The Gathering Always ... (30th Anniversary)

Released on June 9th 1992, "Always..." by The Gathering is one of the rare albums in metal that turned out to be a game-changer. On the debut album, the young Dutch band blended doom and death metal with prominent 'atmospheric' keyboard parts. It featured also 'angelic' female vocals (contrasting with aggressive grunting), in an era when the metal scene was still a male-dominated environment. The album showcased how heavy sounds could be enriched by diverse musical influences. "Always..." firmly established The Gathering as the leading band in the flourishing Dutch metal scene of the early '90s.