Customer Reviews

Souvenirs

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This album is sheer brilliance! I'd been itching to check out The Gathering long before their latest 'Souvenirs' came out but I'm glad I started with this because it's going to be an interesting journey to hear how they've grown from their debut 'Always', which was released back in '93. I now own 'Mandylion' in addition to this and albeit very good, it pales in comparison with what I already consider to be their triumphant masterpiece.

The music found on 'Souvenirs' is dark and melodic. I'm reluctant to call this Gothic Metal but it does pertain to some of their arrangements; however, there's thankfully no screaming or growling here and the rhythms are as elegant as they are heavy. Anneke Van Giersbergen is the main female vocalist for the group and she's got an impressive range that's striking and emotive. With the exception of a few, I've never heard a more beautiful voice in my entire life. Her dramatic singing style captivates and tantalizes the listener to the point where they can't get enough! I admit, the album loses a bit of luster towards the middle but it soon regains its power and there's never a dull, redundant moment on the CD, so there won't be any need for skipping tracks. It's enjoyable from start to finish and I find it quite difficult to pick favorites, although the sad yet gorgeous lament of "You Learn About It" seems to standout the most with me and I can't help but sing the words with her. I also love the closing track, "A Life All Mine", which comes in after about 4 minutes of silence with Trickster G. from the group Ulver lending his gloomy vocals to harmonize with Anneke's.

Step into your mind and 'Souvenirs' will take you places you never thought possible. Every time I listen to this it takes me back to a memory not long ago when my best friend and I were driving in a very cool convertible with the tops taken down. The spectacular drumming and heavy bass lines blared forth from the stereo as the wind blew through our hair as we drove down fog-filled streets that were practically barren until we decided to stop and stare out over the water of a nearby river as the moon loomed high in the lovely night sky.

It is something I will always remember and I can't recommend this enough!

'Souvenirs', and The Gathering in general, truly are too good for words. My only beef is there aren't any lyrics within the booklet, which would have been greatly appreciated.

Even now with their fifth album, the Gathering has demonstrably proved that they are only getting better. Yes, _Mandylion_ was their best-selling album but the maturation of this special group over the years has since improved them tenfold. _Souvenirs_ is their best album. I say this because I think it is the deepest and most complex release of theirs, and the first album that barely suffices with peripheral listening. This really demands one's attention otherwise it makes for merely some pleasant tunes, and then you are only hearing 1/100th of the music.

Elements of pure songcraft and sonic experimentation are perfected here, with Anneke van Giersbergen's voice is worth dying for. _Souvenirs_ perfectly captures the Gathering with unfettered creativity, confidence, deep wall-of-sound arrangements that recall Radiohead, polished post-rock atmospheres, and a haunting electronic-acoustic mix of textures. The metal days of heavy guitars and epic synths in _Nighttime Birds_ and _Mandylion_ are gone. The twin guitars are used for texture rather than virtuosity, and hollows of space are filled with sounds that come from no discernible human source. The harmonic and rhythmic development is subtle and even minimalist at times. Themes are sparingly orchestrated and the band keeps its textures astoundingly clean and clear. Synths are minimalist since there is no need for symphonic pretenses because the melodic themes and atmospheres are powerful in their own right. Songs are full of subtle tricks and sounds, but it would all be gimmicky if the songs were no good. But...every song is *unbelievably good*: the pure-pop ear-candy of "You Learn About It"; the aggressive, rhythmically tangled "Even the Spirits Are Afraid"; the eerie, poignant "A Life All Mine" (featuring indelible guest vocals from Trickster G. aka Garm -- speaking of which, go buy Ulver's _Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell_); the minimalist layers that slowly crescendo on "Broken Glass" without a trace of bombast; the smoky funk of "Monsters"; and so on and so forth.

I'm too rotten a music critic to get in-depth into _Souvenirs_ the way I would like to. No matter what I say, this is a very special band.

