- How to Measure a Planet?
Infobox Album |
Name = How to Measure a Planet?
Type =Album
Artist = The Gathering
Released =January 26 ,1998
Recorded = Bauwhaus Studios,Amsterdam and Wisseloord Studios,Hilversum between July and October 1998
Genre =Alternative rock ,progressive rock
Length = 103:21
Label = Century Media
Producer = Attie Bauw
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:zq5m96hogep5~T1 link]
*The Metal Observer rating|10|10 [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=2366 link]
*MetalStorm rating|10|10 [http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/review.php?review_id=4607 link]
*"Daily Vault Album Reviews" (A) [http://www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=4364 link]
Last album = "Nighttime Birds "
(1997)
This album = "How To Measure A Planet?"
(1999)
Next album = "if_then_else "
(2000)"How to Measure a Planet?" is a
double album of the Dutch band The Gathering. It was originally released in 1998 byCentury Media Records .The Gathering had begun as a heavy metal band, making two albums in that style. In 1994, though, they gained a new vocalist
Anneke van Giersbergen , who brought a much more subtle and sophisticated approach to the band, both vocally and lyrically. The Gathering then made two albums, "Mandylion" (1995) and "Nighttime Birds " (1997) which stood in a mostly heavy style, while pushing at the genre's boundaries. Over the course of these two albums guitaristRené Rutten also changed styles to something subtler and more adventurous, more akin toprog rock guitarists such asDavid Gilmour ofPink Floyd andKing Crimson 'sRobert Fripp .On "How to Measure a Planet?", the band's fifth album, the Gathering wanted to push boundaries even further. They had already acknowledged the growing influence of such
shoegazer bands asSlowdive and the more ethereal sounds of4AD bands such asDead Can Dance . Second guitaristJelmer Wiersma didn't agree with the new direction and left amicably.Eventually released as a double album, "How to Measure a Planet?" was produced and engineered by
Attie Bauw , mostly at Bauwhaus Studios inAmsterdam . The performers were Anneke van Giersbergen (vocals and guitars), René Rutten (guitar and theremin), Frank Boeijen (keyboards),Hugo Prinsen Geerligs (bass) andHans Rutten (drums). There were also extensive orchestrations on some tracks, although these were in fact programmed and played on "string synthesisers" rather than using an actual orchestra.The theme of space travel runs through many of the songs on the album as well as on the cover and CD booklet.
The track "Liberty Bell" was released as a single in Europe as well as in Canada via
Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles #12 track 9.Upon release, the album received excellent reviews from critics who appreciated the band's absorption of new styles such as
shoegazer andtrip-hop into its sound. Many fans of the more metallic side of the group weren't so pleased, however, and it sold about two-thirds as much as its two predecessors (although some slippage should be expected, given it was a more expensive two-CD package). Many of the Gathering's fans did stay with the band, and, as the members have said, it brought them a whole new fanbase."How to Measure a Planet?" remains something of a high point for the Gathering, with tracks from the album making up the majority of its two subsequent live albums, "Superheat" (2000) and "
Sleepy Buildings " (2004).In Japan a one-CD version of the album was released, omitting the nearly half-hour title track.
Track listing
Disc 1
# "Frail (You Might as Well Be Me)" – 5:04
# "Great Ocean Road" – 6:19
# "Rescue Me" – 6:22
# "My Electricity" – 3:32
# "Liberty Bell" – 6:01
# "Red Is a Slow Colour" – 6:26
# "The Big Sleep" – 5:01
# "Marooned" – 5:56
# "Travel" – 9:06Disc 2
# "South American Ghost Ride" – 4:25
# "Illuminating" – 5:41
# "Locked Away" – 3:24
# "Probably Built in the Fifties" – 7:26
# "How to Measure a Planet?" – 28:33
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