Evergrey
Escape Of The Phoenix
It wasn't until Evergrey's 2014 Hymns for the Broken that I actually started listening to this band, the King of Errors single captivated me and I was instantly hooked. Their combination of emotional progressive metal, with flashes of power metal and doom metal really sets this band apart from others. So much so that they started a sub sub genre within progressive power metal, with an emphasis on emotional turmoil and melodrama. It's a very niche style that's not for everybody, and I'll admit there are some songs and albums from Evergrey that don't resonate with me as much. Sometimes they have a tendency to linger on their slow, emotional side and neglect their power metal roots.
Right off the bat Forever Outsider kicks open the stall doors and takes off for the finish line, this one is especially aggressive and energetic, but really dark and heavy too. The Atlantic had some aggressive moments, but something in the production has the guitar on this album sounding particularly gritty as well as being tuned down. Now the album does slow down considerably after the first track, but I think the pacing is just generally better than their last couple albums. The Storm Within has an incredibly boring first half, while the second half is where most of the best songs are. The Atlantic starts off great, and ends great, but is quite slow in the middle. This album does a better job balancing the tempo of songs, mostly.
At first I didn't think much of Where August Mourns, but the beauty is in the details, just under the surface this song has a lot going on and it adds a lot of depth to the texture. The keyboard does a lot of subtle work here under the verses and filling in some of the empty space and making up for the very chuggy guitar on this song. The chorus is really catchy and succeeds in it's emotional appeal, but the real gem is of course the bridge and solo, mhmm, that guitar solo is beautiful, less flash and more substance, the feelings that Henrik Danhage is able to express through his guitar playing are so beautiful and I can't help but be moved by his playing. Stories is a good example of a ballad that manages to accomplish a few different things. First of all that intro is beautiful, and if they wanted to make the whole song that, I would have been fine with that. I'm a curmudgeon when it comes to ballads and I do feel that this song misuses it's length, or at least doesn't justify being that long, however, I did really enjoy the bridge and overall it's a good enough song. Dandelion Cipher, in addition to having my favorite song title on the album, might be my favorite song on the album. That energy I mentioned earlier? This song oozes with it, and I love when Evergrey decides to write real power metal because they're so good at it. It's not a complex song, but it's got an infectious groove that I can't help but love, and the chorus really brings the whole thing to life melding groove with melody.
I have to admit, I find The Beholder to be a little boring, but maybe that will change over time, I just find myself waiting for something with a little more punch. On the bright side, James Labrie makes for a solid guest artist and a unique counterpoint to Englund’s throaty croon. At first I didn't really like In Absence of Sun much, I was waiting for a more uptempo song and I wasn't looking for another ballad. However, it's really grown on me, it's a great slow burn that builds up to a great climax, and fortunately the next song brings that speed and energy I was waiting for. Eternal Nocturnal kicks ass, plain and simple, the riffs are meaty, the groove is rad and most importantly the chorus is gorgeous and very memorable. I always have high expectations for title tracks, if you're going to name the song after the album (or vise versa) it had better be really good, and this one definitely lives up to those expectations. This is probably the heaviest song on the whole album and it's got to be in the running for their heaviest song yet. The guitar tone on this album is so good, like I said it's heavier and darker than ever, but it contrasts really well with the melancholic atmosphere and emotional appeal of the melodies at large. Escape of the Phoenix is fast and in your face, and I must say it was nice having two headbangers in a row. You from You is a solid if unremarkable song, but worry not, because the last two songs are bangers. Leaden Saint has one of the best riffs on the album and the groove is just undeniable, I don’t generally like dancing or moving my hips in any way, but this is the kind of groove that I would absolutely shake my booty to. Also this song is remarkable because the verses are actually really memorable, that relentless groove underneath some really neat vocal lines keeps me coming back to this song over and over again, not to mention the incredible solo and of course the chorus is phenomenal. It’s just one of those songs where everything came together to form a 5/5 song.
When talking about a new album from a band like Evergrey, it’s important to put the album in its proper context within the band’s discography. I’m not the biggest Evergrey fan and I’ll admit I’m largely unfamiliar with their material from 2006 to 2011, mostly because everyone and their mother recommended I stay away from that. My favorite Evergrey album is In Search of Truth, probably followed by Hymns for the Broken, but as I’m revisiting their last three albums, as well as going back to Inner Circle and earlier; I’m realizing just how consistent Evergrey has been throughout their career. I mean sure you could argue that they stick to formulas to their own detriment and a few of their albums sound very similar in sound, style and tone, but especially when you look at what they’ve released since their resurgence in 2014, they manage to find new depths of their own imaginations to explore with each album. New moods, new emotions and new causes to write about. I don’t think Evergrey will ever change their sound too significantly, they’re a band that knows exactly what they are and what people want/expect from them and I’m pretty sure they’ll just keep on doing their thing till they die. These are highly motivated and inspirational musicians (especially when you see how many projects Thomas Englund is involved in) and I have nothing but respect for them; which is why Run is such a beautiful ending to the album. When it comes to ending an album it can be a difficult choice, but run has faster moments, balanced by an incredibly emotional chorus. It feels like the kind of mentality where they don’t know for sure that they’ll be able to release another Evergrey album so they might as well leave it all out on the floor, blending ballad and power metal together in a way that only Evergrey can. This album may have sections that drag for me, and it probably won’t end up being my album of the year, but it’s a gorgeous album in every way, a great experience to sit through and it’s the first album of 2021 to really have an impact on me.
01. Forever Outsider 04:09
02. Where August Mourn 05:31
03. Stories 06:40
04. A Dandelion Cipher 04:34
05. The Beholder 05:49
06. In the Absence of Sun 06:07
07. Eternal Nocturnal 04:34
08. Escape of the Phoenix 04:11
09. You from You 05:18
10. Leaden Saints 05:56
11. Run 05:53
Total playing time: 58:42
Tom S Englund - Vocals, Guitars (Redemption, ex-Caedes, Silent Skies)
Henrik Danhage - Guitars (Death Destruction, ex-None)
Rikard Zander - Keyboards (Tiamat (live), Rikard Z, ex-Death Destruction)
Jonas Ekdahl - Drums (Death Destruction, ex-In Flames (live), ex-Dead by April (live))
Johan Niemann - Bass (Beyond the Katakomb, Demonoid, Hollingshead, Sectu, Tears of Anger, Tiamat (live), ex-Hubi Meisel, ex-Mind's Eye, ex-Afterglow, Talisman, ex-Evil Masquerade, ex-The Murder of My Sweet, ex-Therion)
James LaBrie - Vocals (track 5) (Dream Theater, ex-Mullmuzzler, True Symphonic Rockestra, ex-Frameshift, ex-Coney Hatch, ex-Nightmare Cinema, ex-Winter Rose)
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