Alternative 4 is an album by the British rock band Anathema. It was released on June 22, 1998 through Peaceville Records. Unlike previous Anathema albums, Alternative 4 is sung with clean vocals. Various reviews categorised this album as experimental, depressing and atmospheric. It is considered a shift from Anathema's original death/doom metal style, becoming a more soft side of doom metal. The title of the album is derived from Leslie Watkins' book entitled Alternative 3. Bassist Duncan Patterson had read it a few years before they wrote the album. The book is about conspiracy theories, and most songs on "Alternative 4" are about trust. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.