Saturnine - The Gathering
July 5th 2008 19:47
if_then_else by The Gathering
Atmospheric strings, rebellious guitars, piercing lyrics, dramatic vocals, a mourning cello, an eerie synth and bleeding piano await the listener in Dutch alternative rock band The Gathering's highly penetrating piece Saturnine. The song is an uprising and submission, an appeal and an oath all combined in one -- Just like the mood swings of being left behind in love entail.
The day Anneke van Giersbergen joined The Gathering was a milestone for the entire band. Hans and Rene Rutten formed the group back in 1989 and they hit the stores with their gothic/doom, debut album Always... in 1992. Their vocalists Bart and Marike parted ways with them due to musical discrepancies after the release. They were replaced by singer/guitarist/composer Niels Duffhuës and Martine van Loon only to realize that their voices did not match the band's music which had always been highly experimental. During the auditions in 1994, there came a young woman with a glittering smile and a voice as light as a feather. She was not only going to be the front lady of The Gathering for the next 13 years but also propel the fame and success of a moderate European doth/goom band. Van Giersbergen did not restrict herself within the borders of heavy metal and her personal interest in the alternative genre as well as bands like Radiohead was a perfect fit for the experimental nature of The Gathering.
Their next albums Mandylion and Nighttime Birds solidified their fan base while enabling them to play in front of various audiences throughout Europe. Then came an unexpected twist from the band which greatly surprised both the fans and the critics. They released How to Measure a Planet?, an album that carried heavy shoegazing and dream pop influence which caused second guitarist Jelmer Wiersma to leave the group. This startling direction was repelled by some fans yet gained the interest of many others.
Soon, they launched their own label and if_then_else came out in 2000. From then on, The Gathering kept excelling themselves artistically. Taking their name from the first Highlander movie where "the gathering of the Immortals for a final confrontation" is one of the central themes, the band has expressed their music on a wide scale combining elements of heavy metal, progressive rock, trip hop and dream pop. In 2007, Anneke van Giersbergen announced through her MySpace blog that it was time for her "to listen to her heart" and move on to other projects. Expressing deep sorrow and gratitude, she left The Gathering and formed a new band Agua de Annique. She has recently been touring Netherlands with her new band.
Saturnine begins with tenebrous beats, ascending from the depths of deep, dark, trip hop ambiance and relying considerably on synths. The lyrics find a lonesome woman whose rightful resentment wither in the cold, harsh absence of her lover,
"All the stuff you left me with
Is way too much to handle
But i guess you don't care"
Is way too much to handle
But i guess you don't care"
Although the song begins in a relatively mild tone, it sure is the eye of the storm since there is a building tension underneath which bursts both melodically and lyrics-wise into,
"You don't need to preach
You don't have to love me, all the time"
You don't have to love me, all the time"
This dramatic refrain is the highlight and the most touching part of the song with its intractable yearn for the presence of the lover even if that means to be alone in a relationship, living a love unrequited. Throwing off the ego away, abandoning any emotional need for that of the loved one is the greatest sacrifice one can make for another. Unfortunately, this kind of renouncement is rarely reciprocal and such feelings develop only throughout a break up or during moments of remorse after loosing someone who deserved much more. Still, while they last, the feelings and the overwhelming pain is as genuine as it can get.
"While whispering those words
I cried like a baby
Hoping you would care"
I cried like a baby
Hoping you would care"
Saturnine is made up of four parts, each part depicting a different emotional state. The first part is the opening described above with its heavy indignation while the second part starts as the refrain is heard for the first time alongside heavy guitars, defiant drums and grave strings. This is where the pain turns into a revolt, where the craving for the beloved is unbearable and intoxicating. The third part follows this blow-up and is marked by a panting piano and grieving cello. Calmed down yet broken inside out, lyrics flow quietly as if one is mumbling to themselves,
"You don't need... all the time...
You don't need.."
You don't need.."
Finally the refrain is heard again in a final explosion, illustrating a shouting sorrow and screaming teardrops both of which are in vain because they end up being unheard. After this last cry, the strings slowly take the reigns and carry the track to an unforgettable end while the woman is left falling back into the silent pit of her sorrow.
Saturnine is one of those rare songs that can vividly picture various levels of pain not only through a unique composition but also matching, striking lyrics. Briefly, it is the melodic form of falling apart in saying
"I guess you don't need me"
Ink Blots
Browse music online at IMEEM
Buy if_then_else online from Amazon
Meet the artist The Gathering at theGathering
Read the entire lyrics at ST Lyrics
Browse music online at IMEEM
Buy if_then_else online from Amazon
Meet the artist The Gathering at theGathering
Read the entire lyrics at ST Lyrics
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