THE GATHERING - BLACK LIGHT DISTRICT
Psychonaut Records - 2002
By Rodrigo Escandon
Black Light District , which is only 24 minutes long, is the newest offering from The Gathering and while it may only be an EP, it is definitely a must buy for any fans of the Dutch band. It is a logical follow up to if_then_else but the mood is darker and more somber than that album especially in the brilliant 16-minute title track.
Black Light District starts off very slow with a haunting piano melody (Frank) for the first couple of minutes and then the rest of the instruments (drums (Hans), guitars (Rene) and bass (Hugo) ) come in. The mood created in this first part is one of similar to Ulver s Perdition City . It is a dark and urban musical landscape that is created by The Gathering . The spoken words that you hear are provided by none other than Sarah Jezebel Deva of Cradle of Filth fame and Annekes singing is very subdued and using both voices creates a great contrast and both mold perfectly with the music. At 6:04 the song speeds up with Franks electronic and programmed keyboard sounds in the background and Renés distorted guitars at the front. After having the song slow down again at 12:40, Anneke starts singing once again in a subdued manner and the rhythm of this section is one that every time I listen to it is simply quite beautiful. The song then fades out with the piano melody creating a very somber ending to this song.
Debris is a faster paced and shorter song where the entire band lets loose. The guitars, drums, keyboards and Annekes singing are given more freedom to belt out a more dynamic and heavier song. Broken Glass (Piano Version) as the title implies only Franks piano and Annekes singing is featured. It is a tranquil and solemn little piece and as soon as it is finished you find yourself hitting the play button again.
Besides the excellent music, this release also offers some cool multimedia content in the format of videos of the band during the recording process of this EP. Black Light District is clearly the appetizer and teaser of the next full-length album and any fan of The Gathering is recommended to grab a hold of this release to tide you over until the release date of the new album comes along.
Psychonaut Records Website
The Gathering Official Website
Psychonaut Records - 2002
By Rodrigo Escandon
Black Light District , which is only 24 minutes long, is the newest offering from The Gathering and while it may only be an EP, it is definitely a must buy for any fans of the Dutch band. It is a logical follow up to if_then_else but the mood is darker and more somber than that album especially in the brilliant 16-minute title track.
Black Light District starts off very slow with a haunting piano melody (Frank) for the first couple of minutes and then the rest of the instruments (drums (Hans), guitars (Rene) and bass (Hugo) ) come in. The mood created in this first part is one of similar to Ulver s Perdition City . It is a dark and urban musical landscape that is created by The Gathering . The spoken words that you hear are provided by none other than Sarah Jezebel Deva of Cradle of Filth fame and Annekes singing is very subdued and using both voices creates a great contrast and both mold perfectly with the music. At 6:04 the song speeds up with Franks electronic and programmed keyboard sounds in the background and Renés distorted guitars at the front. After having the song slow down again at 12:40, Anneke starts singing once again in a subdued manner and the rhythm of this section is one that every time I listen to it is simply quite beautiful. The song then fades out with the piano melody creating a very somber ending to this song.
Debris is a faster paced and shorter song where the entire band lets loose. The guitars, drums, keyboards and Annekes singing are given more freedom to belt out a more dynamic and heavier song. Broken Glass (Piano Version) as the title implies only Franks piano and Annekes singing is featured. It is a tranquil and solemn little piece and as soon as it is finished you find yourself hitting the play button again.
Besides the excellent music, this release also offers some cool multimedia content in the format of videos of the band during the recording process of this EP. Black Light District is clearly the appetizer and teaser of the next full-length album and any fan of The Gathering is recommended to grab a hold of this release to tide you over until the release date of the new album comes along.
Psychonaut Records Website
The Gathering Official Website
