Search - Gathering :: If Then Else

Their most rewarding album

Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 02/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember being not too impressed with If_Then_Else when I first heard it back in 2000. After their wildly successful (both musically and commercially) albums Mandylion and Nighttime Birds, The Gathering certainly hinted that they were on the verge of starting a new chapter in their career, which was signalled with the release of How to Measure a Planet.



If_Then_Else came across as a confusing album at first, but each passing year has attested to the depth and richness it actually has to offer. This might quite possibly be one of their most mature and melodically powerful releases in their history. The songs are captured with deep wall-of-sound production that recalls Radiohead's OK Computer. Anneke van Giersbergen's beautiful and irresistible voice is delicately doubled in some pieces, such as the poignant "Rollercoaster", a song with thick guitar textures and slightly electronic keyboards. Anneke's voice comes at you from all different directions, overlapping and harmonising with itself and creating a dreamy atmosphere. The same technique is utilised on the minimalist "Analog Park"; clever doubling is added to the piano-driven piece to help build sections amidst throbbing bass and guitar feedback. It took me several years to see how complex some of these songs actually are -- far more complex and thought-out than the albums preceding it (speaking of this, you must give Souvenirs another careful listen if you thought it wasn't as strong as their mid-90's stuff). The band explores the parameters of post-rock combined with exceptional vocals and acoustic guitars on "Bad Movie Scene" and the more sampled, somewhat industrial "Herbal Movement", where waves of distorted synth sounds marry soaring vocals and serene atmospheres.



"Shot to Pieces" and "Colorado Incident" are more upbeat tracks with heavier rhythm guitars playing a bigger role. The string arrangements and lush organ sounds serve to thicken the infinitely layered soundscapes, while "Saturnine" is the ear-candy pop lament where Anneke's voice is worth dying for. Actually her control and pitch on this album quite possibly surpass anything she did before, if listened with an open mind. Another incredible tune is "Amity", highlighted by great percussion work, intense synth blanketing, sad violin melodies, and deep, Ulverian guitars. The band's short instrumental piece "Beautiful War" is a hybrid of rocking guitar and bass, cello, trombon, and French horn. How all these instruments come together and form such a cohesive piece in only 2:31 is beyond me.



Zlaya Hadzich deserves a medal for his production on this disc. I've always been fond of the sonic quality of The Gathering's music, but Hadzich truly outdid himself with If_Then_Else reaching his peak with the much overlooked Souvenirs. Not only did he help The Gathering find their new, fresh sound, but he also rendered the songs impeccably transparent and fluid during the recording process.



At any rate, this is very highly recommended and one of their most rewarding albums in the long run."

Above average

Teresa | Athens Greece | 11/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"We usually buy most of our cds for one or two songs.The rest is very often quite indifferent.This is not the case in this cd. All the songs are good and you can play the cd many times from the first to the last song without feeling the urge to change it.

In my opinion the best song is No.9 "Saturnine" which I rate with a 5, but all the other songs do not fall below 4.

If you are familiar with the music of the Gathering, it is certain that you will enjoy "If_Then_Else". If you are not familiar with their music, this is the best choise to start."

It's just a frame of mind

incubus1 | 05/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If_Then_Else is widely considered The Gathering's finest work to date, and I'm not in disagreement with that statement either. There's enough semblance to earlier works which keep things from getting dull but there's also huge growth and sure signs of The Gathering spreading their wings musically as well. With three albums under Anneke's belt at the release of this, she's never sounded better or stronger. As for the rest of the guys, if you've heard any previous record you kind of know what to expect. However, If_Then_Else is truly where they really start experimenting and tweaking their sound.



New to The Gathering? You just found your starting place. While Mandylion is by my definition a classic, and Nighttime Birds is an excellent listen as well, nothing will prepare you more for what they sound like nowadays than this CD right here. It's no secret Anneke isn't afraid to let the guys take over a song and I think If_Then_Else is where that really became apparent. How To Measure A Planet? is chock full of songs containing NO vocals and Souvenirs, while being more to the point, is just as adventurous as well.



Looking for that harder-edged version of The Gathering? Songs like Rollercoaster, Shot To Pieces, and Colorado Incident are all right up your alley. On the other side of the coin though, songs like Bad Movie Scene, Analog Park, Herbal Movement, and Saturnine are tell-tale signs of growth on everyone's behalf. Oh, and it happens in every CD they've released with Anneke at the helm, that one part in that one song where her voice just raises every hair on your body because of its beauty. What's the song? Bad Movie Scene.



My favorite songs are Rollercoaster, Bad Movie Scene, Colorado Incident, Saturnine, and Pathfinder. With each further CD The Gathering releases it seems they're competing with no one other than themselves. They're clearly in a league of their own and they have a fanbase that is only growing, knowing that alone should at least pique your interest enough to check them out. Starting here wouldn't be a bad idea either. Happy listening!"