THE GATHERING „Souvenirs”

Is there anyone not to know about this band? During the time, the Dutch musicians had changed the sound, direction and look over and over again so that I find at least difficult to say if they ever played Metal tunes. What they come to point out now it is called Alternative Rock/Triprock, a strange mixture of both organic and electronic sounds with serious hues of psychedelic echoes, perhaps a Trip-Hop with Space-Rock influences. Anneke’s voice is as strong and passionate as ever and I must confess that the experience of collaboration with Trickster G (ULVER) in the last track is at least inedited. People say this must be the best album of the five musicians.

Well, for a pub music and atmosphere, the new tracks seem just perfect, no objection about that! The shy shadows of Dark seem to hardly face the new tendency and, once again, THE GATHERING makes the proof the band has quitted that peculiar underground spirit, the one which made them famous. There might be a subjective nostalgia that keeps me immune to new alternative sonorities but I wouldn’t know for sure! What I know is that the music didn’t disturb anyone around me while playing but again… it didn’t strike either!