Today my best friend came with the latest The Gathering cd.
So we ended up our meeting listening to it.
This cd is a next step in The Gathering's evolution. Don't expect saturated guitars, nor riffs of any kind. It's all a question of ambiance and voice.
The dutch band is now playing in an almost soft experimental trip hop crossed with atmospheric pop rock of the highest quality. The sound and production of 'Souvenirs' is the best they ever had in my opinion.
The songs are more experimental than on 'If Then else' but as said above no fast nor very rythmic song. Don't fool yourself, the cd flows well but I won't qualify it easy listening considering the numerous waves of instruments and the complicated but beautiful music arrangements. The result is more complex than the mini cd 'Black light district', but easier to get into. This cd is the perfect example of a team effort.
By only listening to it once I can't put up a detailed review but I can share the feelings I had : I felt like floating out of my body in a coil of smoke, surrounded by nymphs. Yeah, that's it.
This cd is a nice surprise. Generally I never have such a good impression the first time I listen to a cd. But that one is really well done. Sound mastery reached.
Anneke is playing with her voice with great variations, and yep... the main feeling is nostalgia, melancholy, but not sadness as it used to be on some previous releases. There's a kind of achievement, a fulfillment reached here.
Amazing how this band as evolved since their debuts!
"A Life All Mine", the last song is a big surprise : a duo with Trickster G. from black metal band Ulver. Damn, that guy sings very well with a clean voice too... Simply awesome!!! And it works perfectly with Anneke's voice
"Souvenirs" is already the soft ethereal experimental rock album of the year. I doubt much to witness a better album this year.
Only drawback : No lyrics in the booklet, which is a shame...
Tracklist :
[01] These Good People
[02] Even The Spirits Are Afraid
[03] Broken Glass
[04] You Learn About It
[05] Souvenirs
[06] We Just Stopped Breathing
[07] Monsters
[08] Golden Grounds
[09] Jelena
[1![0]](http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/alien.gif)
A life All Mine
So we ended up our meeting listening to it.
This cd is a next step in The Gathering's evolution. Don't expect saturated guitars, nor riffs of any kind. It's all a question of ambiance and voice.
The dutch band is now playing in an almost soft experimental trip hop crossed with atmospheric pop rock of the highest quality. The sound and production of 'Souvenirs' is the best they ever had in my opinion.
The songs are more experimental than on 'If Then else' but as said above no fast nor very rythmic song. Don't fool yourself, the cd flows well but I won't qualify it easy listening considering the numerous waves of instruments and the complicated but beautiful music arrangements. The result is more complex than the mini cd 'Black light district', but easier to get into. This cd is the perfect example of a team effort.
By only listening to it once I can't put up a detailed review but I can share the feelings I had : I felt like floating out of my body in a coil of smoke, surrounded by nymphs. Yeah, that's it.
This cd is a nice surprise. Generally I never have such a good impression the first time I listen to a cd. But that one is really well done. Sound mastery reached.
Anneke is playing with her voice with great variations, and yep... the main feeling is nostalgia, melancholy, but not sadness as it used to be on some previous releases. There's a kind of achievement, a fulfillment reached here.
Amazing how this band as evolved since their debuts!
"A Life All Mine", the last song is a big surprise : a duo with Trickster G. from black metal band Ulver. Damn, that guy sings very well with a clean voice too... Simply awesome!!! And it works perfectly with Anneke's voice
"Souvenirs" is already the soft ethereal experimental rock album of the year. I doubt much to witness a better album this year.
Only drawback : No lyrics in the booklet, which is a shame...
Tracklist :
[01] These Good People
[02] Even The Spirits Are Afraid
[03] Broken Glass
[04] You Learn About It
[05] Souvenirs
[06] We Just Stopped Breathing
[07] Monsters
[08] Golden Grounds
[09] Jelena
[1
A life All Mine"playing karmic snakes and ladders, all your sins will find you out, when all your gains are lost in vain on cosmic swings and roundabouts"
