Thirty-one years ago, The Gathering gave a new dimension to atmospheric metal. The Dutch band released their third album, “Mandylion”, and became one of the pioneers who constructed the universe of the atmospheric metal sound. They released an album, which got into our DNA, an album, which, after decades, needs only a few seconds to bring back a specific feeling of excitement. The Gathering, with singer Anneke van Giersbergen on the microphone again, are visiting Greece for two highly-promising live shows (in Thessaloniki and Athens) – we shall all be there to celebrate “Mandylion” and its creators – but let’s see the whole story behind The Gathering’s masterpiece!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
Released in 1995 through Century Media Records, “Mandylion” was much more than simply another album from a Dutch metal band. It was the beginning of a new chapter for The Gathering, the first album to feature Anneke van Giersbergen, and the record that finally introduced the band to a much wider audience.
The Gathering had already released two albums, “Always…” (1992) and “Almost a Dance” (1993), but neither had given the band the direction they were looking for. Their early material was rooted in atmospheric death/doom metal, with the influence of bands such as Celtic Frost and Hellhammer clearly present. But the musicians wanted something different. They wanted space, melody, atmosphere and a more progressive approach.
Then came Anneke! Her arrival changed everything. It is difficult to talk about “Mandylion” without talking about van Giersbergen – her performance is one of the defining elements of the album. What makes her so important to the band and the album is her beautiful voice and her personality, something difficult to find: Anneke could sound delicate without becoming weak, powerful without becoming aggressive, emotional without sounding forced. She could float above the guitars and then become the central force of a song. There was an innocent quality to her singing, with something mysterious and melancholic underneath it. The Gathering knew exactly how to use Anneke’s charisma.
The opening track, “Strange Machines”, remains one of the band’s signature songs. The riff is heavy enough to remind us where The Gathering came from, but the song already points towards somewhere else. Anneke’s vocals transform the atmosphere completely, while the guitars create a dramatic, cinematic backdrop. It is catchy, unusual and instantly recognizable.
Then comes “Eleanor”, one of the most beautiful moments on the record. It proves that heaviness is not always about distortion or aggression. The weight comes from the melody, the arrangement and Anneke’s delivery. This song has really aged remarkably well.
“Sand and Mercury” is an epic composition. It builds slowly, allowing the guitars and rhythm section to create tension before the vocals take over. It is expansive without becoming complicated, a powerful, wonderful recital, which stays with you forever!
Yet, “Leaves” is the emotional heart of “Mandylion”. The song has a simplicity that makes it incredibly effective. Anneke’s voice carries the melody with an almost fragile beauty, while the guitars provide just enough weight underneath it. Every element has a purpose here.
Generally, the album’s value lies in its very well-crafted songs, its strength is the wise songwriting. It isn’t dictated and influenced by the trends of the mid-90s. It is obvious that The Gathering were already experimenting with the boundaries between metal, gothic rock and atmospheric music, but they did not yet have the shoegaze, trip-hop and alternative influences that would become much more obvious on later albums. “Mandylion” is a metal album, but you can hear the band preparing to leave traditional metal territory behind.
Commercially, the album became the band’s breakthrough, selling more than 130,000 copies in Europe and helping establish them internationally. But its real impact can be heard in the countless bands and singers who followed a similar path, combining heavy guitars with atmospheric arrangements and expressive female vocals.
For the band itself, “Mandylion” is the beginning of something much bigger. The band would go on to make the extraordinary “How to Measure a Planet?”, the intense “if_then_else”, the atmospheric “Souvenirs”, and many other records that continued to push their sound forward. Anneke would leave the band in 2007 and build a successful career of her own. The Gathering themselves would continue through different eras and with different vocalists.
Regardless of the years that have passed and the albums they have released since, “Mandylion” remains The Gathering’s most historic, crucial and artistically important album. It changed their history and played a major role in shaping the atmospheric metal sound, as well as the evolution of female-fronted metal. “Mandylion” is one of the most remarkable creations in the mythology of heavy metal.
Today, thirty-one years after its release, it still sounds special, great and unique, bringing chills and emotion to longtime listeners and excitement to younger ones. “Mandylion” is the main reason The Gathering have managed to survive in these difficult times for metal music. It is their masterpiece, and after so many years, twists, changes, ups and downs, and bursts of creativity, The Gathering are reuniting with Anneke to perform live shows dedicated to this monumental album.
From “Strange Machines” to “Sand and Mercury”, from “Eleanor” to “Leaves”, it remains a journey through heaviness, beauty, atmosphere and discovery. By releasing “Mandylion” thirty years ago, Anneke and her boys opened doors to musical infinity!
On September 24th and 26th, The Gathering will be playing live in Thessaloniki (Moni Lazariston) and Athens (Lycabettus Theatre), and we all know where we’ll be on these two wonderful nights!
