When a band with a solid reputation changes their vocalist, the tendency, in most cases, is to come up with, let’s say... not so fortunate replacements. But THE GATHERING made a brilliant choice by co-opting Octavia Sperati singer Silje Wergeland. Die hard Anneke fans will probably argue with that, but let’s face it: THE GATHERING are about more than just a charismatic singer.

It is needless to say no money was spared for the mixing and production part on this album – it is flawless. Each instrument is clearly heard, each sound is elaborated in minute detail, leaving nothing at random. No wonder, since we’re talking about THE GATHERING and they worked with the same producer as on Souvenirs. This time there are two guest singers: Anne van den Hoogen and Marcela Bovio (Stream Of Passion, Ayreon), who add a bit of variation into the picture.

From the very first notes of The West Pole, one can trace without a shadow of doubt the specific THE GATHERING sound and atmosphere. Bits and pieces of it are incorporated into this new album, but all in a much more rock-oriented fashion than their latest releases. The instrumental introduction to the album, When Trust Becomes Sound, is among the heaviest of the ten songs. The only problem is that one would probably feel tempted to skip this track at first in order to hear if Silje’s voice really stands up to the band’s standards. But fear not, it shortly reveals itself in a quite astonishing manner with two of the catchiest THE GATHERING songs so far: Treasure and All You Are. The sound is much more guitar-based than on the previous albums, with less emphasis on the electronic elements, which tend to fall in the background. At a certain point All You Are has a sort of flower-power twist to it and the vocal part completes everything by adding that secret ingredient that makes for a successful recipe.

The title track, The West Pole, continues in a quite different vibe than these two songs, in a somewhat melancholic note, especially due to the lyrics and the way they are brought to life by Silje’s voice. The violin is present on this track and throughout a great part of the album, adding a bit of dramatism to it all. This is also the reason the next tune, No Bird Call, is one of the most dramatic songs on the album. There is a strange echo of something from the past albums – hard to grasp at first, a reminder of the atmosphere on Souvenirs. With this song there is a shift in lyrical content and tone from songs about relationships to ecological issues. No Bird Call is magnificently written, building up from a calm, ambient sound, somewhere in the background, into one of the most beautiful guitar solos on the album. The violin gradually steps in and the voice is doubled, making this one of the most powerful songs on the album, despite the fact that it is one of the most low-paced.

Capital Of Nowhere is placed just at the right moment to save the album from falling into a much too melancholic state, adding some balance to the way the songs flow after one another. This song is completely guitar-centered, creating the unmistakable, outer-space-like THE GATHERING atmosphere, with some of the heaviest riffs on the whole album and some of the best vocal parts. You Promised Me A Symphony is a short piano and voice hymn about war and the most quiet song in the whole album. The following track, Pale Traces, is one of the most remarkable ones, having Marcela Bovio as guest vocalist. The fact that there is such great similarity with Anneke’s voice and singing style in this song was a pretty risky thing to do. Some fans will probably not be able to help wondering what it would have been like if Anneke herself sang it. But the way the song is composed, the combination between the remarkable guitar tunes, outstanding bass lines and emotional violin parts makes it simply irresistible.

The lively and catchy rhythms from the first part of the album return with No One Spoke. This is a pretty deceptive song, as it doesn’t catch the attention at first. But after a few spins it really grows on the unsuspecting listener. And, as if that wasn’t enough, A Constant Run is composed in such a manner that when it ends it will make one beg for more of this, making it very hard to resist hearing the album only once... or twice! It is as if the finest tunes of all the instruments on the album are put together in a concentrated dose. The effect is stunning, giving the listener an unstoppable urge to push the play button again and again...

WARNING! This album is highly addictive!