I have noticed that the fans of Evergrey have something of a “before and after” thing when it comes to the eras of the band that they dig and don’t. Ever so often I read stuff like “I dig old Evergrey but not the so much the latest efforts” and vice versa. But when I listen to the band’s catalogue I often think, is the sound really that different? I don’t think so. Personally, I don’t think I have heard one single album by this band that I don’t like. Of course, some albums I dig more and some less but I believe Evergrey is a band with a real high lowest level. That being said, my favorite is the one that started with Glorious Collision (2011) and the records that followed have all been different levels of awesome. My personal favorite is still the mighty The Storm Within (2016) with the last album The Atlantic (2019) breathing down its neck. Do I even have to point out that the release of this album left me with some major anticipations?
They kick off the album with the first taster “Forever Outsider”, a fast-tracked, heavy and punchy metal-belter, very in-your-face and slammin’. It’s a real powerhouse of a song, both dark and aggressive with a crunchy live-sound. It’s intense and beefy with a riff that is monstrous and fat. That said, there’s still a whole lot of striking melodies and a bang-on-target refrain. It’s a song that goes for the throat, perfect for opening up live-shows. Very good. “Where August Mourns” is upbeat, heavy and dark, melancholic yet biting with a ballsy groove. Hard and edgy, the tune also comes with some shining melodies and a direct hook in the addictive refrain, a refrain that even throws signs of 80’s Arena Rock. The synth-work marries fine with the crispy guitar sound and the solo part is magnificent. Brilliant stuff indeed.
“Stories” is a slow and darkening semi-ballad on the gloomy side, very deep and very melancholic. While still soulful and heartfelt, the chorus is a bit rougher and edgier with a melody that grabs a hold right off the bat. The vocal melodies are plain gorgeous throughout the song and the guitar-solo part is held-back, almost sombre in places which creates a fine contrast. A brilliant tune. “A Dandelion Cipher” starts out fast, muscular and heavy but takes a more laid-back and dark position before the tune takes off kicking and biting. With edgy metal-riffing and a thunderous rhythm section, the tune goes for the throat, wild and furious before the laid-back verses come back albeit this time on a stompier rhythm. The altering between the slow and deep and the energetic, frenetic Metal rowdiness creates a great dynamic within the song and even though the chorus might not be catchy as such, the tune stays put afterwards anyway. Good one.
On The Storm Within, singer Tom Englund duetted with Floor Jansen (Nightwish) and on the single “The Beholder”, Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie shows up for some more of that. It’s a slow and darkening rocker with a slight ballad-twitch. It’s heavy yet groovy and also a quite smooth keyboard and a dreamy atmosphere. LaBrie and Englund might be totally different vocally but they do feed of each other, building a tension within the song which in turn helps to create a huge soundscape. The song’s main-melody is strictly brilliant and the chorus is massively intoxicating and addictive. Fantastic. “In The Absence Of Sun” is slow, stripped and earthy with only piano and vocals before a choir comes in and brings an eerie and ominous ambience to the song. Later on a chunky beat courtesy of the brilliant rhythm section of Johan Niemann (bass) and Jonas Ekdahl (drums) comes in for a slight groove and the song takes a more punchy and intense trek without losing it’s dark atmosphere. Awesome.
Second single “Eternal Nocturnal” is a complete metal-belter – fast, heavy and fierce with a ballsy rhythm that feels like a fist on the jugular which also features some impressive fret-work from guitarist Henrik Danhage. As its title might suggest, there’s an overlying darkness on top the song and the bombastic and a catchy refrain – striking, effective and direct – that could have been even hit-laden with a different arrangement. A great Hard Rock meets Metal tune all within the realms of the Evergrey sound. Great stuff. The title-track continues the speed and hard as steel rhythms. The Heavy Metal heaviness and aggression contrasts brilliantly with the melodic and almost smooth vocal-melodies where the chorus nails itself to the brain after first listen. Also, the tuned down riff and the intense and in-your-face outlook marries amazingly well with the catchiness involved. Very good.
“You For You” starts out with some killer orchestrated keyboard work from Rickard Zander and some bluesy guitar licks before a serene piano comes in and brings on some dark melancholy. The song then gets going in a slower pace when the band comes in turning the piece into a dark and heavy ballad. The tasteful and emotional guitar solo is amazingly good and the whole song oozes of both drama and emotion which leaves me enamored. Love it. “Leaden Saints” is a stompy and rhythmic heavy-rocker, very atmospheric in a big soundscape. It’s a very straight ahead rocker, edgy and haunting with lots of intensity. It also contains a striking hook and a spot-on chorus, very catchy and ardent. The album closes with “Run”, a heavy yet rhythmic, fast-tracked and rowdy number. With guitars and drums in a tandem run, the song is also very effective melodically and the slow and down-beat, synth sci-fi sounding passage lets us breathe before the tune ends on a heavy and fast note. Very good.
With Escape Of The Phoenix, Evergrey continues what they started on Hymns For The Broken back in 2014, their second coming if you will and my favorite era of the band. Another strong effort by a band that manages to blend darkness, melancholy, heaviness and razor-sharp riffing with glistening melodies and conspicuously catchy hooks and choruses that sticks without ever stepping over the threshold of mawkishness. How on Earth they manage to be both darkening to the point of depressive and still throw in uplifting melodies into their atmospheric blend of Metal and Hard Rock is something I really can’t wrap me head around but they do. But the most important thing is to write good songs and in that department, they have succeeded because their’s not a dull moment on this album. Hats off!
8/10
More Evergrey reviews:
Glorious Collision
Hymns For The Broken
The Storm Within
The Atlantic
Tracklist:
1. Forever Outsider
2. Where August Mourn
3. Stories
4. A Dandelion Cipher
5. The Beholder
6. In The Absence Of Sun
7. Eternal Nocturnal
8. Escape Of The Phoenix
9. You From You
10. Leaden Saints
11. Run
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