Evergrey - In Search Of Truth


Year of Release: 2001
Label: InsideOut Music America
Catalog Number: IOMACD 2025
Format: CD
Total Time: 46:22:00

Evergrey (© Evergrey)Evergrey has become one of the main interests of progressive power metal fans worldwide, and not without good cause. Not in recent history do I recall a band that has evolved in so many ways, and has made a special commitment and connection with their fans. It is pretty amazing to see what this band has achieved over the past 3 years with the release of 3 discs, and the connection that this band has made with their fans worldwide. It is this very commitment to themselves, their music, and their fans that makes this band so successful.

With the release of The Dark Discovery in 1998, it was evident that this band had the talent and diversity to become one of the most talked about and respected bands in the business. The combination of dark, eerie, cold, melodic, heavy music was a combination that few bands could produce, and one that fans had been waiting for eagerly. The band made many waves during that time; from the gothic, cold, haunting sound of the crunching music, mixed in with the unique vocals of Tom Englund, this band was destined for success from the start.

The subsequent release of Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy showed that the band had exactly what it took to take their sound and music to another level, and come up with ideas and move ahead as any progressive metal fan would embrace instantly. Along with the evolving vocal style of Tom Englund, it was obvious that this band was not only something special, but would solidify the fact that the band could and would be the light of hope that metal would survive and the disc garnered tons and tons of positive reviews while still adding to the huge following that the band had already started to amass.

In Search of Truth is easily one of the most eagerly anticipated discs in the metal world. After Evergrey did the impossible and criss-crossed the Atlantic 2 times to play single shows for their fans, the samples they played of the upcoming material told the fans that this would be Evergrey's finest moment. Having had the pleasure and honor of having their new material in hand for many months validated this. Adding a permanent keyboard player, a new bass player, and a new guitarist, Evergrey has set out to show that they are capable of producing quality music with each and every disc, while maintaining their signature sound. First and foremost, be aware that the disc is a concept disc that tells the tale of a man kidnapped by aliens and the torment that the man endures afterwards. Certainly the idea is nothing new to sci-fi fans, but how would the band pull off allowing the listener to feel the idea in a different way. The answer lies in the vocal performance of Tom Englund. With his gritty, raspy, throaty voice - he injects a certain passion in emotion that is not only refreshing, but also interesting considering the tone of his voice. He is able to bring so many passions and emotions to the listener, that it's easy to feel along with the individual in the story. It's easy to believe the story through the sounds and emotions of Tom's voice. From a whisper, to a passionate ballad, to an all out aggressive power sound, Tom is capable of bringing forth all of these emotions to the forefront of the music.

The music is still filled with Evergrey darkness; the music is still filled with the progressive elements that are signature to Evergrey. The tempo changes at every turn without skipping a beat to the listener, the double bass assault that marks Patrick Carlsson's style, the haunting keyboards that has always surrounded Evergrey music with passion, the crunching guitars, thedarkness, the melodic warmth, it's all here. Somehow the band has managed to maintain a certain sound / style while at the same time evolving musically without sacrificing their love for that sound. Through twin guitar leads, atmospheric keyboards, choirs, choruses, double bass runs, sound effects, and steady heaviness, Evergrey has brought us their best work yet and most ambitious performance to date.

Tom Englund has all the characteristics of a great singer. He has steadily evolved over the years, and has become the focal point of the band, if only by virtue of his unique style. Once you hit the play button on an Evergrey disc and hear Tom sing, you know it's an Evergrey disc immediately. He has the ability to bring to life the characters in his stories, whether it be passion or aggression, it is difficult not to feel the emotions of who he happens to be singing about.

Patrick Carlsson has always been one of the most underrated drummers in the business as far as I'm concerned. I am not a huge fan of double bass runs at the speed of light, but when it's used to perfection the way Patrick uses it, it's a wonderful sound. His ability to inject double bass into a short amount of musical notes is uncanny. From a straight head beat, to a sudden shift in speed utilizing double bass runs, it's this style that the progressive moments are evident in Evergrey.

Michael Hakansson bring to the band a gothic look with an added mysterious / atmospheric presence. His bass playing is just about in total synchronization with the drums, keeping time and heaviness evenly with the drums to bring about a pounding bottom end to the music.

Sven Karlsson adds tons of atmospheric keyboards, from the eeriness of haunting strings, to pleasant piano tones, to synth solos to complement the guitars; Sven takes the sound of Evergrey and maintains a haunting, mesmerizing background.

Henrik Danhage adds melodic solos to the music, careful never to outshine the immediate sound of the band. The dual sound of Henrik and Tom have become as intricate to the sound of Evergrey as any of the King Diamond duos from days gone past.

The production is still top rate -- with Andy LaRocque ( ex-King Diamond guitarist ) at the helm once again with Tom Englund, the sound is just a bit different from the usual Evergrey style. This production is a bit drier, albeit still heavy as usual. Lots of reverb has been taken out of the sound in favor of a more natural, raw sound. Still present is the heavy bottom end, the vocals have been placed more out front this time and where they belong. The drums sound a bit different than previous Evergrey discs, in that the dry sound has brought forth a different tone than before, but the impact is still the same. The guitars are still crunchy and foreboding, and the keyboards shine with clarity.

Overall, this is the best Evergrey performance in terms of writing, performance and evolution. It is debatable which is your favorite Evergrey disc and why, but it's hard to argue that Evergrey is about evolution, change with out sacrificing sound, and the ability to produce quality music at a higher level with each release. The key to Evergrey's sound is a darkness mixed with melodic warmth that few bands either are able to achieve or have not attempted to achieve. On In Search of Truth, Evergrey has mixed a combination of heaviness, eeriness, human emotion, and plain old power to bring forth the story of torment and pain. If you already have experienced Evergrey of past, you will not be disappointed with In Search of Truth. If you have not experienced Evergrey, it is time to discover what I consider to be a band that has defined and will define the future of progressive power metal. Essential is an understatement when it comes to this disc, or this band.


Tracklisting:
The Masterplan (4:46) / Rulers Of The Mind (5:57) / Watching The Skies (6:16) / State Of Paralysis (2:13) / The Encounter (4:38) / Mark Of The Triangle (6:22) / Dark Waters (6:02) / Different Worlds (5:29) / Misled (5:59)

Musicians:
Tom Englund - vocals, guitar
Henrik Danhage - guitars
Michael Hakansson - bass
Patrick Carlsson -drums
Sven Karlsson - keyboards

Discography:
The Dark Discovery (1998)
Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy (1999)
In Search Of Truth (2001)
Recreation Day (2003)
Inner Circle (2004)
The Dark Discovery - Special Edition (2004)
Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy - Special Edition (2004)
A Night To Remember - Live 2004 (2005)
Monday Morning Apocalypse (2006)
Torn (2008)
Glorious Collision (2011)
Hymns For The Broken (2014)
The Storm Within (2016)

A Night To Remember - Live 2004 (DVD) (2005)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin SE

Added: November 25th 2001
Reviewer: Larry "LarryD" Daglieri

Artist website: www.evergrey.net
Hits: 2725
Language: english

  

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