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The Gathering (band)

From Alfawiki
The Gathering
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusic
Founded1989 in Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands
FounderRené Rutten, Hans Rutten
Headquarters
Oss
,
Netherlands
ProductsRock music, albums, live performances

The Gathering is a rock ensemble originating from Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands, established in 1989. The band's current roster features founding siblings René Rutten on guitars and Hans Rutten on drums, alongside Silje Wergeland as lead vocalist, Hugo Prinsen Geerligs handling bass duties, and Frank Boeijen on keyboards.

At the outset, their musical output was characterized by atmospheric doom metal, drawing inspiration from extreme metal pioneers such as Celtic Frost and Hellhammer. Following several changes in vocalists, the group achieved commercial recognition in 1995 with the release of Mandylion. This record introduced lead singer Anneke van Giersbergen and marked their first chart appearance in the Netherlands. During van Giersbergen's tenure, The Gathering evolved from their gothic metal roots toward a fusion of shoegaze, post-rock, and trip hop, particularly evident in their 1998 album How to Measure a Planet?.

In 2007, van Giersbergen left to dedicate her efforts to her new project, Agua de Annique. She was replaced by Wergeland, formerly of Octavia Sperati. After pausing activities between 2014 and 2018, The Gathering unveiled their most recent album, Beautiful Distortion, on 29 April 2022.

Formative period (1989–1994)

The Gathering was formed in 1989 in Oss by brothers Hans and René Rutten along with vocalist Bart Smits. Soon after, they were joined by Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, Jelmer Wiersma, and Frank Boeijen. Their initial sound embraced atmospheric doom metal with clear influences from bands like Celtic Frost and Hellhammer.

In 1990, they produced the demo An Imaginary Symphony, which attracted attention due to its incorporation of keyboards within a metal framework. A follow-up demo titled "Moonlight Archer" (1991) also garnered media interest despite subpar production quality. These early recordings helped establish the band’s reputation for live performances, leading to supporting slots for groups such as Morbid Angel and Death.

After securing a deal with Foundation 2000, The Gathering released their debut album Always... in 1992 featuring vocals by Bart Smits and Marike Groot. The album sold close to 20,000 copies across Europe. Later that year, both Smits and Groot departed due to creative differences as the band transitioned toward a lighter and more progressive style. Smits went on to explore heavier music through his project Wish.

In 1993, vocalists Niels Duffhues and Martine van Loon joined for the sophomore album Almost a Dance. However, Duffhues’ punk-influenced vocal style met with criticism, prompting the band to reconsider their musical direction and seek another vocalist.

Century Media era (1995–2001)

The band's major breakthrough occurred in 1995 with the release of Mandylion, their inaugural album under the Century Media label featuring lead singer Anneke van Giersbergen. This album sold over 130,000 copies throughout Europe, propelled by singles like "Adrenaline/Leaves" and "Strange Machines," with the latter reaching number 37 on Dutch charts. Extensive touring across Belgium, Germany, as well as appearances at festivals such as Dynamo Open Air and Pinkpop Festival, broadened their exposure both in Europe and the United States.

Their subsequent album in 1997, Nighttime Birds, continued stylistically from Mandylion and achieved sales exceeding 90,000 copies during an extensive European tour. In 1998, embracing experimentation, they released the double album How to Measure a Planet?, produced by Attie Bauw. This record represented a significant stylistic shift incorporating elements of shoegaze and trip hop, earning widespread critical acclaim internationally including in the US where they toured extensively in 1999.

In 1999, The Gathering established their own imprint, Psychonaut Records, aiming for greater artistic control over marketing and distribution. They reissued remastered editions of Always... (1999) and Almost a Dance (2000) featuring updated artwork. While still contracted with Century Media, they also released a live album titled Superheat (2000), recorded during their Dutch tour in 1999.

Their 2000 release if then else showcased varied and emotive rock compositions delivered with a more concise sound compared to previous work. The band supported this album with extensive tours throughout Europe and Mexico until late 2001.

Independent period (2002–2008)

In 2002, The Gathering paused their activities, terminated their agreement with Century Media, and established their own label, Psychonaut Records. To celebrate 12½ years as a band, they independently issued the mini-album Black Light District.

