It must be really tough to record a follow-up to an absolutely flawless album. After Dutch metallers The Gathering released their third album Mandylion, which debuted the unbeatable female vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen, I can't help but wonder if they felt a tremendous amount of pressure while recording 1997's Nighttime Birds.

One thing's for sure, though: if they were stressed, it certainly doesn't show in the music. Nighttime Birds maintains the beautifully melodic feel that made Mandylion so special, and it is a truly wonderful piece of work.

It has always been difficult to categorize The Gathering. Mandylion exhibited characteristics of both progressive and gothic metal, with a few random splashes of strange ambience thrown in for good measure. Nighttime Birds isn't quite as "metal" as its predecessor, but that's not to say that The Gathering won't toss in a few wailing, heavy guitar melodies here and there. The gorgeous album opener "On Must Surfaces" boasts a memorable, chunky main riff accentuated by gentle keyboards. Anneke's vocal performance here is simply to die for; I can't think of very many singers that can wail quite as effectively and confidently as this woman. As she gently sings, "I am the snow...falling down on you / I tear up your face with my frost / and make you run to somewhere warm," it will be difficult for anyone -- even those who don't fully appreciate The Gathering's style -- to deny her sheer talent.

"Confusion" and "The May Song" mellow things out a little bit, relying mostly on Anneke's soothing voice to guide the calming rush of soft guitars. The exotic introduction and pleasant, echoing vocal effects in "The Earth Is My Witness" make it one of the most 'gothic' songs on Nighttime Birds, and it would definitely fit in really well with the Mandylion material. A definite favorite of mine, "New Moon, Different Day" is pure perfection: from Anneke's lush, layered vocal harmonies to the ethereal sway of the moody, melancholic guitars, this is a brilliant showcase of The Gathering's talent. See, their music is progressive and complex, but it's not showy or flashy in any way -- it's the little things about it that make it so special, the minor things that take several listens to fully soak up.

Nighttime Birds speeds up quite a bit with the energetic, uptempo "Third Chance." Gone are the bleak natures and atmospheric textures of the tracks preceding it, replaced with a sunny pop/rock vibe. Maybe it's because this song is so uncomfortably unlike the rest of Nighttime Birds, but for whatever reason, this particular song doesn't quite resonate with me the way the others on this album do.

The all-too-brief, spacey "Kevin's Telescope" follows, returning the listener to what we all know and love about The Gathering. "Kevin's Telescope" adopts a doom pace and a somber guitar tone, creating the perfect environment for Anneke to show off her incredible vocal range. Wrapping Nighttime Birds up are its two most breathtaking songs: "Nighttime Birds" and "Shrink". The stirring title track has one of the most eerie guitar introductions I've ever heard, paired with suspenseful drumming and a typically outstanding vocal performance from Anneke. Soft, sophisticated and depressing, "Shrink" contains a dark, thick piano melody, vocals that manage to be both calm and overpowering, and some of the most honest, heartbreaking lyrics I've ever come across: "I shrink and shrink, until I'm gone / nothing to make out of me, oh what the hell went wrong? / My heart gets pulled out into your direction / It's no use... you have forsaken me." To simply say that this graceful song closes out Nighttime Birds flawlessly would be an enormous disservice to its perfection.

Nighttime Birds is a true masterpiece that, believe it or not, holds potential appeal for fans of many different musical genres. Metalheads will love the complexity and darkness of this music, and anyone can bask in the awe of Anneke van Giersbergen's amazing voice. The Gathering has been criminally overlooked in the United States for way too long, and it's far beyond time to put an end to that. This album is well worth placing a special-order and it is certainly worth even the ridiculous import prices. Mark my words: Anyone looking for extremely melodic, meaningful metal music will find a treasure in Nighttime Birds.


Recommended: Yes