I'm just at a loss for words. Wow...
I found this group from a recommendation on my Amazon friends list. I've never heard any of The Gatherings previous works other than a few songs that are featured on their page on MySpace (which are great songs). I went to a music store near me and was surprised to find that they were listed in the heavy metal section. The songs on MySpace and the clips of Souvenirs on Amazon gave me the impression this group was anything but a heavy metal band, but I was wrong. The music store didn't have Souvenirs, which is the album I was really interested in listening to. Instead, they had Manylion and Nighttime Birds. I liked what I heard from those albums, but they were indeed a lot more `heavy metal' than what I'd heard of Souvenirs so I opted in not buying them. I really wanted my first album by them to be Souvenirs because the sound was a little more in my general taste than their more metal stuff...then once I got a good feel for the Souvenirs album I would start exploring their other stuff.

So I just got Souvenirs and I must say I am blown away. The first song on the album, These Good People, packs a wallop and just immerses and captivates you. The song builds up with this sexy base beat, combined with eerie piano in the background, then the song sort of explodes with the guitars and backup vocals. Anneke Van Giersbergen, the main vocalist, is just truly amazing. There are good singers in this world that are very pleasurable to listen to due to their talent, but they lack that raw emotion that digs its way into your heart. Anneke is an extremely talented singer with amazing range, and then on top of that you hear her emotion in her voice. She sings from her heart and that makes all the difference.

Some of the tracks are a bit grim, starting with These Good People, but some of the songs are lighthearted with a ting of optimism, like You Learn About It. The whole album just takes you on an incredible journey that is to be savored every step of the way. I highly recommend this album and am extremely excited to explore their other works.

Souvenirs isn't The Gathering's best release, but it's still ranks among the top of the list in my opinion. Seeing as I'm a relative newcomer to The Gathering's music, I have yet to hear everything they've done. So, of course this would be an amazing release. I think most everyone can find at least one thing about this CD that they really like, and for me that's Anneke's voice. It truly stands out among the elite few. This is, like many reviewers before me have stated, very atmospheric. It's extremely soothing and puts you in a transe for hours. The drawback to this CD is that it's kind of meant to be experienced as a whole, as opposed to the popular formula of just putting a few good songs on a CD. This CD is more of a journey through the unknown than just a casual listen, meaning you need to invest time into listening to this, the same goes to all of The Gathering's CDs.

I find it hard to pick just a couple particular tracks that stand out since they all flow together so perfectly. Nonetheless, one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard is on here. That song is You Learn About It. This song consists of a piano and Anneke. Her voice is proudly put on display in this track, and it never sounded better. Monsters is another track that I really love on here. The drums are what caught my ear at first, and then with further listens I found that the lyrics are simply astounding as well. The only track that aggrivates me is the last track, A Life All Mine. If it wasn't for the male vocals, this would be one of my favorite songs. To me, it sounds like the guy should be screaming, not singing. He's got a gruff voice that just doesn't sound right in a calm setting. Don't let that drive you away from purchasing this though, the female vocals in the song more than make up for it.

A couple of the best songs on this CD are You Learn About It, Monsters, and Golden Grounds. As I stated before though, this release seems to be intended to be heard all the way through, so try to make a point to actually sit down and listen to it all. I would reccommend this CD to people who like to be engulfed by music, also to people who are getting into female vocalists.

Fear not, those Gathering fans who were put off by the "Black Light District" ep! The band is back in fine form, on this new album that sounds like it could have come right out of the sessions for "How to measure a planet" (while at the same time, not being that far from the roots of "B.L.D.", either). However, those expecting a return to the more metallic side of this band will be in for a disappointment, as this album is rather experimental, and without the typical verse-chorus-verse song structures that most bands are fenced in by. Overall, a sort of dark, mellow album, with a lot of free-form ideas that only really gel in your mind after repeated listens. In fact, even with "How to measure" being my favorite of their releases, this one took a long time to sink in. But rest assured, as usual, Anneke's vocals are the high point of each and every song here. Now if only they could see fit to launch a real American tour!

