Review by Richard Henry for MPM
Sometimes when you have listened to a band for ages you get a shock when you realize what album they are on, I first got turned onto these guys on the “Recreation Day” album back in 2003, they are now on album 14, nearly 30 years as a band, which is crazy now I think on it, it’s gone in so fast! Massive fan of Tom and Henrik as guitarists so I always love hearing what they have come up with, the shock on this one is the announcement of drummer/producer Jonas leaving, however good news he will still be working with the band and if you haven’t seen the bands page, they have announced Simen Sandnes as the new drummer in fact there is a very cool photo of both Johan and Simen on the Facebook page, anyway, all up to date now, let’s get into this new album!
Falling from the Sun
Kicking in with the drums and a really nice bouncy riff to kick us off, sounds like we are tuned way down in 7 string range for this one, then the kicks come in, then the vocals come in and the riff gets really choppy and aggressive but you can hear Rikard just filling the sound out with a key bed underneath, then bang into a huge chorus, something these guys do so well despite the heaviness of the tune, it’s like a big light gets turned on and everything lifts for the chorus, you know what is really easy to miss, that second chorus, there is some really nice bass work going on under that from Johan, that middle eight section with the pull off riff is awesome, then into the solos, I have no notes on this but purely on playing it sounds like Tom on first solo and Henrik on second, then a little harmony part before it breaks to the vocals and piano and then boom, in comes the band again for the chorus and it builds with the double bass kicking in till the end, what an opener!
Misfortune
Thats a serious heavy riff slamming in there and a really slow deliberate drum part along with it, again Jonas is sliding all over the place under that on the bass, then it breaks down into bass guitar and atmospheric keys for half the verse before the guitars kick in, then again the huge gang vocal chorus comes in for this one, and like the last song, that chorus will absolutely stick in your head after just one listen, second verse has the heft of the guitars chugging in it from the start and a bit of variation from the first verse, then a really cool little guitar only part before the chorus comes in again, again I think its Tom and the Henrik before another harmony part and then we slam into the chorus again, short sharp and so so catchy!
To Become Someone Else
Clean delayed guitar to start this one with Tom singing over the top of it, then it gets so glorious as Rikard comes in one the piano and keys and backs up Toms vocal, then it gets really heavy, fast, that is a pounding riff right there, really slow beat and that seems way below 7 string range there, this song does not lack dynamics and heft, then it opens up again as you go into the chorus there is so much light and shade in the one track and I am only two mins in so far, then a break for the keys and a choir part with a clean guitar on the outside of your speakers, they aren’t scared to use space to build intensity, that’s for sure, then a riff comes in that a deathcore band would be pleased to have written, that’s heavy but it’s also made enormous by the whole orchestration before Tom even comes back in with the vocals, back into that chorus again with the keys swirling around it, and hers the thing, that song is nearly six mins, it would have been so easy to stick a few solos in but instead they have that huge middle section of just atmosphere, great songwriting you have to say!
Imagine you took Deep Purple but gave them guitars tuned way down, now maybe it’s just me but that exactly what the start of this one reminds me of, heavy riff and a Hammond organ type sounding playing alongside it, i love that verse riff with the counter point harmony coming in as well, you know what I am going to say, it slips into that chorus and the keys come in and the whole song just opens up so much and again catchy, which is no bad thing at all, variation in the second chorus with the bass on its own before the guitars come in again then into that huge chorus, pretty sure that’s Henrik first and Tom second (will be interesting to see how wrong I am, but they both have pretty distinct styles), odd tome riff section after the solos, back into the chorus again, back out to that intro riff, again short and sweet but so catchy!
Ghost of my Hero
Slow start here, with the drums at a snail’s pace and chords just accenting the melancholic keyboard part, shout out for Rikard as well, he adds so much to the band’s sound, the verse is just Tom, the keys and an electronic sounding drum part just keeping the time, let’s talk about Tom, he has rare mix of vulnerability in his voice topped with just being so melodic and powerful and something like this just demonstrates that, when the band comes in again it’s so mournful sounding which given the words of the song fits perfectly, a lot of people will relate massively to this song myself included, I listened to this one twice just for the words, it’s so powerful, the way its presented, even with the choir keys and the more choral vocal part, the way it just goes out to the choral vocal, piano and Toms one line, its perfect!
