The Gathering (band)

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The Gathering are a Dutch rock band formed in Oss, North Brabant in 1989. The band's lineup currently consists of founding brothers René Rutten (guitars) and Hans Rutten (drums), Hugo Prinsen Geerligs (bass) and Frank Boeijen (keyboards), with former lead vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen currently a touring member.

The band's earliest releases were categorized as atmospheric doom metal with influences from extreme metal acts like Celtic Frost and Hellhammer, undergoing numerous vocalist changes before breaking out in 1995 with Mandylion. It was The Gathering's first album to feature lead singer Anneke van Giersbergen and the band's first to chart in the Netherlands. With van Giersbergen, the band's sound shifted from gothic metal to one influenced by shoegaze, post-rock and trip hop, starting with their fifth studio album How to Measure a Planet? in 1998.

In 2007, van Giersbergen left the group to focus on her new project Agua de Annique.[1] Norwegian singer Silje Wergeland of the band Octavia Sperati was named her replacement in 2009, and their first album with her, The West Pole, was released later that year. The band released three albums with Wergeland. Van Giersbergen toured with The Gathering in 2025 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mandylion, and Wergeland left the band at the end of the year.

History

Early years (1989–1994)

Founded by brothers Hans and René Rutten and vocalist Bart Smits, The Gathering formed in the city of Oss in 1989. Soon after they were joined by Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, Jelmer Wiersma and Frank Boeijen to complete their first line-up. The Gathering's earliest recordings were categorized as atmospheric doom metal with influences from death metal acts like Celtic Frost and Hellhammer.[2]

In 1990 they recorded a demo tape entitled An Imaginary Symphony which met some positive reactions from the underground metal scene due to their unusual use of keyboards in metal-oriented music. A second demo, "Moonlight Archer" was recorded in April 1991, was picked up by several music journalists. Both demos suffered from poor production; however they did help establish the band's name on the live circuit opening for bands such as Dead Head, Invocator, Samael, Morbid Angel and Death.

After signing with Foundation 2000, the group released their debut album Always... in 1992. On this album, Bart Smits was accompanied by Marike Groot on vocals, who also joined the Gathering on stage for most of the gigs. The album sold nearly 20,000 units over the next few years in Europe.[3] In 1992 both Smits and Groot left the group due to musical differences; the other members wanted to change direction towards a lighter, more progressive sound.[4] Smits went on to form his own project, Wish, to explore a darker, heavier sound.

In 1993 the group recruited two new vocalists, Niels Duffhues and female counterpart Martine van Loon. A second album, Almost a Dance, was recorded and released in 1993 by Foundation 2000. The album was met with much criticism aimed at Duffhues' punk-ish tone being decidedly out of step with the music, and the album was largely written off as a result.[5] The group collectively acknowledged their disappointments with the album and started writing new material and looked for a new vocalist.

Century Media years (1995–2001)

In 1995, The Gathering released Mandylion, their third album and first to feature lead vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen, through Century Media; proving to be their breakthrough and selling over 130,000 copies in Europe. Two singles were released from Mandylion, "Adrenaline/Leaves" and "Strange Machines", the latter which reached number 37 on the Dutch singles charts and helped raise the group's popularity in Europe and the United States.[6] Tours of Belgium and Germany, as well as appearances at the Dynamo Open Air and Pinkpop Festivals further established the bands presence in the European metal scene.[7] 1997's Nighttime Birds was stylistically and musically a companion piece to Mandylion sold over 90,000 copies and saw the group tour throughout Europe.

In 1998 the group acknowledged their growing influences and their need to experiment with a double album, How to Measure a Planet?. Produced by Attie Bauw, the album is a radical departure from the group's established sound. Upon release, the album received excellent reviews from critics who appreciated the band's absorption of new styles such as shoegaze and trip hop into its sound.[8] Positive reactions came from all over the world, including the United States, where they played 14 shows during the summer of 1999.

In 1999 the band formed their own record label, Psychonaut Records, with the view of releasing their own music and taking creative control over how their music is marketed and distributed. Always... was re-released in 1999, followed by Almost a Dance in 2000, both re-mastered and fitted with new artwork. However, the band were still under contract with Century Media, they released a live album Superheat (2000) which was recorded in several Dutch venues during 1999.

