"Sand & mercury - The complete Century Media years" CD by The Gathering

by Björn Thorsten Jaschinski (31.01.2008) This 10-CD-box set recapitulates the Century Media-era of the Dutch Doom/Death-pioneers and precursors of Gothic Metal with female vocals. Consequently, it neither contains the two experimental predecessors, "Always" (a classic) and "Almost a dance" (a catastrophe), nor early demos, nor the late, self-released records, "Souvenirs" and "Home". "Mandylion" and "Nighttime Birds" are proof of a fresh band that insouciantly reaches for the stars and embraces the world without understanding its complexity. "How to measure a planet" and ist bonus-cd of the initial pressing get caught in psychedelic approaches, "If then else" flirts with Alternative Rock and big guitars. Three live recordings offer further perspectives: the recording of the "In motion"-DVD covers the early years, "Superheat" covers the records with the exceptional voice of Anneke van Giersbergen through to 2000, and "Sleepy buildings" is a semi-acoustic show. "Accessories" (b-sides collection) and "Rarities" (two demo-sessions with unreleased material) complete the fascinating retrospect.