is spacerock's gain, as Anathema piece this mystery of a businessman's suicide together with soft, drifting ballads ("Release"), classically-tinged anthems ("Leave No Trace") and cerebral mazes ("Panic") to amaze. Like Floyd's best work, themes and tracks are loosely linked, allowing plenty of opportunity for musical shifts and moody introspection as Anathema slowly develop the album.

Floyd watchers should note some obvious comparisons in vocal transitions and sturdy, bluesy guitar licks here, while the Hipgnosis-styled cover art should not be missed, either. And even without those references, this is an inspired work by a band that has risked its success and discovered new musical fortunes.