2003 -- A year of musical transition. A year of "Goth." Now I am going to go back on some previous reviews, hypocrite and learning person that I am, and say WOW! The Gathering astounded me with this release. I was in shell-shock when I spun this disk the first time.

Enough said. I have NEVER been a fan of Mandylion, and have garnered enough hate-mail from that review that I contemplated a move to Chad just to avoid the vociferous debate. Needless to say, I have been reformed. I have found my fix. I have seen the light, and I return to it often for enlightenment, release, and pleasure.

This is highly recommended. Is it Evanescence [refer to earlier reviews, NO EMAIL's please]? No, it's much better. Is it Lacuna Coil? Bleh!

Buy it, test it. Just don't yell at me for saying that this band sucks. You know what? I was VERY wrong.

If you are told that this Dutch band's original sound was that of a symphonic metal band, you wouldn't believe it. Simply, because this album is a good way away from that type of music. From the opening song you are hypnotized by the beauty of the singer's voice, one that brings to memory that of Dolores O'Riordan from The Cranberries (click on the sample of "You Learn About It" so you can listen for yourself). As for their sound, think October Project or the calm songs of Porcupine Tree and you are almost there. These guys have put together an album that is bound to be enjoyed equally by fans of more experimental and ambient works as well as the public coming from the prog rock side. The only thing (which is why they are not getting a five-star review): after a few songs, the sound starts to repeat itself, but it's a great discovery, one of the best in a while.

The Gathering is just the type of band that has never disappointed me. Ever since Anneke joined the band, each of their releases have just gotten better and better. And with Souviners the trend contiunues.

Souviners continues in the direction the band started with "How to Measure a Planet", longer, sprawling, atmospheric, dark "rock" songs that grip at your emotions. Anneke has never sounded more beautiful, and the rest of the band has written some of their most inspired music to date. Broken Glass, You Learn About It, and A Life All Mine (feating Ulver and former Arcturus frontman Trickster G) are just simply amazing songs.

If you're looking for something that sounds like Mandylion, look toward Lacuna Coil. If you're looking for something that pushes boundaries and is original, You'll love Souviners.

This latest release from Dutch act The Gathering is about as far from metal as you can imagine, but you've seen it coming since their excellent album "If_Then_Else," when they first started shedding their metal sound for a more ultramodern-sounding style. The music is still dark and depressing, Anneke's voice is still one of the most beautiful in the rock world today, but the album as a whole edges much closer to a blend of Pink Floydish rock and trip hop, recalling especially the '90s British band Portishead.

The minimalistic, groove-laden beats and ambient electronic noise add up to a sound that's much heavier emotionally, if not musically, than past Gathering efforts like "Mandylion" or "Nighttime Birds." But the album's slow, serene quality also lends the band's sound a much greater depth and beauty than ever before.

An album for rainy days and silent introspection, "Souvenirs" is probably my favorite album by The Gathering, just edging out "If_Then_Else." It's more modern-sounding and emotionally powerful, and just downright gorgeous. It took me a while to fully appreciate all the subtle nuances of the music, but repeated listens revealed more and more. Give this one a try, just don't expect a barrage of heavy riffing.

Favorite tracks: "Broken Glass," "You Learn About It," "A Life of Mine"

I was introduced to Gathering music by a friend at the university, i feel deligthed by the music and the voice if this gorgeous woman, immediately i started to purchase every single cd and was a pleasure to me to witness the progresive evolution of this band , after that i played "Sleepy buildings" to my cousin in London and became an addict to that cd, and then another cousin at Milan get the same adiction when i played for him "third chance" from "nigttime birds" and he stated that Gathering would become one of his favourite bands , every person that listen the Gathering cant quit to this band sound , and "Souvenirs" is not the exception , heavyness this time is almost (just almost) inexistent but all for a good reason, this time they are completely experimental and style is almost like Massive Attack (another great experimental band) and this is a remarkable achievement for a Metal group, with "Souvenirs" a new phase for the Gathering has begin and still a lot to offer we can expect from this Deutch band
HM