DRIVE

Although the name may not be immediately recognisable to all, Anneke has incredibly strong credentials in the music scene having fronted The Gathering for 13 years. It was as long ago as 2007 that she decided that it was time for her to do somethjing a little different and with her new band Agua de Annique she established herself as a solo artist, releasing several albums to critical and popular acclaim. She also found time to collaborate with some of her long-time friends and musical peers, lending her honey-sweet, yet powerful voice to the likes of Anathema ('Falling Deeper'), Devin Townsend ('Addicted!', 'Epicloud') and fellow Dutchmen Within Temptation ('Black Symphony'). Her last album, 'Everything is Changing' was the first to be released solely under her own name and was nominated for two Edison awards ? Holland's most prestigious music prize ? in the categories 'Best Female Artist' and 'Best Album'. It turned out to be a major success, so it was interesting to be faced with the new album to see what this one was like.

Although I have some albums by The Gathering, I hadn't caught up with Anneke's solo work and the first time I played this I really wasn't too sure. While her vocals are as pure and clear as ever, with a wonderful melodic lilt and catch, wasn't this just a little too commercial? Now, for one reason or another (mostly my disorganisation combined with a business trip to the US), it has taken me a while to get to writing about this album so I have been playing it quite a lot more than I usually would, and I am really glad that I did as my view has changed considerably.

Whereas before I felt it was too commercial and designed for radio play, now it feels much more like the perfect marriage of rock and pop with some progressive elements. This is not something that can just easily be dismissed, and if Kate Bush was to release an album with some symphinc metal elements then it may just come across like this. Anneke's vocals are just wonderful, and she knows how to hit notes and stay on them, riding the melodic wave and while she allows her touring band to have plenty of impact she is very much the centre of proceedings. It is hard to pick a favourite, as the more I have played this the better it has got and whatever is playing is the one I like best. Definietly worth investigating