The Gathering
„Home“
LP Black Vinyl, Reisue 2019 (2006). Prog-Rock. Psychonaut Records.

In 2006 the last studio album by the Dutch band The Gathering was released with long-time singer Anneke van Giersbergen. It marked a real turning point for the band. The end of production was overshadowed by the death of Henk Rutten, father of guitarist René Rutten and drummer Hans Rutten. Henk Rutten had also been the band's manager for many years. The title song “Home” is dedicated to him.

Most of the recordings were made live in the "La Divina Commedia" chapel in the Dutch town of Maurik. Only a few overdubs were added. The rest was recorded in the recording studio. 

Anyone who thought that The Gathering would disband after this stroke of fate and the end of the charismatic singer Anneke van Giersbergen was mistaken. 

Vocals: Anneke van Giersbergen
Guitar: René Rutten
Bass: Marjolein Kooijman
Drums: Hans Rutten
Keyboard: Frank Boeijen

The double LP "Home" contains 13 songs. "Solace" took longer for me to like, but there are still more than enough highlights. "Shortest Day," the magnificent "A Noise Severe," which showcases the full range of Anneke's voice, and of course "Box" and "Home." All lyrics were written by Anneke.

I find it difficult to define The Gathering's style. Frontwoman Anneke van Giersbergen's vocals are particularly striking—bright and clear, powerful or soft. For me these vocals are the defining characteristic of this era of the band. However it would be unfair to reduce The Gathering to just the frontwoman. Their main characteristic is progressive rock although the band calls their style "trip rock." The Gathering was founded in the Netherlands in 1989. Anneke van Giersbergen joined as vocalist in 1994 and the style evolved from death metal and doom to progressive rock.

If you like Anneke van Giersbergen's voice, the band's experimental approach, and their style, you should definitely check out "Home." If you're not familiar with the band yet, I recommend checking out their YouTube videos. 

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.