Le loup et les souvenirs

dailylistenings:

by Thersus

Souvenirs (2003) by The Gathering

“These Good People” - 5:48
“Even the Spirits Are Afraid” - 5:13
“Broken Glass” - 4:58
“You Learn About It” - 5:07
“Souvenirs” - 6:06
“We Just Stopped Breathing” - 6:49
“Monsters” - 4:18
“Golden Grounds” - 4:56
“Jelena” - 10:09
“A Life All Mine” - 5:08 

“Souvenirs” is the eighth album by Dutch band The Gathering, released in 2003. This album goes further with the experimentations that the band started back in 1999, in the album “How to Measure a Planet?”, when they almost abandoned the doom metal sounds, and started to try new grounds, borrowing elements from progressive rock, shoegaze and alternative rock. From that album to this, they have gone heavier on the album “if_then_else”, and did an almost-post-rock EP, entitled “Black Light District”. So, what should we expect from “Souvenirs”?

Well, “Souvenirs” is very strange, at first. For a rock band, it does not sound rock at all. Actually, this album relies more on electronic soundscapes and textures, that combined with its downtempo rhythm, and a somewhat softer singing from Anneke, results in a very dark ambience. The band label themselves as “Trip Rock”, and I think this is the trippier of their albums.

I think this is one of their best albums, but at the same time, I definitely do not recommend it as an introducing album to new fans - you should start with the easier ones…

Rating: 8/10

Buy at Amazon

Such an amazing album