The Gathering - Souvenirs

[Helm]

I like The Gathering up to Nighttime Birds. The compositional skills shown in their atmospheric metal, fail to translate well into Radiohead-ish alternative.

My bands' singer came over a week ago with the new album, all excited about how good he said he thought it was, and after three straight listens, I couldn't find one song that worked for me. Anneke of course, is phenomenal, but the synchopated Kid A-rip off structures cannot let her voice breathe. There's not a single moment where that epic feeling, so well demonstrated in Mandylion, or Nighttime Birds is present.


But then again, my favourite Anathema record is Serenades. I don't know what that tells you.