Mercury Sand (Century Media 1995)

Mandylion is the completely strengthen recording made by Dutch’s The Gathering – a progressive heavy rock and metal band as they’re having a new vocalist on this one “The Fantastic” Anneke van Giersbergen whom having great Pop voice but can manage to keeping up with the more powerful and long progress tempos of her new band. Rene Rutten (guitars, flute), Jelmer Weirsma (guitars), Frank Boeijen (keyboards), Hugo Prisen Geerligs (bass) and Hans Rutten (drums) used to starting up The Gathering as a death metal band which sounded really underground at that time but everything changes since they decided to move to the more mainstream direction with additions of female vocalist and Pop-oriented rock form with a bit Goth-rock influences on it. Massive in wider spreading skills and stamina over thus long solos progressions among the subjects of Time Machine to J.R.R. Tolkien, a longing future, misconducted machinary age or simply, a creepy sad story about their dying friends or relatives on Leaves, Fear the sea, Eleanor or In motion #1 and #2. You will never regret to having this album to be a part of your private heavy music collections.
A must have and one of the rare product of prouder Netherlands’ metalheads.

Mandylion Link:

https://youtu.be/SPjuuLKsGbM