Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


Evergrey In Search Of Truth

By Frank Meyer, Contributing Editor
Tuesday, January 8, 2002 @ 3:32 PM


(Inside Out Music/Century Medi

- advertisement -
More galloping power metal from Sweden, yee haw!!! Gothenburg’s Evergrey continue on in the time-honored tradition of Nevermore, Iced Earth and Brainstorm with their fiery brand of post-Maiden old school heavy metal. So what sets these guys apart from all the other countless power metal acts these days? Well, not much but they certainly are a capable band and have chops up the wazoo...it’s just that things get more than a bit schmalty here for my taste.

In many ways Evergrey is closer to Queensryche than, say, Saxon. Yeah, they are heavy in many spots, but they lean more towards theatrical epics than just straight up power. They employ some delicate piano (“State of Paralysis”), balladeering and lots of complicated prog-rock scales and runs. Check out the intricate riffing on “The Encounter” and “Watching The Skies,” where the kick drum is practically louder than the entire band -- you can feel the pulse in your brain as it pounds away like an evil metronome. On “Mark of the Triangle” (now that’s a song title!) Evergrey even throw in one of those ever-popular lush New Agey keyboard intros before launching forth with some heandbangin’ chuga-chuga guitar and ethereal lyrics about triangles of the twilight. Meanwhile, “Dark Waters” features some choir backing vocals that are pretty hokey. Why do some metal bands think it’s cool to put in a neo-classical vocal ensemble into a heavy metal song? Queen did it and made it work, but I really don’t think anyone else has used this technique to their advantage since. Really, do the words “rock” and “opera” ever need to be put together in any situation that doesn’t involve Pete Townshend or King Diamond? And here’s a random thought: is it me or does the intro to “Different Worlds” sounds like David Coverdale singing over the theme to Phantasm. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it sure is funny.

So yeah, In Search Of Truth gets a little silly sometimes. Evergrey need to steer the boat to heavier grounds more often rather than trying to wallow in all this classically influenced, overly dramatic, show tune-sounding stuff. Great players, decent songs, but too much brooding and weeping for my taste. I prefer my metal bands to rip my head off and fuck my girlfriend, not croon to me about shadow worlds, triangles and dark forests. I can get that from watching a Twin Peaks rerun and save myself the eighteen bucks for the CD….and get to look at Sherilyn Fenn.

**1/2


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent Reviews
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston, TX With Photos!
FEED MY DAEMONS Feed My Daemons
THE END MACHINE The Quantum Phase
JUDAS PRIEST Invincible Shield
RINGWORM Seeing Through Fire
SUICIDAL ANGELS Profane Prayer
GEOFF TATE, ADRIAN VANDENBERG In Houston, TX With Photos!
MIDNIGHT Hellish Expectations
AVENGED SEVENFOLD In Cleveland, OH With Photos!
KK'S PRIEST, LA GUNS, BURNING WITCHES In Ft. Lauderdale, FL
RIOT V Mean Streets
SKELETAL REMAINS Fragments Of The Ageless
EXHORDER Defectum Omnium
LIZZY BORDEN In Los Angeles With Photos!
MEANSTREAK Blood Moon EP
ZAKK SABBATH Doomed Forever Forever Doomed
CRAZY LIXX Two Shots At Glory
CRYPTA In Los Angeles With Photos!
BRUCE DICKINSON The Mandrake Project
BORKNAGAR Fall
HONEYMOON SUITE Alive
NORTH SEA ECHOES Really Good Terrible Things
SOCIAL DISORDER Time To Rise
MINISTRY HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
MICK MARS The Other Side Of Mars



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News