The Gathering are a Dutch rock band formed in Oss, North Brabant in 1989. The band's lineup currently consists of founding brothers René Rutten (guitars) and Hans Rutten (drums), Silje Wergeland (lead vocals), Hugo Prinsen Geerligs (bass) and Frank Boeijen (keyboards).
The band's earliest releases were categorized as atmospheric doom metal with influences from extreme metal acts like Celtic Frost and Hellhammer, undergoing numerous vocalist changes before breaking out in 1995 with Mandylion. It was the Gathering's first album to feature lead singer Anneke van Giersbergen and the band's first to chart in the Netherlands. With van Giersbergen, the band's sound shifted from gothic metal to one influenced by shoegaze, post-rock and trip hop, starting with their fifth studio album How to Measure a Planet? in 1998.
In 2007, van Giersbergen left the group to focus on her new band Agua de Annique. The band replaced her with Wergeland, of the band Octavia Sperati. The band went on hiatus from 2014 to 2018, and their most recent album, Beautiful Distortion, was released on 29 April 2022.
Members:
René Rutten - guitars, flute, keyboards, percussion (1989-present)
Hans Rutten - drums (1989-present)
Hugo Prinsen Geerligs - bass, guitar, triangle, flute, add. keyboards and piano, percussion (1989-2004; guest 2014; 2018-present)
Frank Boeijen - keyboards, synthesizer (1990-present)
Silje Wergeland - lead vocals, keyboards (2008-present)
Former members:
Jelmer Wiersma - guitars (1989-1998; guest 2014)
Bart Smits - lead vocals (1989-1993, guest 2013 and 2014)
Marike Groot - backing & co-lead vocals (1992-1993; guest 2014)
Niels Duffhues - lead vocals, guitars (1993-1994)
Martine van Loon - backing & co-lead vocals (1993-1994)
Anneke van Giersbergen - lead vocals, guitars (1994-2007; guest 2014)
Marjolein Kooijman - bass, backing vocal (2004-2014)
From: Oss, Netherlands
Genre(s):
Progressive rock,
alternative rock,
trip hop,
shoegazing,
gothic metal,
death-doom
Active From: 1989-2014, 2018-present