Beautiful Distortion Explained

Beautiful Distortion is the eleventh album by Dutch rock band the Gathering. It was released on 29 April 2022 via the Gathering's imprint Psychonaut Records. It is their first full-length album in over nine years, after the band took an hiatus in 2014. It is also the first studio album to feature the band's founding bassist Hugo Prinsen Geerligs since their 2003 effort Souvenirs. He replaced Marjolein Kooijman, who played bass for the band between 2004 and 2014.

Background

The band had first announced that they were recording an album in February 2021, when they had shared pictures from inside the studio.^[1]

Attie Bauw, the producer of this album, had also previously produced the Gathering's albums How to Measure a Planet? and Home.^{[2] [3]}

The album's first single, "In Colour", was released on 13 October 2021. This was followed by their second single "We Rise", released via a music video on 9 February 2022.^[4] At 4:33, the music video is shorter than the "single edit" version of the song posted on their Bandcamp page.^[5]

On the same day of Beautiful Distortions release, an EP titled Interference, is also being released, which is meant as a companion piece to the album. A music video for the EP's song "Stronger" was released in December 2021.^[6]

Following the release, the Gathering will perform concerts for AutoReverse: 30th Anniversary Tour, which includes four dates in the Netherlands, three in Mexico, and one each in Colombia, Bolivia, Chile and Brazil.^[7]

Personnel

The Gathering

• Silje Wergeland – vocals
• Frank Boeijen – keyboards and piano
• Hugo Prinsen Geerligs – bass, guitar, keyboards, piano, percussion
• René Rutten – guitars, keyboards, percussion
• Hans Rutten – drums, percussion^[8]

Production

• Attie Bauw – production
• Studio Captain – artwork
• Maor Appelbaum – mastering^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Gathering – Tracking Material For Next Studio Album. Metalstorm.net. 24 February 2021. 27 March 2022.
2. Web site: The Gathering ends almost nine-year recording hiatus with new "Beautiful Distortion" album. Chaos Zine. Järvinen. Samuel. 8 October 2021. 25 March 2022.
3. Web site: THE GATHERING Unveils New Single 'In Colour' From Upcoming "Beautiful Distortion" Album. Sonic Perspectives. 19 October 2021. 25 March 2022.
4. Web site: The Gathering lanza su nuevo video "We rise", adelanto de próximo álbum. Lagas. Jorge. futuro.cl. 14 February 2022. 27 March 2022. Spanish.
5. Web site: We Rise (Single Edit). The Gathering Bandcamp. 9 February 2022. 27 March 2022.
6. Web site: The Gathering – 'Stronger' Single Premiered Online. Metalstorm.net. 12 December 2021. 27 March 2022.
7. Web site: The Gathering – Autoreverse: 30th Anniversary America Tour – Bogotá. Autopistarock.com. 1 October 2021. 27 March 2022. Spanish.
8. Web site: THE GATHERING Launch Music Video For New Single "We Rise". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 24 March 2022. 10 February 2022.
9. Web site: The Gathering: Beautiful Distortion (LP – Psychonaut #PSYN 0036). Allmusic. 27 March 2022.