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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Promising, June 8, 2009
The question was: can The Gathering survive the departure of one of the most versatile singers of all female fronted bands ? The answer is a clear yes, Silje Wergeland (from the norwegian band Octavia Sperati) replacing Anneke Van Giersbergen with a style which is somewhat similar and works well with the band, even though no one will forget Anneke, at least with this record.
Anneke's departure was scrutinized because of the stunning influence she had acquired over the years, leading the evolution of The Gathering from their metal origins to the alternate/experimental band of recent years. If her influence was in doubt, it is enough to listen to her own solo effort Air by Agua de Annique to realize how much of her inspiration went into The Gathering. In this sense, following her departure was more akin to replacing Neal Morse in Spock's Beard than Tarja Turunen in Nightwish.
In my mind, it is the Spock's Beard model that applies here and The West Pole evokes the same kind of transition as the immediate post-Snow efforts from the Beard; familiar sound, in a sense free from a dominating influence, but also a little more repetitive, having more difficulty looking for a direction. As a result, all the tracks are good but I don't hear yet a classic stand-out track in the lot. Perhaps a matter of getting used to the new balance.
To be clear, The West Pole is no Mandylion or Nightime Birds and The Gathering is still a way off from those glory days. But the energy is there (the wall of guitar sound of the first track When Trust Becomes Sound) and the delicate lace is there too (the completely Silje Wergeland written and composed You Promised Me a Symphony).
The most promising aspect of the new record is the extent to which Silje has already integrated with the band. Not only does her work mesh well with the guys (and gal) but she has penned seven of the ten tracks, suggesting she is game for the challenge.
With this recipe in place, not only is The West Pole a very enjoyable record but it is also a transition album that suggests a bright new life for the band.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Under the circumstances, better than expected!, June 8, 2009
I must disagree with the other negative review here, as I found this to be an exceptional album, in many ways, even surpassing "Home". I'd expected the worse with an "Anneke replacement", as her voice is simply one of the best, and brought this band from obscurity to world fame. But I must say, the new singer definitely holds her own here, sounding a bit like her predecessor on a few tracks, while adding her own flavor to other songs. I also find some of the music here to remind me of some moments from my favorite Gathering album, "How to measure a planet", while offering a few slightly heavier, guitar-oriented pieces that harken back to the "Nighttime Birds" days. My only complaint, really, is the lead track, a one-note guitar riff song with no vocals, that simply doesn't belong here at all. Thankfully, everything that follows is a big step up. If you like this band at all, you should find this Anneke-less version just as compelling.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Treasure, July 4, 2009
It's rare that a band survives the departure of a beloved front person with so much talent and charisma; however, the Gathering have done it in stunning fashion. Silje Wergeland has revitalized the Gathering creatively, musically and emotionally. Not just a replacement, but a new member who was heavily involved in the album, she is a fantastic addition to the band. The West Pole is lush with rich, lyrical melodies and heavy atmospherics, as well as, a harder, edgier guitar sound than the recent Gathering albums. This album has energy and emotion on all tracks, including the instrumental and the slower paced ones. Although there will never be a replacement for Anneke, the Gathering have rediscovered themselves with the West Pole and charted a new direction. The creativity of the music, the beautiful vocals and the wonderful lyrics once again have Gathering songs "spinning around in my head".
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