Band: Antimatter
Title: Alternative Matter
Label: Prophecy Records
Distribution: Prophecy Records
Release date: November 26th 2010
Review: compilation DCD

Alternative Matter isn’t a new studio album by Michael Moss, nor is it some cheap ‘best of’ or ‘greatest hits’ collection. Alternative Matter is a special compilation with interesting material from the band’s decade-career. It consists of previously unreleased material, live stuff, re-recorded songs etc, which, curiously, are pretty cohesive in their totality, even though the recordings have been done throughout different periods during the past decade, on different places, on different occasions.
Many songs are remixed versions of tracks from the officially released albums, done by Mick Moss himself, colleague Duncan Patterson (ex-Anathema, Ion), or ‘guests’. I don’t know about them, but it’s sometimes rather fun to listen to these remixes. A few (known) tracks appear in an acoustic version, some are taken from a live performance (with a satisfying sound quality, of course!), but the compilation also contains a new version of Flowers (besides an acoustic one) and Epitaph. And interesting might be the addition of a few demo versions too, of course. And what about the Dead Can Dance-cover Black Sun?

For the opulent hardcore fans amongst us: Alternative Matter also appears as a special edition, consisting of three audio CD’s and one DVD, the latter featuring some video clips and an extended documentary / history. It comes with a 100-pages art-book, full of interesting liner notes and many pictures on the band’s career.

--/100

Ivan Tibos.