Anneke van Giersbergen - 2026 - La Mort

(17:32; Label Mates)






















I have long been a huge fan of Dutch singer Anneke Van Giersbergen, firstly when she was fronting The Gathering and then later in her many guest appearances with the likes of Devin Townsend and Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon). I really enjoyed her last solo album, 2021’s ‘The Darkest Skies are the Brightest’, and here we have the second instalment of her next album, ‘La Vie, La Mort, L’Amour’, which is being released as a trilogy. The first EP, ‘La Vie’, came out in February 2025 while this, the second, was released on March 27th, 2026.

Just four tracks, but they demonstrate the wide variety of styles she is so at home with, so we have acoustic sitting alongside jazz, metal, prog, electronic, pop and more, all with her vocals front and centre. In fact, I could imagine P!nk also having fun with “Handle Me With Care” with its catchy melody morphing into a rock number, as Anneke is having a blast. She does not need studio trickery or autotune and is more than happy to hold lengthy notes with ease, and this combined with commercial numbers which are very immediate, even though they are diverse in nature, ensures the listener enjoys this the very first time it is played and keeps coming back for more. Here is a woman who can hold her own with Floor Jansen in concert, and it is no surprise that she has been officially recognised in The Netherlands as one of the most prominent Dutch musicians in heavy music. I do not know when the final instalment of this series is due, and whether all three EPs will then be made available as a single release, but I am already looking forward to it. Mind you, the original line-up of The Gathering reformed for five shows to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ‘Mandylion’ and that has gone so well that they are now booked up for festivals, so there is a possibility that will have an impact. Anneke is a great singer, and these four songs are a wonderful introduction to her talents, while longtime fans will also find them very enjoyable indeed. 

Kev Rowland, June 2026

Links:
https://www.annekevangiersbergen.com/

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