THE GATHERING: Opening Their Archives

THE GATHERING and Century Media are opening their archives to present a luxurious double CD set full of rare and unreleased material. "Accessories - Rarities And B-Sides" will be released in Europe on August 22, 2005. CD1 offers "the b-sides" from all of their out-of-print CD-singles, including rarities like "Adrenaline" and "Theme From The Cyclist", as well as cover versions from TALK TALK, DEAD CAN DANCE and SLOWDIVE. CD 2 is full of unreleased demo recordings.

At the end of 1996, THE GATHERING recorded demos for their "Nighttime Birds" album with German rocker Eroc (GROBSCHNITT, etc.). For the first time ever, you can hear all of the alternate versions as well as two instrumentals that were not used on "Nighttime Birds".

Commented drummer Hans Rutten: "We love the sound of this demo Eroc mixed — crystal clear and with a lot of dynamics. Eroc had some great, crazy ideas, a pity we didn't work together on the album."

Added Eroc: "Quite often demos and pre-productions end up having a lot more of that 'special something' as compared with the corresponding final results — where endless weeks of trying to 'get things perfect' have a tendency to squeeze out every last drop of spontaneity from the music."

The other lost pearl from the band's archive are the so-called "Texel Tapes", with pre-production recordings for "How To Measure A Planet?", including great alternate versions. "Accessories - Rarities And B-Sides" also features detailed liner notes by the band, rare photos and a special packaging.

Starting as a raw, death metal-influenced band, and creating what later should be called gothic metal, THE GATHERING have been an extraordinary group since the early '90s. From their rough metal roots, to the atmospheric tunes "Mandylion" had to offer, to dreamy, profound songs on "Nighttime Birds" or "How To Measure A Planet?" to their latest adventures within the progressive/triprock field, the Dutch crew always remained true to themselves while building up a continuously increasing fan base.

"Accessories - Rarities And B-Sides" track listing:

CD One - The B-Sides:

01. In Motion #1 (live)
Taken from "Strange Machines" CD-Single
2. Leaves (live)
Taken from "Strange Machines" CD-Single
03. Adrenaline
Taken from "Adrenaline/Leaves" CD-Single
04. Third Chance
Taken from "Adrenaline/Leaves" CD-Single
05. Strange Machines (live w/Orchestra)
Taken from "The May Song" CD-Single
06. In Power We Trust The Love Advocated (DEAD CAN DANCE cover version)
Taken from "Kevin's Telescope" CD-Single
07. When The Sun Hits (SLOWDIVE cover version)
Taken from "Adrenaline/Leaves" CD-Single
08. Confusion (demo/ Eroc session)
Taken from "Adrenaline/Leaves" CD-Single
09. Shrink
Taken from "Liberty Bell" CD-Single
10. Frail (live)
Taken from "Liberty Bell" CD-Single
11. Theme From "The Cyclist"
Taken from "Rollercoaster" CD-Single
12. Leaves (live w/Orchestra)
Taken from "Rollercoaster" CD-Single
13. Life Is What You Make It (Talk Talk cover version)
Taken from "Amity" CD-Single
14. Amity (live at Isabelle)
Taken from "Amity" CD-Single

CD Two - The Rarities:

01. New Moon, Different Day *
02. Kevin's Telescope (instrumental) *
03. Shrink *
04. The Earth Is My Witness *
05. Diamond Box (previously unreleased instrumental) *
06. Nighttime Birds *
07. On Most Surfaces *
08. Hjelmar's (previously unreleased instrumental) *
09. My Electricity **
10. Probably Built In The Fifties **
11. Illuminating **
12. Red Is A Slow Colour **
13. Travel **

* Demo session for "Nighttime Birds", recorded at Woodhouse Studios, Germany. Mixed by Eroc November 1996.
** Demo session for "How To Measure A Planet?", recorded at Texel, the Netherlands, February 1998.