The Gathering
„Home“
Prog-Rock. 

• 2 LP Black Vinyl, Reissue 2019 (2006).
•  Peaceville
• VILELP812
• new

The space is part of the music. And that's not the only reason I feel at home when "Home" plays from my speakers and fills the room.

In 2006, The Gathering released their last studio album with long-time singer Anneke van Giersbergen. It marked a true turning point for the band. The end of the recording process 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 chapel "La Divina Commedia" in the Dutch town of Maurik. Only a few overdubs were used. The rest was recorded in a studio. But Progthief, nobody can tell. Then listen to "Waking Hour". There's no need to add reverb. It sounds more organic; I can especially hear her breathing. It's as if she's standing next to me and I can see her chest rise and fall as she sings. But Progthief, we know you love Anneke! Wrong, because I don't know her personally at all. I simply immerse myself in her voice and enjoy every single tone, every note, enjoying the way all genre boundaries fall away and "A Noise Severe" runs through my mind. Despite all the sadness surrounding this album, "Forgotten" sounds warm with its piano and vocals. It radiates comfort. And the quieter songs sound particularly well-rounded. Because there's no band in a recording studio here; people are recording music together in a chapel. Needless to say, "Home" sounds like a blend of "Souvenirs" and "If_Then_Else". "The Shortest Day" propels the lyrics forward; everything has to be fast, pauses are for losers. Because that's what this is about. With all the speed in our modern society, there's a danger of losing ourselves. If we don't hit the brakes every now and then. And anyone who thinks "Home" is a cheesy dirge is mistaken. It sounds like The Gathering, and that works for me. "Forgotten Reprise" revisits "Forgotten". The instrumental section with the church bells and the reverent, sacred keyboard is particularly beautiful. For me, it's the truly reverent dirge. R.I.P. Henk Rutten.

All the lyrics were written by Anneke. Compared to older albums, Anneke's voice sounds fuller, more defined, more vibrant here. Thank you for the many great songs together with the band. The Gathering will continue to be played regularly on my devices.

I find it difficult to define The Gathering's style. The vocals of frontwoman Anneke van Giersbergen are particularly distinctive. For me, her vocals are the defining characteristic of this period in the band's career. However, it would be unfair to reduce The Gathering to just their frontwoman.Their main characteristic is progressive rock, although the band calls their style ‘trip rock.

The Gathering 2006: 

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

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

TheProgThief
©05.06.2025
Mk 1b