Track Listing
Disc 1 1. Frail (You might as well be me) 2. Great ocean road 3. Rescue me 4. My electricity 5. Liberty bell 6. Red is a slow colour 7. The big sleep 8. Marooned 9. Travel Disc 2 1. South American ghost ride 2. Illuminating 3. Locked away 4. Probably built in the fifties 5. How to measure a planet? Year: 1999 Label: Century Media - Official Site |
The Gathering - 'How to measure a planet?' - By C. Diamantis
The fifth studio album (and third with the vocalist Anneke Van Giersbergen) meant a very important change in the musical identity of the Gathering. During the 100 minutes of this album the band leave behind them the atmospheric metal sound of their past and begin exploring new soundscapes. The first thing that the listener will notice when listening to this album is that the guitars have a much less important role here than in the previous records. That�s only natural since the new style of the band doesn�t require distorted guitars, many solos or heavy riffs but a rather simpler approach. This doesn�t mean that there aren�t parts where the guitars takes the lead role, and during those parts Rene Rutten shows his talent, but these parts are not so many. One can easily understand that in this album the band chose to simplify their compositions but this fact doesn�t take away any of their beauty. Another element that contributes in the artistic success of the album is the beautiful voice of Anneke. She doesn�t sing as highly as so many other female singers that sing in bands of the genre but chooses a more emotional and low way of singing. The band has realized the worth of her voice so decided to build the music around her vocals and that made the result astonishing since Anneke is left free to show her talent. The rhythm section of the band accomplishes its role very well and I must also mention the contribution of the keyboard player of the band, Frank Boeijen, whose discreet playing helps a lot in the creation of an enchanting atmosphere. If you asked me what exactly the style of the band is in this album, I�m not sure I could answer you. I guess the term that can be best applied to their music is rock. They have some metal elements in some of the more up-tempo moments but they are very few. The band also uses a lot of psychedelic elements in their music which sometimes makes it very trippy. In addition to all that we can also find a few trip-hop moments that show that the band doesn�t forget modern day music. The songs are mostly slow and melodic, although there are a few faster and more lively moments like �Liberty Bell�. The atmosphere of this album is not very different than that of their previous CD's but it�s expressed here in a quieter and more melancholic way. The fact that all the members of the band (except the drummer, Hans Rutten) have contributed in the writing of the songs gives a somewhat wide diversity in the album, something that helps in keeping the interest of the listener alive during the long duration of the record. So, I guess you�re expecting me to tell you if this is a good album or not� Well, I guess that depends on the listener and what he asks from a band. If you�re searching for another atmospheric metal band then search elsewhere because The Gathering no longer represent the genre. If you also frown when hearing that a band changed or left metal behind then this is not an album that will excite you. If, however, you like melodic music and search for an album to keep you company during the nights when you try to relax then you have found the perfect record. The Gathering show that they know how to create beautiful emotional music and this is probably the best album of their career. Metal Obsessive Grade: 92% |