Another successful chapter in The Gathering's career followed with the release of If Then Else (2000). The album is filled with diverse, intense and emotional rock songs, more compact than its predecessor. Fifteen months of touring ensued, taking them to several countries of Europe, with a little sidestep to Mexico, and ending with a small Dutch club tour in October 2001. With these more atmospheric trip hop albums, The Gathering earned increased popularity in South America.[9]

Independent years (2002–2008)

File:Gathering anneke.jpg
Anneke van Giersbergen in 2003

In 2002 the band members took a break and tended to their private lives. During this period, they ended their contract with Century Media. The Gathering had to run their newborn label Psychonaut Records and their 12½-year anniversary was coming up. To celebrate this with their fans, they released the mini-CD Black Light District on their own label.

In early 2003, Souvenirs was released. Sleepy Buildings, a semi-acoustic live album, followed in 2004. This album was the last one featuring Hugo Prinsen Geerligs as the bass player. He was later replaced by Marjolein Kooijman.

In 2005, The Gathering provided the music for a CD-ROM titled "Passengers in Time: The Musical History Tour". This CD accompanied a history study book written by Professor Wim Kratsborn and the band did not consider it to be an official release of theirs.

The band released a DVD in 2005, entitled A Sound Relief. This contained more gentle semi-acoustic songs. But this is not their first DVD. Century Media had released In Motion without band permission at 2001. Nevertheless In Motion had an acceptable success. The next plan was to release in 2007 a second DVD (recognized for the band) A Noise Severe which features the more hard rock sound of The Gathering. This DVD was recorded in Santiago, Chile at 24 March 2007 at the Caupolicán Theatre.

In April 2006 they released their eighth studio album called Home. They had toured in March in North and South America and, after a brief pause to let van Giersbergen treat a laryngitis problem, they continued their touring schedule with European dates and music festivals throughout 2006.

In May 2007, The Gathering joined Lacuna Coil, In This Moment and Stolen Babies on "The Hottest Chicks in Metal" tour in the United States, sponsored by Revolver.[10][11] On 5 June 2007, it was announced that Anneke was leaving The Gathering to spend more time with her family and her new project, Agua de Annique.[12] Their final performance before Anneke's departure took place on 4 August 2007, at the Ankkarock festival in Finland.[13]

Silje Wergeland era (2009–2025)

File:Silje Wergeland The Gathering January 2010 Budapest Pic 04.jpg
Silje Wergeland in Budapest, 2010

In March 2009, The Gathering announced Norwegian singer Silje Wergeland, of the band Octavia Sperati, as their new lead vocalist.[14] Their ninth album, and first with Wergeland, was titled The West Pole and released in May 2009.[15]

On 16 May 2011, the band released the single "Heroes for Ghosts" via their Bandcamp page, as well as announcing a South American tour. This was the lead single to their tenth studio album Disclosure, released on 12 September 2012.[16][17] In 2013, the band released Afterwords, which features alternate versions of several songs from Disclosure. Drummer Hans Rutten referred to it as more of an EP than a proper album.[18]

In January 2014, the band announced the departure of bassist Marjolein Kooijman after 10 years and an incoming hiatus at the end of the year.[19]

The Gathering celebrated their 25th birthday with two sold-out reunion concerts at Doornroosje in Nijmegen on 9 November 2014. It was the first time that four of their singers (Bart Smits, Marike Groot, Anneke van Giersbergen and Silje Wergeland) performed together, and the band's first performance with van Giersbergen since her departure in 2007.[20]

The Gathering returned from their hiatus in June 2018, with their first announced show at the Midsummer Prog Festival in Valkenburg.[21] On 29 April 2022, the band released their eleventh studio album, and first in nearly 10 years, Beautiful Distortion. It was preceded by the lead single "We Rise", released in February.[22]

In December 2024, the band announced that, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mandylion, they would reunite with van Giersbergen for five sold-out August 2025 shows in Nijmegen.[23] The band then announced a full worldwide 2026 Mandylion tour with van Giersbergen.[24]

On 28 December 2025, vocalist Silje Wergeland announced her departure from the band after 16 years "to move on to new ventures." There was no indication if van Giersbergen's temporary return influenced her decision.[25]

Etymology

Frank Boeijen on the origins of the name of the band:

"The name the Gathering has been made like eleven years ago when we started this band. We were all between 15 and 17. We were watching a lot of movies those days. One of the movies spoke about immortality and that you could kill the immortals with cutting their head off [it's the first Highlander Frank is speaking about]. In the first part of the movie, they speak a lot about the gathering. There will be a gathering once with all the immortals. We thought it was a nice name for a band, and that's how we created this name. And you can feel it's a cool name for five people who come together to make fine music." [sic][26]

