Review Summary: Everything Is Changing except Anneke’s incredible voice.
I have two suspicions about this lovely lady. a) She has a magic potion in her bag or b) She is relative of king Midas so everything she touch turn into gold. The muse of “The Gathering” with six fantastic albums in her discography , the ethereal guest voice in Devin Townsend , Anathema and Ayreon songs comes back with her first release under her own name.
"Everything Is Changing" is a pretty similar album with her first release with Agua De Annique . Following the Alternative Rock direction of “Air” this album is a fair way to start a “new” discography. It’s less heavy and more catchy but that doesn’t mean it’s pop or something like that, but besides the more ‘easy listening’ feel of Everything Is Changing there are plenty of interesting moments full of details like backing violins and other orchestrations, a great use of electronic samples and a dose of a more proggy atmosphere. I’m pretty sure that Devin Townsend has been a conspicuous influence for Anneke van Giersbergen.
Most of the songs follow the philosophy of gradual progress. They start slow and soft and then there is an outburst with an up tempo attitude and that fact gives an advantage to the other, non outburst, songs. Songs like the ethereal piano ballad “Circles”, which gives one of the most romantic and emotional performances of Anneke , or the song ‘Stay’ which is heaviest track of the album with a nice groove and heavy riffs , gives you a reason to listen the album again.
Anneke Van Giersbergen is one of the greatest female vocalists in rock/metal scene and she didn’t fail to prove it one more time. Enjoy.
-Favorite tracks : I Wake Up , Circles , Stay.
