The Gathering - Home

[Liu]

The Gathering - Home
The End Records

I've long expressed my love for The Gathering and their unwavering attitude towards experimenting their sound. Its been almost a decade since they abandoned their metal-ish roots (I'm often maintained that they were never really a metal band to begin with) and have ventured a long way to develop their trippy electronic-based rock, which brings us to their latest album, Home. There's no other way for me to really put it, so I'm just gonna come right out and say it: Home is The Gathering's worst album.

I could theoretically put an effort into describing the music on the album, but I'm going to rather put the same effort that the band put into making these songs. Meaning, almost none. On their past albums, there was an almost hypnotizing feeling while listening to any given song.. The experimentation felt like it had a purpose, that it was fulfilling the band's innermost desire to expand their musical dimensions. With Home, the normally adventurous nature of their music hits a brick wall of complacency. They've fallen into a mold here and it doesn't suit them. Yes, I dare say it: the album is boring.

The biggest strike against the album is Anneke's vocals. She is very subdued on Home, the songs here just don't give her anything to work with and the end result is a half-hearted performance that must be considered a career lowlight for her. The songs seemingly go nowhere at all, there's no change in the monotomously sterile pace. Every song meanders without any effort in creating worthwhile moments to go back to. Home feels like a betrayal of the band's old musical ideals.

Go play How To Measure A Planet? or Souvenirs instead.


01. Shortest Day
02. In Between
03. Alone
04. Waking Hour
05. Fatigue
06. A Noise Severe
07. Forgotten
08. Solace
09. Your Troubles Are Over
10. Box
11. The Quiet One
12. Home
13. Forgotten Reprise

Score: 2/10