There is more than one artist with the name Anathema. 1) Anathema is a band from Liverpool, England, UK primarily known as one of the pioneering and leading death doom metal acts, incorporating growling, poetic lyrics and complex arrangements into the traditional doom riffage. Later in their career, beginning with "Eternity", they moved away from this sound into more melodic, atmospheric rock. Anathema formed in 1990 as a doom metal band, initially under the name Pagan Angel. In November of that year, the band recorded their first demo, entitled "An Iliad of Woes".