Always [Import]

The Gathering | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 23, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Pavement Records
• ASIN: B0000021IF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #548,336 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The beginning of it all, November 23, 2003

By 

shadowking (north bondi, nsw Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Always (Audio CD)

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.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opening the doors for melodic death metal..., January 10, 2002

By 

"vulcan_" (Denver) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Always (Audio CD)

"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.

2.0 out of 5 stars Their worst album, February 25, 2011

By 

KOURKOULOS NIKOS - See all my reviews

This review is from: Always (Audio CD)

This their worst album. The production is terrible and the male vocals are awful compare to the future female vocals. This album reminds me Paradise lost in their beginning . Nothing special not even average.