Search - Gathering :: Always

Hard to believe this is the album that started it all

Brent P. Frey | Prairie Village, KS USA | 10/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Gathering's "Always..." is a unique work of dark, melodic Death Metal with a slight Doom Metal tinge to it at times. The music is quite original, and the best general description of this music I can give is that it resembles what a combination of Crematory's sound on "Just Dreaming..." mixed with the darker sections from Therion's "Symphony Masses/Ho Drakon Ho Megas" might sound like. This is not a heavy work of music by any means. The music is virtually always accompanied by keyboard and/or synthesizer, and these are used on occasion to produce some rather bizarre melodies. Most vocals are growled but are quite discernable. Female vocal accompaniment is used occasionally during the middle to latter tracks of this release however, and some somber, male clean vocals resembling those heard in Therion's "Symphony Masses/Ho Drakon Ho Megas" can be heard on a few occasions as well. A few tracks incorporate some clean/acoustic guitar. Track five, "Second Sunrise", ends with a nice interlude combining piano and flute. The following track, "Stonegarden", ends with the sound of crashing waves which continues directly into track seven, "Always...". This title track is a short but tranquil piece in which flute, keyboard strings, and female vocals overlap the sound of the ocean. I personally find that there are aspects of The Gathering's "Always..." that I like and dislike. This release may appeal to Metal listeners who can appreciate heavy use of keyboard and female vocals in a unique Death/Doom Metal setting."

Opening the doors for melodic death metal...

vulcan_ | Denver | 01/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Always" was an album truly before its time. Released in 1993, almost 10 years ago, this album is truly a predecessor for today's melodic death/doom metal.Incorporating deep, dreary growling and occasional female vocals with keyboards, flutes, windchimes, and even a grand piano The Gathering truly produced a melodic metal masterpiece with "Always".Not nearly as hard as metal contemporary Amorphis' release "Karelian Isthmus," "Always" makes up for it with beautiful acoustical work and symphonic keyboard interludes... all the while never losing its distinct metal edge.With the exception of two tracks, all songs on this album are over 6 minutes long, which provides the listener with plenty of melodic instrumental work and dynamic death/doom vocals. If you're into the newer releases of Tiamat, Lacuna Coil, Therion and the like, you'll be more than pleased with this early work of The Gathering."

The beginning of it all

shadowking | north bondi, nsw Australia | 11/23/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Take a trip a decade backwards and The Gathering resembled little of what they are today. Back in those days they were playing a kind of keyboard laced doom-metal with male death vocals and occasional female ones (Gathering were also one of the pioneers of this tyle) . This album is probably loathed by fans of the bands more recent albums and revered by some doom/death fans. I rest in the middle - The album is good in some parts and cool in a way. It still has that mystical Gathering atmosphere, but at the same time it never raises itself to the great plains of their future albums. I like to think of this album as the creation of things: A young world that has never known daylight. Recommended for Doom-metal fans and for anyone who is interested in the history of this amazing band."