Almost a Dance
1993 studio album by The Gathering
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Almost a Dance is the second studio album by the Dutch doom metal band The Gathering, released on 2 October 1993.
| Almost a Dance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 October 1993 | |||
| Recorded | September 1993 | |||
| Studio | Spitzbergen Studios, Zuidbroek, Groningen, Netherlands | |||
| Genre | Doom metal, gothic metal | |||
| Length | 54:22 | |||
| Label | Foundation 2000 | |||
| Producer | Tom Holkenborg, Mark Fritsma | |||
| The Gathering chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Rock Hard | 7/10[1] |
| Sputnikmusic | 1.5/5[2] |
Background
This is the band's only album with lead singer Niels Duffhuës (with his occasional female counterpart Martine van Loon). Duffhuës also played a key role in songwriting and instrumentation, aspects that helped shift the band's direction towards a lighter, more progressive sound.
However, the public reaction was mostly negative towards his voice type and limited range, as well as his lack of connection with The Gathering's music. Consequently, in 1994 the band decided to introduce a frontwoman going forward, and he was replaced by Anneke van Giersbergen.
Track listing
Credits adapted from the original release.[3]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "On a Wave" | Niels Duffhuës | The Gathering | 5:53 |
| 2. | "The Blue Vessel" | Duffhuës | René Rutten | 6:04 |
| 3. | "Her Last Flight" | Duffhuës | Frank Boeijen, Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, Rutten | 8:47 |
| 4. | "The Sky People" | Duffhuës | Boeijen | 4:27 |
| 5. | "Nobody Dares" | Duffhuës | Duffhuës | 3:32 |
| 6. | "Like Fountains" | Duffhuës, Martine van Loon | Boeijen, Rutten | 7:41 |
| 7. | "Proof" | Duffhuës | Boeijen, Jelmer Wiersma | 6:18 |
| 8. | "Heartbeat Amplifier" | Duffhuës | Boeijen, Rutten | 4:51 |
| 9. | "A Passage to Desire" | Duffhuës, van Loon | Boeijen, Prinsen Geerligs, Rutten | 6:44 |
| Total length: | 54:22 | |||
Personnel
- The Gathering
- Niels Duffhuës – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, arrangements on track 5
- Martine van Loon – female vocals (tracks 1, 4, 6, and 9)
- René Rutten – guitars, theremin, digeridoo
- Jelmer Wiersma – guitars
- Frank Boeijen – keyboards
- Hugo Prinsen Geerligs – bass guitar, flute, triangle
- Hans Rutten – drums, arrangements
- Production
- Tom Holkenborg – producer, engineer, mixing
- Mark Fritsma – executive producer
