The Gathering are one of those bands that quietly reshaped their own identity more than once. Starting out in the Netherlands with a doom/death foundation, they pivoted in the mid-’90s toward a far more melodic and atmospheric sound, pulling in elements of gothic metal, alt rock and progressive rock. That shift crystallised on ‘Mandylion’ (1995), the first album with Anneke van Giersbergen, whose voice opened up an entirely new dimension for the band. ‘Nighttime Birds’ (1997) built on that momentum, while later releases like ‘How to Measure a Planet?’ (1998) ventured into expansive, almost post-rock territory. From there on, The Gathering never really stood still, gradually moving toward art rock and ambient textures without completely severing ties to their heavier past. In 2007 van Giersbergen left the band to pursue other musical avenues but last year she reunited with her former bandmates. What started out as a handful of sold-out shows celebrating the 30th anniversary of ‘Mandylion’ fleshed out into a worldwide tour in 2026, including a stop on the Dessel plains. (#GMM26)
