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Evergrey: The Dark Discovery Power Metal, Progressive Metal Insideout Records 1998
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Review
Finding a band that can breathe a breath of fresh air into the lungs of a slowly dying breed of rock is hard to find these days. "Evergrey", however, might just be the answer to the immortal question, "Where did all the good progressive metal acts go?" It is hard to actually find a good progressive metal act out in the world today. Especially one that can blend such dark and frightening topics such as paranoia and regret with amazing progressive metal, as well as some power metal and gothic metal. Quite a combination going there for them. The album can easily be described as an amazing blend of metal. From start to finish, you are bombarded by various styles. You have your fast, deep, and powerful songs, followed by your really slow, acoustic, break-out-your-lighter-and-sing-in-unison-with-the-vocalist type songs, and then you just have your songs that are in between. There's no constant beat that the band lives up to, bringing a wide array of styles with their presentation. The lyrics are very deep and meaningful, as well as sometimes spiritual. However, sometimes you cannot hear the vocals. Due to a somewhat low production quality (which is understandable for a band's debut album, especially given the time frame that this CD was actually released overseas in 1998), you can hear the music loudly and amazingly, but the vocals sound faded and off in the distance. And, if you are a real stick-in-the-mud, you can hear some small pops of volume in the song 'Closed Eyes', where the volume level picks up a bit, a cymbol crashes, and the guitars are suddenly real low again, sounding as if the CD skipped slightly, and not as though this sound was done on purpose. Special Edition The 2004 Special Edition of this release is the only version of the album that was made available in the United States, so if you want this album you're going to get it either way. There's nothing really special to it, since it's not remastered or anything. This version just features a slipcase cover for the jewel case with altered artwork to better show off the band name, album title, and note that this is a special edition version of the release, as well as a note in the artwork from vocalist Tom Englund, and the music video to "For Every Tear That Falls". It may not be the best in bonus incentive to buy the album, but it could be worse, Outside of that, the album is really good. One minute you are given a platter of really fast guitar riffs, the next you are given a slow and meaningful song of passion and fear. It's an odd combination, but it makes for one of the best progressive releases in a long while. If you haven't already, check this one out for yourself.
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