Pool Of Sound - Antimatter

Duncan Patterson & Mick Moss

Without hearing each other's latest recordings, in 1998 Duncan Patterson and Mick Moss had both reached the same place musically and philosophically. Bassist and songwriter with 'Anathema', Duncan Patterson had just finished recording their album 'Alternative 4' and Mick Moss had been working on a set of demos since 1995 after disappointments with previous bands. The similarities were striking. Moss had produced 'Saviour', 'Over Your Shoulder' and 'Angelic', which drew parallels directly to Patterson's 'Empty', 'Feel' and 'Destiny'. Both sets of recordings were dark, melodic and minimal, lyrically dealing with a discomfort with oneself and others. Patterson at the time had grown restless with 'Anathema', and upon hearing Moss’ demos suggested they record together.
Patterson then quit Anathema in 1998 and re-recorded Moss' 3 tracks as a demo to pass to labels, under the moniker of 'Angelica'. The project was titled 'Antimatter' by Patterson, but the demo was originally rejected by Peaceville Records as being too melodic and not leaning enough towards heavy metal. Patterson later penned and recorded a 4th track, ‘Holocaust’, for the demo.
In 1999, Australian band 'Cryptal Darkness' contacted Patterson, and during a later conversation a member of the band, who also ran the groups label, asked Patterson what he had been involved with since leaving 'Anathema'. Patterson mailed a cassette of the demo off, and upon hearing it the label agreed to release the duo's first album.

1st Album 'Saviour'

'Antimatter' signed to Icon Records in September 2000 and entered Academy Studios, Dewsbury to record their debut album 'Saviour'. Patterson contributed the tracks 'Holocaust', 'God Is Coming', 'Flowers' and 'Going Nowhere', while Moss submitted 'Saviour', 'Over Your Shoulder', 'Psalms', 'Angelic' and 'The Last Laugh'. Although Moss performed vocals on his original demos, Patterson had the idea to have mainly female vocals, performed by Michelle Richfield and Hayley Windsor with Moss performing vocals on two tracks only.
In 2001, the album and band received 'Album of the Year' and 'Best Newcomer of the Year' in Psycho! magazine. Unfortunately 'Antimatter's' record label distributed only a small number of copies despite demand for much more, and it soon became apparent that the label wasn't able to manufacture and distribute copies of the album in reasonable numbers. Thus began a 12 month battle between band and label, with Icon Records holding onto the rights of 'Saviour' despite being unable to release it. Eventually, in 2002, Icon Records gave up and handed the rights to the recording back to the band.
In 2002, 'Saviour' finally received a worldwide release due to the efforts of labels Prophecy Productions in Europe and The End Records in North America. A self-financed European tour followed later that year, with 'Antimatter' joined by Patterson's former partner from his 'Anathema' days, Danny Cavanagh. This time Michelle Richfield and Hayley Windsor did not feature in the line-up, with lead vocals being taken by Mick Moss.
Cavanagh would later, briefly and controversially, quit 'Anathema' the same year with the intention of joining 'Antimatter', only to re-join 'Anathema' weeks later.
In late 2002, Moss published, via the internet, the free EP, 'A Dream For The Blind', featuring recordings of himself and Cavanagh rehearsing for that year's debut tour. The 5-track release came complete with artwork to be printed off by the public.

'Antimatter' entered the studio in February 2003 to record their 2nd album, 'Lights Out', with Moss and Patterson bringing their own tracks to the album The album was released in June that year with Mick Moss again performing vocals on most of his own tracks and half of Patterson's despite the presence of guest vocalists Michelle Richfield and Hayley Windsor.
In May/June 2003 they toured America’s West Coast with 'Virgin Black' and 'Aggaloch'. Afterwards they headed into Europe and the tour is rounded off with an appearance at a festival in Skali, Cyprus.
In October 2003 they reconvened to Sun Studios, Dublin, to record a cover version of 'Dead Can Dance's, 'Black Sun', followed by a tour of Germany with 'Autumnblaze'. December saw them publish onto the internet the album 'Unreleased 98-03', featuring demos and unheard versions of songs from the first two albums. The album was made available as a free download and once again came complete with artwork.

Antimatter

In 2004, Patterson made the decision to quit 'Antimatter' to pursue his solo project 'Ion', but not before contributing to his final album with the band, 'Planetary Confinement', an album recorded in two halves, one by Moss in England, the other by Patterson in Ireland and France. Moss's English sessions commenced on July 16th in Studio 33, Liverpool, and featured a band assembled by Moss that year with Rachel Brewster on violins, Ste Hughes on bass and Chris Phillips on drums. Moss performed all vocal parts himself. Patterson's sessions followed in December of the same year, with the vocal duties by Amelie Festa. 'Planetary Confinement' was released in 2005, signaling Patterson's official departure from the project. With the release Patterson announced his 'Ion' project, while Moss simultaneously announced he would continue with 'Antimatter' and was wrapping up the writing to the 4th album, to be titled, 'Leaving Eden' and commenced recording it at Fair Trade Studios, Liverpool. He re-assembled the band he had originally formed for his sessions for the previous album, with the addition of Danny Cavanagh. The album was released in June 2007 and Moss toured the album throughout Europe.

Following a reunion in 2008 to perform 'live' together, in 2009 Moss formed his own label, Music In Stone, whose first release was 'Antimatter’s', 'Live @ An Club', recorded the previous year in Athens, Greece. The album was released in April that year, coinciding with Moss and Patterson's 3rd union tour.
In 2011 the next 'Antimatter' studio album was announced as 'Wide Awake In The Concrete Asylum', with demos being produced that year.
2012 saw Moss enter Sandhills Studios to record the next album, now re-titled 'Fear Of A Unique Identity' which entered the official German Newcomer Chart at No.6.
In 2013 Moss toured extensively with pianist/vocalist Vic Anselmo throughout Europe and rounded off with the launch of the electric 'Antimatter' live band, formed by Moss in order to perform faithful versions of his 'Antimatter' material. The lineup consisting of Moss with past and present studio session musicians Ste Hughes on bass, Dave Hall on violin and Liam Edwards on drums.

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