I have been a fan of The Gathering since they released Mandylion in 1995. Since then, I have seen this quintet from Holland (once a sextet) evolve from metal with engaging female vocals, to hard rock with engaging female vocals, to trippy rock with, yes, engaging female vocals.
To say Anneke van Giersbergen is the glue that holds the band together would be an apt statement. While every member is definitely important in their own right, it’s Anneke's voice that propelled the band from a once little known death metal group to an underground icon and is also the key element to maintaining the band’s familiar sound. It is the vocals that do this because, in many ways, the music of The Gathering has taken on a whole new approach.
“Evolution” might be the best way to describe their first release in three years. That’s because, in many ways, The Gathering has evolved, has morphed into an altogether different beast.
Dw., while listening to Home, noted its chill vibe, with an undercurrent of haste whispering in the background. He’s right. While The Gathering hasn’t been metal since the middle 1990s, and really hasn’t been straight up rock since 2000’s if_then_else, the albums have still maintained a distinctive sound the band is known for. Home subtly touches that sound, but make no mistake, the main similarity between this album and the band’s previous work is Anneke van Giersbergen, and even she is a bit more subdued here. While that might turn some fans off (especially the ones that went absolutely bonkers at The Knitting Factory last month when The Gathering played their older material), they would do well to just relax and listen.
“Shortest Day,” “In Between” and “Your Troubles Are Over” maintain a rockier vibe, stripped down somewhat from the last album, employing a minimum amount of overdubs and loops. Loops and general loopiness were the order of the day for Souvenirs, which actually hurt that album somewhat. Songs meandered in its own avant-garde flair. Home is more subdued on practically all levels than previous works. Hans Rutten never really cuts loose while his younger brother’s ambient guitar passages harmonize with Anneke’s vocals rather than leave their own imprint. Songs like “The Quiet One,” “Box,” and the title track prefer to chill the listener and urge them to sing along rather than assault them with sounds.
The whole album is much stronger and much more cohesive, I feel, than Souvenirs. But, is it The Gathering sound you’ve come to know and love? In some ways, yes. In many ways, no. Whether you’re ready to accept another evolution to this extremely inventive and important band is entirely up to you. Those willing, however, to enjoy Home with a different mindset than, say, Mandylion, will be very well rewarded.
