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Reviews

Evergrey — In Search of Truth
(Inside Out Music IOMCD 081, 2001, CD)

by Jon Davis, Published 2002-04-01

In Search of Truth Cover art

I’m no expert on prog-metal. I’ve heard a bit of Dream Theater, Amorphis, and Ayreon, and I can enjoy them if the music is well-played and not too silly (except in the case of Ayreon, where the sillier the better). To my ear, Evergrey sounds like a good example of the form. The basic elements are there, the tight bass / drum interplay, the wailing and chugging guitars, the dramatic vocals, even some sort of concept to tie the album together, but I think there are a few twists on the standard fare that serve the band well. Sven Karlsson’s keyboards, which might normally be expected to stick with organ sounds, piano in the quiet parts and supportive strings, throw in a few surprises, like the low noodly analog part on “The Masterplan” and the quietly distorted piano backed by strings in the middle section of “Rulers of the Mind.” Tom S. Englund’s voice is a little gruff but never down in the death-metal growl register. The twin guitars of Englund and Henrik Danhage are pummeling and melodic by turns, with the flashy solos you expect, and even the rhythm parts are punctuated by sixteenth-note fills. Overall, I’d have to say Evergrey have provided a quite enjoyable album, not earth shattering, but perfectly crafted to suit their intentions. Plus the melodies are catchy enough that I find myself humming them after the CD is finished, and I suppose that can’t be counted a bad thing.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 24, 2001 releases

Related artist(s): Evergrey

 

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