The Gathering - Heroes for Ghosts (single) [2011]

After a rather mediocre The West Pole I wasn’t expecting much from The Gathering. But two days ago they released Heroes for Ghosts – a song supposed to be an invitation before new tour – and turned my view on their possibilities upside down. You can hate this song for its desperate sweetness or love it with your whole heart – but I can’t think of anybody being numb for it.

What’s so good about it? First of all, they ceased to desperately try to find their shoes after Anneke hid them leaving. Moreover, they seem to have found their even older shoes and come back to 2002-2003. As for Silje who was a bit of a dark character to me – struggling between keeping her Octavia Sperati habits and fitting into the new band – apparently at last she felt a real member of the band and felt its spirit – proving that their atmosphere and success wasn’t just Anneke. This song sounds as if written in their best years and yet it’s no self rip-off or let’s-do-it-the-good-old-checked-way.


Heroes are introduced by dreamy electronic and distorted soundscapes, building a very plastic movie-like image, quickly joined by guitars and very subtle vocals. Together they reach first little culmination – very catchy, but not pretentious chorus! The second part gets a little braver instrumentally and Silje does some really nice trick with dynamics of her voice -  kind of the ones we’d think only Anneke is able to do. Coming back chorus expands with violin and introduces a longer instrumental part.

This is one of the song’s highlights – acoustic guitar with a riff giving a train-effect and low trumpet solo. You can feel the pressure growing like in the splendid Black Light District. And here it is – another culmination  - great, highly emotional vocalisation that subdued with dumb drums gives a total eargasm.

But the song slightly calms down. Silje whispers and trumpet&guitar combo slowly help us to reverse. The vocals are a bit outshined (ghost!) and violin&cello take them out. What? 11 minutes and an END? Mind-blowing, I need to play it again. And then one [million] more time.

Any complains? I can’t see why she’s singing “fooling” and officially giving “falling” as a part of lyrics – but well, accents differ, right? And text is very pleasing as well. Please, make more of it!