Almost a Dance

Almost a Dance
Studio album by The Gathering
Released	2 October 1993
Recorded	September 1993
Studio	Spitzbergen Studios, Zuidbroek, Groningen, Netherlands
Genre	Doom metal, gothic metal
Length	54:22
Label	Foundation 2000
Producer	Tom Holkenborg, Mark Fritsma
The Gathering chronology
Always (1992) Almost a Dance (1993) Mandylion (1995)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Sputnikmusic	[1]
Rock Hard	[2]

Almost a Dance is the second studio album by the Dutch doom metal band The Gathering, released on 2 October 1993.

Background

This is the band's only album with lead singer Niels Duffhuës (with his occasional female counterpart Martine van Loon). Duffhuës also played a key role in songwriting and instrumentation, aspects that helped shift the band's direction towards a lighter, more progressive sound.

However, the public reaction was mostly negative towards his voice type and limited range, as well as his lack of connection with The Gathering's music. Consequently, in 1994 the band decided to feature only a female lead singer, and he was replaced by Anneke van Giersbergen.

Track listing

Credits adapted from the original release. ^[3]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"On a Wave"	Niels Duffhuës	The Gathering	5:53
2.	"The Blue Vessel"	Duffhuës	René Rutten	6:04
3.	"Her Last Flight"	Duffhuës	Frank Boeijen, Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, Rutten	8:47
4.	"The Sky People"	Duffhuës	Boeijen	4:27
5.	"Nobody Dares"	Duffhuës	Duffhuës	3:32
6.	"Like Fountains"	Duffhuës, Martine van Loon	Boeijen, Rutten	7:41
7.	"Proof"	Duffhuës	Boeijen, Jelmer Wiersma	6:18
8.	"Heartbeat Amplifier"	Duffhuës	Boeijen, Rutten	4:51
9.	"A Passage to Desire"	Duffhuës, van Loon	Boeijen, Prinsen Geerligs, Rutten	6:44
Total length:				54:22

Personnel

The Gathering

• Niels Duffhuës – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, arrangements on track 5
• Martine van Loon – female vocals (tracks 1, 4, 6, and 9)
• René Rutten – guitars, theremin, digeridoo
• Jelmer Wiersma – guitars
• Frank Boeijen – keyboards
• Hugo Prinsen Geerligs – bass guitar, flute, triangle
• Hans Rutten – drums, arrangements

Production

• Tom Holkenborg – producer, engineer, mixing
• Mark Fritsma – executive producer

References

1. Spencer, Trey (16 July 2007). "The Gathering – Almost a Dance". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
2. "THE GATHERING Almost A Dance". Rock Hard (in German). No. 80. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
3. Almost a dance (CD booklet). Woerden, Netherlands: Foundation 2000 Records FDN 2008 2. 1993.