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Accessories Reviews
The Gathering are a band that's well known for creating highly aesthetic music that ranges from brilliant, vibrantly textured rock to ethereal, haunting aural stimulations with the slightest nuances of gothic overtones. 'Accessories' is first and foremost, meant for long time followers of the band, as this two disc set takes the listener on a journey that offers glimpses of this gifted group throughout the band's storied history. Anneke van Giersbergen's soaring vocals are the centerpiece of the sound of The Gathering, as always, but the group displays a penchant for crafting songs that meld many different types of sounds into a cohesive vibe as well, with songcrafting holding a major weight in the overall success of much of this material.
Due to the fact that this collection is a two disc set, there's a bit more value for fans than you'll find on many of these types of compilations. As opposed to coming off as a cash grab, it seems that Century Media actually wanted to give the band's loyal following something special with this effort, and with 26 tracks in all, it can be truly said that this disc is worth picking up if you follow this group. The major downfall here is that although this album is quite comprehensive in terms of both the sheer volume of material as well as in the plucking of quite a few gems that may have been otherwise lost in the grip of the past, it's not a good place to start if you're someone that hasn't had a great deal of exposure to the work of The Gathering. There's a lot of great material here, just not necessarily the band's best. New fans should seek out 'How To Measure A Planet?' first and then move on to this more diverse collection.
However, if you are a close follower of this highly engaging act, you can't do without this set in any manner whatsoever. One must point only to tracks such as 'Strange Machines' (recorded live with orchestra in tow) or the highly compelling live version of 'Amity' to prove that this is a compendium worth having. An excellent rendition of Talk Talk's 'Life Is What You Make It' and the rich, enveloping unreleased 'Diamond Box' are further examples of great tunes unearthed herein.
The true impact of this band is still building and it is quite likely that The Gathering will be much more revered in retrospect than they have been during the years this material was produced. With multiple imminent releases from this group in 2005 and into 2006, it's likely that the profile of this most fascinating combination of artists will achieve proper realization. In the meantime, this anthology is significant enough to satisfy long time devotees.
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