When I joined the Metal Reviews team less than a year ago, there were tons of albums I wanted to review at once, so what I did was to browse the albums that had already been posted so that I would not work on a review that had already been done. Quite obvious, isn’t it ? As I have always been a huge fan of The Gathering despite their new musical orientation and the fact that I've seen the band several times on stage, I felt quite frustrated that their latest If Then Else album had already been reviewed and to make matters worse this album received only a lame 50 (I gave it 85). But well, that’s democracy. Now finally comes their seventh full length, but their fifth with sweet Anneke.

Anneke is the one who allowed the band to reach the stars. Her heavenly ethereal voice puts new heart into me every time I listen to her. I have never listened to any of the two albums they have recorded prior to her arrival in the band and I don’t intend to since I want to keep this band in my heart forever as the ultimate female singer band and I consider Mandylion as their first album. Ever since I got my hands on Mandylion I knew this band had something special and Anneke’s voice would haunt me forever. I have never been disappointed with any of their albums and I sure would have a hard time picking one album as their best. But I must admit however that I do have a soft spot for Mandylion and Nighttime Birds.

Before I start telling you how much I love this new album, I should point out that a couple of songs that will be featured on the album are missing on this promo. Jelena and A Life All Mine will complete the eight tracks featured on this new album and from what I have read on different webpages devoted to the band, these two songs that have been played on stage over the last two years are meant to be astonishingly great. The band played the song Jelena (at the time called Sugar Horse) on their Dutch tour in 2001 so those who had the chance to attend these shows probably know a bit about this one. The second track A Life All Mine is a duo with Trickster G. who is nobody else than Ulver mastermind. Now I know that based on the fact that this promo is not the entire new album, I have to make a judgment call and decide if those eight songs would give an accurate representation of the entire new album ? I would say I don’t care because based on what I have been listening to over the last couple of weeks, these eight songs make this Souvenirs a masterpiece. In order to comprehend what I am talking about, you should be listening to the album while reading this review because from the opener These Good People to the closing track of this promo Golden Grounds The Gathering are again taking us throughout an extraordinary musical journey. I know that might sound cliche, but you cannot understand how much this album is growing in me every time I listen to it.

I had little doubts about this album after listening to Black Light District last year, but even the song Broken Glass (the piano version) that I found little boring on Black Light District is on this album in its definitive version a hell of a great song. The outstanding Debris is not comprise on the new album, but just as I mentioned it on my review of Black Light District the new songs had to be awesome and they truly are. Musically, the band continues where they had left on If Then Else or even on How To Measure A Planet? but they have refined their sound for the best and this new delivery is without any doubt their most balanced album yet. I found some weak moments on their two latest albums, but there is no such moments on Souvenirs. Of course the music might appear more pop or radio orientated for some of you since How To Measure A Planet? but the band has never been able to make it to the masses so far and I am sorry to state this, particularly for the band who might want to, but I am very happy about this because like many among you I want to keep the band for myself and go to their gigs and be able to reach the front scene and look at Anneke in the eyes with all my metal brothers without any bozos.

Gosh, this music is so beautiful. Listen to You Learn About It and Souvenirs and tell me they are not the best songs the band have come up with so far !