History Music / TheGathering

The Gathering began life as a [[DoomMetal doom]] [[DeathMetal death]] band in 1989, centered around the brothers Rutten (Hans, drummer and René, guitar) and original singer Bart Smits. Along with keyboardist Frank Boeijen and bass player Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, the band would release their debut ''Always...'' to a small amount of success in 1992. A year later there would be a change of singer to Niels Duffhues, and the band would release the less well recieved ''Almost a Dance''. Shortly after, Niels Duffhues would also leave.

In 2007 Anneke decided to leave the band, wishing to spend more time with her young family. She formed the solo band Agua de Annique, which includes her husband Rob Snijders. They released three studio albums (one of which is mostly covers), as well as a live album. In 2011 she changed the name to "[[IAmTheBand Anneke van Giersbergen]]" after signing a record deal as a solo artist, releasing two more albums under her own name. She is currently the frontwoman for the band Music/{{VUUR}}. Her solo work is considered to be soft AlternativeRock while VUUR is more ProgressiveMetal.

In 2011, The Gathering released an online single, the almost [[EpicRocking 11 minute long]] ''Heroes for Ghosts''.

* EpicRocking: Common. Biggest offenders are: ''Travel'' (9:06), ''Sand & Mercury'' (9:57), ''Heroes for Ghosts'' (10:53 - and this one has a music video!) and ''How to measure a planet?'' ([[UpToEleven 28:33]])

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: More and more so with every album.

* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness: 10 for ''Always...'', 6-7 since ''Almost A Dance''.

In 2007 Anneke decided to leave the band, wishing to spend more time with her young family. She currently is involved in her new solo band Agua de Annique, which includes her husband Rob Snijders. They have released three studio albums (one of which is mostly covers), as well as a live album.

** TwoGirlsToATeam: The band became this in 2004 when Marjolein Kooijman replaced Hugo Prinsen Geerligs as the bassistl, to her departure to 2014 which coincided with the band going on hiatus. The band has since reformed in 2018 with Geerligs as bassist again.

* UnpluggedVersion: Subverted with ''Sleepy Buildings'', which is credited as a ''semi-acoustic'' live album.

* TropeCodifier: To an extent. They were among the first goth metal bands to employ [[SopranoAndGravel Beauty and Beast]] mechanics, though TheatreOfTragedy are much more famous for it, perhaps because The Gathering changed to just a solo female singer for their breakthrough album. They are certainly one of the first successful female fronted goth metal acts, though.

* MsFanservice: It's hard to deny that Anneke was ''very'' hot during her time with the band, and while she has visibly aged, she still looks great today.

In 2007 Anneke decided to leave the band, wishing to spend more time with her young famliy. She currently is involved in her new solo band Agua de Annique, which includes her husband Rob Snijders. They have released three studio albums (one of which is mostly covers), as well as a live album.

(not to be confused with a [[TheGathering horror/fantasy novel]] or a popular [[MagicTheGathering card game]]. However, their name does come from ''Franchise/{{Highlander}}''.)

!!{{Music/TheGathering}} provides examples of:

* HarshVocals: Bart Smits on ''Always...'', but starting with Niels Duffhues the band stuck with Clean Vocals

It wasn't until 1995 and the arrival of Anneke van Giersbergen that The Gathering would find their sound and much larger success. The band's third album, ''Mandylion'', saw the band ditch their death metal past for a slow, atmospheric [[GothicMetal gothic]] sound, accompanied by Anneke's signature vocal style. The album was a hit in Europe, selling over 130,000 copies and producing a charting single in ''Strange Machines''. This would be one of the earliest successes in the female-fronted gothic metal genre, paving the way for other Dutch bands such as WithinTemptation, AfterForever and {{Epica}}. The similar follow-up, ''Nighttime Birds'', would also prove successful.

* GothMetal: ''Mandylion'' is an early example of a successful female-fronted goth metal album, long before {{Evanescence}}, WithinTemptation or LacunaCoil showed up. Though the band quickly moved on.

(not to be confused with a [[TheGathering horror/fantasy novel]] or a popular [[MagicTheGathering card game]]. However, their name does come from {{Highlander}}.)