Dutch atmospheric metal legends THE GATHERING have kicked off their spring 2026 European tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mandylion, their landmark 1995 breakthrough album — and the reunion features the classic lineup with vocalist ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN at its center.
The band launched the tour on May 19 at London's O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, with the original Mandylion lineup performing together for the first time in over a decade: VAN GIERSBERGEN joined by guitarists René Rutten and Jelmer Wiersma, bassist Hugo Prinsen Geerligs, keyboardist Frank Boeijen, and drummer Hans Rutten.
"Two guitars and really full force, amps on 11" — that's how guitarist René Rutten described the experience of revisiting Mandylion with its original players. The reunion emerged organically from conversations about the album's milestone anniversary rather than any planned comeback.
The tour spans approximately 30 dates across Europe, North America, and South America, concluding on October 17 in Santiago, Chile. Initial reunion shows were held in Nijmegen, Netherlands, in August 2025, but this full tour marks the first major global push with the classic lineup.
VAN GIERSBERGEN departed THE GATHERING in 2007 after 13 years, going on to a prolific solo career. Her return for this anniversary cycle reminds audiences why Mandylion — with its blend of gothic textures, progressive arrangements, and her commanding vocal presence — remains one of the most significant albums to emerge from the Dutch metal scene.
Following the tour's completion in Chile, the band has announced no further plans beyond this cycle.