The Gathering

 

Mandylion: 

Transcending Records is pleased to issue the only North American vinyl pressings of Mandylion and Nighttime Birds from legendary Dutch metal/rock unit THE GATHERING.

Initially released via Century Media Records in 1995, Mandylion is THE GATHERING’s third studio offering and first to feature the now-iconic vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen. The album was recorded and mixed at Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany under the guidance of Siggi Bemm and Waldemar Sorychta and has since become a cult classic.

Transcending’s initial pressing of the record in March of 2020 sold out before it even arrived from the manufacturing plant. Don’t miss out on the second pressing featuring two new color variants — white with red/black splatter and gold marble — limited to 200 copies each, as well as traditional black, limited to 100 copies. This release is exclusive to North America and will not be distributed in Europe. The band will have copies available for sale when the release is available. Mandylion will also get its first official cassette pressing in over two decades (limited to 100 copies)!

Mandylion will be released on February 19th, 2021. Find preorder options at THIS LOCATION.

Additionally, Transcending will release a CD edition of Mandylion, limited to 300 copies, and shipping now. 100% of the profits of the CD will go directly to THE GATHERING.

Nighttime Birds is THE GATHERING’s fourth full-length first released by Century Media Records in 1997. The album was again recorded at Woodhouse Studios with producer Siggi Bemm. Nighttime Birds was a logical follow up to Mandylion, breathing the same atmosphere. Wrote All Music Guide, “Anneke van Giersbergen’s voice often recalls Björk and may range from a powerful, throaty wail to a sweetly tuneful caress that belies her deliberate, crunching musical accompaniment. As with Mandylion, THE GATHERING no longer really sounds like a traditional death metal band; the music is mostly melodic (yet tinged with sorrow), slow to mid-tempo progressive metal, with van Giersbergen’s distinctive voice soaring above the band’s nicely varied textures.”

Transcending’s limited vinyl edition of Nighttime Birds will be available in white with green/black splatter (200), white and green color-in-color (200), and traditional black (100). Like Mandylion, it will also receive the cassette treatment (limited to 100 copies).

Nighttime Birds will be released on February 19th, 2021. Find preorder options at THIS LOCATION.

Starting as a raw, death metal influenced band, and creating what later could be called gothic metal, THE GATHERING has been an extraordinary group since the early ‘90s. On their early more obscure albums, Always (1992) and Almost A Dance (1993), THE GATHERING were among the first acts to combine male grunts with female voices. As innovators of this unique style, they became a role model for the likes of Within Temptation, Evanescence, and Nightwish. Vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen, who joined the band in 1994, proved to be an unstoppable growing vocal talent with an infectious, emotional, and heart-warming voice. From their rough metal roots, to the atmospheric sounds of Mandylion, and dreamy, profound songs on Nighttime Birds to their later musical endeavors within the progressive/triprock field, the Dutch collective has always remained true to themselves while building up a continuously increasing fan base.