The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest is Anneke van Giersbergen’s 23rd career album. Lyrically, and musically, the award-winning Dutch artist lays her soul bare with the most evocative record of her career – captivating song-stories told with acoustic guitars, strings, horns, percussion, and Anneke's hypnotic vocal harmonies...

Over the course of these 11 tracks (41 min, 48 sec) Anneke van Giersbergen constantly reinvents herself. The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest is not an album to be pigeonholed, although if pushed I'd place it under folk music. It's a drastic change in pace from her work in metal groups The Gathering, The Gentle Storm and VUUR, and gives fans the chance to hear another side to her talents.

Her vocals are hypnotic and if you don't fall in love with them almost immediately then you might want to get your hearing checked out by a professional. At times I was fleetingly reminded of Mary Black's voice.

The one stand out track has to be 'The Soul Knows' where Giersbergen constantly shifts and changes the structure so that just when you think you have it pegged it she pulls the rug out from under you. It's a truly beautiful song and wonderfully showcases her range.

This really is one of those rare albums that you'll instantly warm to on a first play through and then slowly get to really know on repeat listens. Each and every track could be a single in its own right. This is certainly an album that you'll want to revisit for years to come.

9

Nick Smithson