Detail from Evergrey New Album, The Storm Within
Summing up Evergrey's new album The Storm Within quick and to the
point, the band is celebrating their 20th Anniversary with the strongest
album of their career.
While this may come off as music
industry lip-service in honour of the Swedish quintet, anyone who has
followed Evergrey will find it impossible not to become completely
enthralled by the music on The Storm Within within the space of the
first listen. The band's trademark progressive, dark and melancholic
elements are as strong as ever, the album ranks as one of the most
progressive record they've created in terms of performance, but Evergrey
managed to put it in a package that is more accessible and direct
compared to any of their nine previous outings. Frontman / founder Tom
S. Englund credits Evergrey's learning-by-doing over the past two
decades for the feel of The Storm Within, in particular their
all-important Hymns For The Broken record from 2014, which saw a
revitalized Evergrey line-up return with a new energy.
"We went
from having no intention of making an album at all to having all the
inspiration in the world on Hymns For The Broken," says Englund.
"Honestly, we've never felt better. The Storm Within is a massive album.
There are no fillers on it and we've never been about that. I think the
inspiration speaks for itself."
Evergrey's lyrics have always
matched the depth and intensity of their music, and the concept behind
The Storm Within is no exception. Englund considers the storyline behind
the lyrics to be one of the biggest concepts Evergrey has ever tackled,
based on something that everyone can relate to; having someone, losing
them, and having to pick yourself up and move on. He goes so far as to
call it the band's first "love" album, but it's not a subject that
should be taken lightly in the Evergrey universe.
"As usual, the
lyrics are based on someone or some event in my life," says Englund.
"When we were making this album a lot of these relationship issues were
going on around me; people losing a partner or a loved one and grieving.
The Storm Within is about a search for identity, trying to make
yourself full when you feel half empty, and I placed that storyline in
an interstellar world."
Musically, The Storm Within plays to
Evergrey's trademark prog metal attack but it's loaded with double-take
moments. Lead-off track "Distance" is a surprise lead single (and first
video), the melodically and lyrically stunning "Passing Through" is
destined to become a fan favourite, "My Allied Ocean" is one of
Evergrey's most aggressive songs to date, and the epic title track makes
for the perfect album closer in the tradition of Devin Townsend or
Rush. The addition of Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen on "In Orbit" is
the icing on an already filling cake.
"That was actually my wife
(Carina Englund) thinking for me," Englund says of Jansen's involvement.
"Floor is a personal friend and major Evergrey fan, so it was over a
glass of wine between her and my wife, who asked her if she wanted to do
the song. 'In Orbit' is a powerhouse of a song and it would be easy to
make it the first single, but it's not the first impression we want to
make. That said, it would be stupid not to release it as a single, and
if we could get Floor to do the video, that would be a home run."
Speaking of Englund's better half Carina, she reprises her ongoing role
as Evergrey's secret weapon on every album since they began,
contributing vocals this time out to the song "The Paradox Of The
Flame". In addition, Evergrey renewed their partnership with critically
acclaimed video director Patric Ullaeus for The Storm Within, fulfilling
the band's vision of creating the most cinematic album in their
catalogue. Three stellar clips were shot and, in a huge promotional
push, are slated to hit the internet leading up to the official album
release.
Englund is proud to have The Storm Within represent
Evergrey's all-important 20th Anniversary, although he freely admits he
didn't take note of the landmark occasion until the album was well
underway.
"I had a goal when I started Evergrey; I wanted to
make 10 albums and that would fulfill my life plan. That's not something
I ever thought I would accomplish. It's quite an amazing thing to be a
band for 20 years and release albums that aren't sub-par. When I
realized we'd done 10 albums in 20 years it was mind-boggling. I'm proud
to say that out of all the albums we've released over the last 20
years, we've never released one that we didn't feel was the best we
could do at that time. That goes for every song, every note, everything.
That's why we don't do anything half-assed."
THE STORM WITHIN - Tracklist
Distance
Passing Trough
Someday
Astray
The Impossible
My allied ocean
In Orbit (feauturing Floor Jansen)
The lonely monarch
The paradox of the flame
Disconnect
The storm within
Passing Trough
Someday
Astray
The Impossible
My allied ocean
In Orbit (feauturing Floor Jansen)
The lonely monarch
The paradox of the flame
Disconnect
The storm within
Line-Up
Tom S. Englund - vocals, guitar
Henrik Danhage - guitar, backing vocals
Rikard Zander - keyboard, backing vocals
Jonas Ekdahl - drums
Johan Niemann - bass, backing vocals
Henrik Danhage - guitar, backing vocals
Rikard Zander - keyboard, backing vocals
Jonas Ekdahl - drums
Johan Niemann - bass, backing vocals
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