MANDYLION

Though the third full-length album release by this Dutch "doom/metal" band, this is the debut album for new vocalist ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN and first album in which the female vocals become more prominent, even, at times, central. Before Mandylion, the band's female vocals were performed by guests only as supplementals to the male growls.

1. "Strange Machines" (6:04) slow like The Gathering but using more distorted guitars to form the majority of their soundscape. Anneke is up front and center almost from the beginning. Her vocal sound and styling is somewhere between Alanis Morissette and Alannah Myles (both the hard rock and C&W versions). At 3:45 a slow-chugging train of djenty guitars supports a brief recorded voice speech before going back to Anneke's vocal part. Then we switch into a little faster of a motif for an extended instrumental passage with thickening ascending synth wash chords to finish. Nice but nothing special (unless the message of Anneke's vocal's lyrics have relevance to you). (8.5/10)

2. "Eléanor" (6:41) Nice performances of some very straightforward chord and song structures played at two basic speed: slow and lumbering or fast and staccato. Even the spacious section in the fifth minute holds little excitement or innovation. he drums (especially the tom-tom fills) are a bit dated. (8.5/10)

3. "In Motion #1" (6:56) tuned percussion used to lay down the foundational arpeggiated chords are soon joined by distorted guitar power chords and boring drums. Very cool when Anneke's voice gets doubled up with a higher harmony. This is then followed by the album's first really good synth and guitar solo. The plodding four-chord guitar power chord sequence must be very boring to play. The choruses are so much better! (13/15)

4. "Leaves" (6:01) spacious guitar chords and cymbal play open this one for solo guitar to slowly play (experiment) over, but then at the end of the first minute we jump into the main body of the song with Anneke's powerful lead voice (heavily reverbed). Plagued by another horribly plodsome guitar chord sequence--played at a snail's pace (of course). The guitar solo in the fourth minute is at least melodic if not technically impressive. When chorus part is repeated sans vocals the keyboards make it sound so 1980s BON JOVI. But those tom-tom fills! They're driving me crazy! The drummer's a one trick pony! (8.667/10)

5. "Fear of the Sea" (5:49) heavily distorted sustained electric guitar chords and chunky, mobile bass support Anneke's vocal. The second motif (which is used between her vocal forays) is horribly 80s--and the chorus music is even worse. And our one trick pony keeps relying on his ? one trick. Nice guitar solo in the fourth minute. I really like this extended instrumental passage. (8.667/10)

6. "Mandylion" (5:01) Middle Eastern nasal horn à la Peter Gabriel's Passion soundtrack opening opens this one, supported, eventually, by low synth chord and, later, hand drums. Very cool. Could go into a chant of "Biko" at any minute. At 2:18 Anneke's wonderful vocalise enters, and then at 3:45 thunder clap signals a shift into a more CURE-ish DEAD CAN DANCE motif. I really like this. At 3:47 the DCD motif adds ankle bells and the nasal horn moves into a lower octave. The band could do more of this and I'd be very happy. Definitely my favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

7. "Sand and Mercury" (9:57) a song that really has no business being ten minutes long--not even the angelic choir voices can save the day; it's just a lot of wasted little simplistic motifs pasted together beneath the Mellotron. (16.667/20)

8. "In Motion #2" (6:07) opens with a brooding, cello-led Goth soundscape as Anneke jumps right in to sing an AMY LEE/Evanescence-like vocal (and this is 10 years before Amy Lee and Evanescence!). Nice PAUL REYNOLDS (Flock of Seagulls)-like guitar sound and solo in the instrumental fourth minute--which is followed by a great multi-voiced chorus. A top three song for me. (8.75/10)

Am I crazy or is The Gathering's music often way too simple and, in fact, boring? Their female singers are, frankly, about all they have going for them. Nice sound and production, but just uniteresting music.

B-/3.5 stars; an adequate addition to any prog lover's music collection.