Early in 2003, they released Souvenirs, which was followed by the semi-acoustic live recording Sleepy Buildings in 2004. This was the final album featuring bassist Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, who was later replaced by Marjolein Kooijman.

In 2005, The Gathering provided music for the CD-ROM "Passengers in Time: The Musical History Tour," accompanying a historical publication by Professor Wim Kratsborn; however, the band did not classify this as an official release.

That same year saw the release of the DVD A Sound Relief, showcasing softer semi-acoustic compositions. Prior to this, Century Media had issued In Motion (2001) without the band's consent but had achieved moderate success. In 2007, The Gathering launched their second official DVD, A Noise Severe, which highlighted a heavier rock style and was captured live in Santiago, Chile.

Their eighth studio album, Home, was released in April 2006. Following tours across North and South America in March and a brief interruption due to Anneke van Giersbergen’s laryngitis treatment, the band resumed performing at European venues and festivals throughout that year.

In early 2007, The Gathering toured North America alongside Lacuna Coil. On 5 June 2007, Anneke announced her decision to leave the band to prioritize her family and focus on her project Agua de Annique. Their final performances with Anneke took place at Finland’s Ankkarock Festival in August 2007.

Silje Wergeland era (2007–present)

February 2008 marked the release of the limited edition boxed set Sand and Mercury - The Complete Century Media Years, which included 10 discs encompassing studio albums, live recordings, compilations, and audio from the In Motion DVD.

In September 2008, a double CD compiling early works from 1989 to 1993 was issued. This collection featured demos and previously unreleased tracks from the original lineup with vocalist Bart Smits. The material was restored and mastered by Mike Wead and released through Dutch independent label Vic Records.

Following the recruitment of new singer Silje Wergeland, The Gathering unveiled their ninth studio album, The West Pole, in May 2009.

On 16 May 2011, they released the single "Heroes for Ghosts" via Bandcamp ahead of a scheduled South American tour.

Their tenth studio effort, Disclosure, became available on 12 September 2012.

To commemorate their 25th anniversary in November 2014, The Gathering organized two sold-out reunion concerts featuring four former vocalists—Bart Smits, Marike Groot, Anneke van Giersbergen, and Silje Wergeland—marking Anneke’s first stage appearance since departing.

On 8 December 2016, they unexpectedly released Blueprints, a double-disc set compiling outtakes, demos, and unreleased tracks from sessions for Souvenirs and Home.

In 2018, The Gathering performed multiple shows across the Netherlands and embarked on a tour through Greece.

Their eleventh studio album and first new release in nearly ten years, Beautiful Distortion, was launched on 29 April 2022.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mandylion, The Gathering announced in December 2024 a reunion with Anneke van Giersbergen for five sold-out concerts scheduled for August 2025 in Nijmegen.

Etymology

Frank Boeijen explained the origin of the band's name:

"The Gathering was named around eleven years ago when we formed the band. We were between 15 and 17 years old and enjoyed watching numerous films. One particular movie dealt with immortality and the concept of killing immortals by decapitation [the original Highlander]. It referred to a gathering of all immortals, which we found to be an appropriate name for five individuals uniting to create music."

Band members

Current

  • René Rutten – guitar, theremin, flute, keyboards, percussion (1989–present)
  • Hans Rutten – drums (1989–present)
  • Hugo Prinsen Geerligs – bass, guitar, flute, keyboards, percussion (1989–2004; guest 2014; 2018–present)
  • Frank Boeijen – keyboards, synthesizer (1990–present)
  • Silje Wergeland – lead vocals, keyboards (2008–present)
  • Jelmer Wiersma – guitars (1989–1998; guest 2014, 2025-present)
  • Anneke van Giersbergen – lead vocals, guitars (1994–2007; guest 2014, 2025-present)

Former

  • Bart Smits – lead vocals (1989–1993; guest 2013 and 2014)
  • Marike Groot – backing and co-lead vocals (1992–1993; guest 2014)
  • Niels Duffhues – lead vocals, guitars (1993–1994)
  • Martine van Loon – backing and co-lead vocals (1993–1994)
  • Marjolein Kooijman – bass, backing vocals (2004–2014)

Timeline

Discography

External links

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