Gathering
Nighttime Birds
Century Media
This must have been a tough album to write for this group. The Gathering’s previous album, Mandylion, was such a landmark achievement for this group, that a follow-up would be difficult. Although this album is not what its predecessor was, it does have its moments. At times, you can just sit back and relax on a calm day and enjoy the beauty of lead singer Anneke Van Giersbergen’s (who I secretly harbor romantic feelings for) voice, but there are a few times when it sounds like it was put together extremely fast and was pieced together rather then achieving a feeling of continuity in the music. Overall, it is a catchy album and all of the songs are unique in their own way. There are a few songs that stand out, like “Third Chance” – feel free to bug your local DJ’s. Century Media, 1453-A 14th St., Suite 324, Santa Monica, CA 90404; http://www.centurymedia.com