Band members

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id:vocals		value:red        legend:Lead_vocals
id:backing		value:pink       legend:Backing_vocals
id:guitar	    value:green      legend:Guitar
id:bass		value:blue       legend:Bass
id:keyboards	value:purple     legend:Keyboards
id:drums		value:orange     legend:Drums
id:flute       value:tan2       legend:Flute,_percussion
id:album		value:black      legend:Studio_album
id:other       value:gray(0.5)  legend:Other_release
id:live        value:gray(0.3)  legend:Live_album
id:grid1		value:gray(0.6)

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layer:back
at:01/01/1990 color:other
at:01/01/1991 color:other
at:01/01/1992 color:other
at:06/09/1992 color:album
at:09/02/1993 color:album
at:08/28/1995 color:album
at:05/15/1997 color:album
at:11/09/1998 color:album
at:01/25/2000 color:live
at:07/25/2000 color:album
at:05/22/2001 color:other
at:06/17/2002 color:other
at:10/28/2002 color:other
at:02/24/2003 color:album
at:01/26/2004 color:live
at:08/22/2005 color:other
at:10/01/2005 color:other
at:04/15/2006 color:album
at:10/31/2007 color:live
at:01/25/2008 color:other
at:05/04/2009 color:other
at:05/04/2009 color:album
at:10/27/2010 color:other
at:09/12/2012 color:other
at:09/12/2012 color:album
at:10/05/2013 color:album
at:11/27/2015 color:live
at:04/29/2022 color:album

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bar:Smits text:"Bart Smits"
bar:Groot  text:"Marike Groot"
bar:Duffhues text:"Niels Duffhues"
bar:vanLoon text:"Martine van Loon"
bar:vanGiersbergen text:"Anneke van Giersbergen"
bar:Wergerland text:"Silje Wergeland"
bar:RRutten text:"René Rutten"
bar:Wiersma text:"Jelmer Wiersma"
bar:PrinsenGeerligs text:"Hugo Prinsen Geerligs"
bar:Kooijman text:"Marjolein Kooijman"
bar:HRutten text:"Hans Rutten"
bar:Boeijen text:"Frank Boeijen"

PlotData= 

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bar:Wergerland		from:07/01/2008 till:end	color:vocals
bar:Wergerland		from:07/01/2008 till:end	color:keyboards  width:3
bar:RRutten		from:01/01/1989 till:end	color:guitar
bar:RRutten		from:01/01/1989 till:end	color:flute  width:3
bar:RRutten		from:01/01/1989 till:01/01/1990	color:keyboards width:7
bar:RRutten		from:01/17/2014 till:01/01/2018	color:bass width:7
bar:Boeijen		from:01/01/1990 till:end	color:keyboards
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bar:Kooijman		from:01/01/2004 till:01/17/2014	color:backing  width:3
bar:HRutten		from:01/01/1989 till:end	color:drums
bar:vanGiersbergen	from:01/01/1994 till:01/15/2007	color:vocals
bar:vanGiersbergen	from:07/01/1997 till:01/15/2007	color:guitar  width:3
bar:vanGiersbergen    from:12/13/2024 till:end color:vocals
bar:PrinsenGeerligs	from:01/01/1989 till:01/15/2004	color:bass
bar:PrinsenGeerligs	from:01/01/1989 till:01/15/2004	color:flute  width:3
bar:PrinsenGeerligs	from:01/01/1989 till:01/01/1990	color:keyboards width:7
bar:PrinsenGeerligs	from:01/01/2018 till:end	color:bass
bar:PrinsenGeerligs	from:01/01/2018 till:end	color:flute  width:3
bar:Wiersma		from:01/01/1989 till:07/01/1997	color:guitar
bar:Wiersma		from:12/13/2024 till:end color:guitar
bar:Duffhues		from:07/01/1992 till:01/15/1994	color:vocals
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bar:vanLoon		from:07/01/1992 till:01/15/1994	color:backing
bar:vanLoon		from:07/01/1992 till:01/15/1994	color:vocals  width:3
bar:Smits		from:01/01/1989 till:07/01/1992	color:vocals
bar:Groot		from:07/01/1991 till:07/01/1992	color:backing
bar:Groot		from:07/01/1991 till:07/01/1992	color:vocals  width:3

</timeline>

Discography

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References

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  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Sister project

Template:The Gathering

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