title: Nighttime Birds
text: # Nighttime Birds
  
  Professional ratings :
  
  | Review scores ||
  | - | - |
  | Source | Rating |
  | AllMusic | |
  | Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 9/10 |
  | Sputnikmusic | 4.5/5 |
  
  Nighttime Birds is the fourth full-length album of the Dutch rock band The Gathering, released on 6 June 1997 by Century Media Records. The album was recorded at Woodhouse Studios, Hagen, Germany, between 17 February and 15 March 1997 under the guidance of producer Siggi Bemm.
  
  ## Track listing
  
  All lyrics are written by Anneke van Giersbergen; all music is composed by The Gathering, except where noted.
  
  Tracks 10–11 taken from The May Song EP. Tracks 12–15 taken from the In Motion DVD. Recorded live in Krakow, Poland, 1997
  
  Tracks 1–8: EROC demo sessions recorded at Woodhouse Studios, Hagen, Germany, mixed by EROC, 15 to 30 November 1996. Tracks 9–10 recorded at S&K Studios, Doetinchem, Netherlands, 1 to 4 September 1997. Taken from the Kevin's Telescope EP, produced by The Gathering & Dirk Kemper. Track 11 taken from the Kevin's Telescope EP, remixed by EROC. Track 12 recorded at Patrick Steenbakkers Audioprodukties, Shijndel, Netherlands, Summer 1996. Taken from the Liberty Bell EP, produced by Patrick Steenbakkers & The Gathering. Tracks 13–14 recorded at RS 29 Studios, Wolluck, Netherlands, 30 March to 3 April 1996. Taken from the Adrenaline / Leaves EP, produced, engineered and mixed by Oscar Holleman & The Gathering.
  
  ## Trivia
  
  * In the song "Nighttime Birds" (after minute 3:45) there is a sample of Indian flute music (a Raga Kafi) which can be heard in the Dutch theme park Efteling at the fairy tale of The Flying Fakir.
  * The song "Nighttime Birds" contains a quote from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
  
  ## Personnel
  
  ### The Gathering
  
  * Anneke van Giersbergen – lead vocals
  * René Rutten – guitars, flute
  * Jelmer Wiersma – guitars
  * Frank Boeijen – synthesizers, grand piano
  * Hugo Prinsen Geerligs – bass
  * Hans Rutten – drums
  
  ### Production
  
  * Siggi Bemm – producer, engineer, mixing
  * Matthias Klinkmann – engineer
  
  ## Charts
  
  | Chart (1997) | Peak position |
  | - | - |
  | Dutch Albums Chart | 12 |
  | Finnish Albums Chart | 32 |
  | German Albums Chart | 80 |
  