DISCLOSURE

A bizarre post-rock/trip-hop monstrosity with some unusual influences - see the absolutely gorgeous and plaintive trumpet solo in Heroes for Ghosts, see the Celtic folk influences towards the end of album closer Gemini II - Disclosure finds the band having grown accustomed to having Silje Wergeland on vocals and making substantial strides in getting back on form. In fact, I'd say I enjoyed this Gathering album more than any at least since How to Measure a Planet?, and perhaps more even than any of them. The loss of Anneke van Giersbergen, far from sowing the seeds of the band's destruction, actually seems to have provided them with the kick in the rear they needed to take their music to the next level.

The band has returned once again in this, the post-Anneke era, and does so with quite some success. They are refreshed and recharged, returning to exploring the edges of trip-hop, slow, subtle song and melody development, and use/experimentation with odd strange sounds. "New" vocalist, Silje Wergeland, a Norwegian late of Goth metal band OCTAVIA SPIRATI (three albums from 2001 to 2007), is by no means no slouch. In fact, one might say that Silje might just have a bit more diversity than Anneke while still possessing the tone and strengths of past Gathering vocalists. Silje's tone quality and vocal style is remarkably similar to that of Anneke's. It is not only remarkable, it's uncanny. I have to agree with other reviewers who have remarked that Anneke's departure may have provided the band with the kick in the butt it need to get back on track with its adventurous, experimental musical expressions. This is my favorite album of theirs since 2000's If_then_else.

Best songs: the amazing epic (thanks, trumpet!) 4. "Heroes for Ghosts" (10:42) (10/10); the "classic" Gathering tune in the Anneke tradition (Silje's tribute to her predecessor?), 3. "Paralyzed" (5:05) (9/10); the "new" Gathering style experiment--kind of a CURE/NEW ORDER approach--introduced in the opening song, 1. "Paper Waves" (5:33) (9/10) (Does anybody else hear the vocal similarities in this song to IAMTHEMORNING's Marjana Syomkina?); the first and trip-hoppy of the twins, 5. "Gemini I" (4:55) (9/10); ; the driving, Post Rock-updated variation on the Byrds classic, 7. "I Can See Four Miles" (9:04) (9/10), and; the gorgeous vocal-centric finale, 8. "Gemini II" (5:04) (9/10). 2. "Meltdown" (7:56) (8/10) and the piano-based, scaled down 6. "Missing Seasons" (3:26) (8/10) are also pretty damned good.

A very solid four star production. The best Gathering release since 2000!