We Are the North
Heavy grinding riff, with an orchestral keyboard part behind it syncopating with the drums, before it comes down and the vocal comes in, almost an eastern feeling part in vibe, then a rolling drum part for the chorus part, then the double kicks come in and the feel lifts with then the vocals and keys rising supporting the part, before into that odd time riff again that kicked the song off, love the break on the second chorus with the harmony guitar in the background and the keys coming forward before the band comes back in again, then come in the solos, that’s a lovely solo, melodic but technique all over the place, now again I am nearly sure its Tom then Henrik again, these two are a formidable pair, both have a style of their own and both deadly as soloists, then we are into the chorus again and then we grind out to the end with that opening riff!
One Heart
Sort of a call and response intro on this one between the two guitars and then the riff kicks in with the drums it’s a real headbanger, now all I am saying is someone likes George Lynch, cause that’s what that riff reminds me of, even the next part with a straight riff and the clean guitars, it’s a really slamming song as well, it just keeps going, then it goes into an insanely catchy chorus part, it does give me Lynch Mob/Dokken vibes in the verse without a doubt, certain that Henrik to take the solo, lots of tapping and slides, then they both are in with a dual harmony part, then it breaks to keys and a gang vocal part which is really cool cause you can hear it building again back into that huge chorus then bows out back to the huge atmospheric keys and piano!
The Night Within
Now this straight away is so Evergrey, that sort of slow guitar chords with the keys doing a pattern, much like End of Your Days from Recreation Day, lovely drum part under that as well, lots of ghost notes and accents going on, then it breaks into half time for the verse and the guitars drop out, that chorus part is massive then we head back into the verse again only more syncopated guitars are in there this time, I am going to repeat this every song but the chorus is huge, into the solos, again I don’t know, but I think its Tom first and Henrik second again on this one ( I could be completely wrong), another absolute banger of a track!
Cold Dreams
Somber keyboards and like a slicer sort of sound along with it, then Tom comes in on the vocal over the top of the backing, it’s almost unnerving in feel in a way, then the band comes in and there is a wall of vocals, then we hit the chorus and it’s a bed of layered guitars and keys with Toms warm vocal over the top of it, really delicate vocal on the second chorus which is just drums and bass for the first part before the guitars come in again, then it comes in with the double kicks and the pace kick’s in and the low growl vocal comes in then you hear the gang vocal as well, then we are thrash tempo, then the light comes in the form of the chorus again, little melodic guitar break and the Tom is in again with a vocal refrain before the solo comes in which i think may be all Henrik, before it breaks down into a vocal part before a drum break and then in comes that huge chorus again it carries on until we get the outro which is just piano and Tom and then just the piano as it closes out.
Our Way Through Silence
A driving start with a really radio friendly sounding melodic key’s part under the guitar theme, then the verse just breaks to the keys and Toms vocal, now when the band comes in that is majorly uplifting in feel, again it’s just lovely the way it can go from section to section and it really doesn’t lose anything like it would with loads of other bands, you sort of know that this is part of what these guys do, hitting the middle and it just drives on with the keys adding more to the layers of the sound, lovely intro to that solo, great screaming note, bit of tapping and trem work so I would say Henrik before the second solo comes in a load of nice phrasing in there so I think Tom, then back into that huge chorus again, then it halts and just the keys remain as it fades out!
A Theory of Emptiness
Starting off with a spoken word intro with the piano under it, very Pink Floyd in a way, and it draws out the album beautifully to a close!
You put this on, and you go for a journey and in a way that’s what this band has done on every album, with the different themes we have had over many albums, from In Search of Truth to Inner Circle, every album has something special about it.
The one thing that has changed is the level of songwriting and the depth of each album, there is so much to draw you in, and I highly recommend listening with headphones from the start to finish, every release just gets better and for a band nearly 30 years as a band and 26 years since the first album that’s no small feat!
10 out of 10
It’s another absolute classic Evergrey album, heavy, melancholic, huge choruses, amazing playing from everyone, it’s just what they do! Now any chance of a Dublin and Belfast gig guys????
Pre-order your copy of Theories of Emptiness HERE!
EVERGREY are:
Tom S. Englund – Vocals, Guitar
Henrik Danhage – Guitar
Rikard Zander – Keyboard
Jonas Ekdahl – Drums
Johan Niemann – Bass
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Napalm Records
