The release of Lost As One is a little miracle. It was recorded in November 2001 but their label (the LSP Company) had to quit due to financial problems and the album was put on ice. In December 2002 the band decided to release it themselves and I think that was the right decision. Lost As One contains 9 melancholic, yet melodic doom metal songs with clean vocals and death grunts. The tracks have a nice balance between melodic and more metallic parts and tend to stay in your mind. It’s clear the band has a lot of experience, the songs are well structured, skilfully played and they really haven taken their time to carefully build each song.

On Lost As One you will hear wonderful melodic doom metal which avoids the cliché soprano voice. The most remarkable aspect of Whispering Gallery in my opinion is the voice of Hubert ter Meulen.

At first I had to get used to his voice because he walks the thin line between sounding emotional and over theatrical. He succeeds in maintaining the balance this time but has to be careful not to overemphasize this aspect; otherwise it will sound too melodramatic. His voice is an acquired taste so to say.

Whispering Gallery is not the first (and hopefully not the last!) band to bring out a self released album but hopefully some label in Europe will find it to their liking and sign them. Doom records from Mexico will release Lost As One in Middle and South America and the band is negotiating with Mutilation Records from San Diego to release it in the U.S.A. also, so there must be a label in Europe which is willing to take the chance.