Evergrey- Monday Morning Apocalypse (review/spoilers inside)

Ascension ... I hope they don't progress like a couple of my all-time favoite bands (Queensryche and Metallica). Those two kind of stripped their sound back a little .. got a little simplistic, and look what happened. I'm not saying that this will happen to Evergrey, but sometimes something that seems like a progression is really a regression. I did like the clips by the way, but it did seem they might have been a little stripped down compared to past EG stuff.

Britt
 
I think everyone just needs to chill out, put down the 20-sided dice and wooden swords... and reserve judgement until we can hear more than 3 minutes of music. No sense in freaking out if Evergrey decides to not play by all the true metal rules. Have a little faith in them and open your mind a little. I think they've proven by now that their songwriting is strong regardless of what type of sound they decide to pursue.
 
DarkTide said:
Ascension ... I hope they don't progress like a couple of my all-time favoite bands (Queensryche and Metallica). Those two kind of stripped their sound back a little .. got a little simplistic, and look what happened. I'm not saying that this will happen to Evergrey, but sometimes something that seems like a progression is really a regression. I did like the clips by the way, but it did seem they might have been a little stripped down compared to past EG stuff.

Britt

l'm with you. Ryche really got away from what they do best and it has cost them some of their fanbase. Saw them on tour last year...they sound just as good as ever. Hopefully, OpM II will get them back where they belong.
I haven't been a fan of Metallica's since Master of Puppets. l'm sure l never will be again.
I just think EG wants to evolve and broaden themselves abit while retaining the elements of their style that all of us enjoy so much. And, branching out might just help them reach out to listeners that normally wouldn't give them 2 seconds of their time.
 
I like it too. I'm not an Evergrey diehard, but I do like them a lot, and the new cd sounded pretty good to me......
Waiting for my preorder......
J-Dubya
 
And holy crapola. i had heard the samples and was like eh......but now that i have heard the whole thing straight through...the samples just plain do not do it justice at all......

They have changed somewhat but here are the things that havent changed...now granted im no musician or trained or anything...i hear what i hear...

not changed..
1. vocal arrangements...Tom....well its Tom...he has a certain delivery that i dont think anyone can duplicate..its still there..very passionate, very organized..and shit..i just love the guy...

2. Song arrangements...there isnt anything in there that i wouldnt expect from evergrey....every single cd by them has so much in it that you just cant catch it all in the first listen...2nd or for that matter the 100th....so much little stuff in there.....but same basic orgainzation of other discs

3. Well the fact that it is a very good disc.....that hasnt changed.....gosh im having a flash gordon movie flasback...fell like the professor..."I havent changed"


Stuff that has...

1. The recording....it is different and although im no producer or anything im gonna try to explain...the guitars sound a little muted..it more straight forward...which to me makes it sound more angry and not at atmospheric...the riffing parts anyway....i was put off at first..but now im like damn......this is gonna be ridiculous live...

2. The vocal sound..or recording...there is more wierd talking parts or wierd processed parts....not sure why he does this cause the guy flat out sings well anyway...but it does add something to the mood of the disc

3. They keys seem a bit more in the background and the guitar is more up front....so it depends on what u really like....at atmosphere feel....not as much here..or flat out power guitar...that is more here...

4. Drum sound....different also....u can hear more of the cymbols than in the past and it is more clear....especially the ride...got a nice sound to it...
The drums sound more flat and not as deep which i also like....

All and all i like it alot and i dont think many will be disappointed but i do think if you arent die hard...it may take a few spins to really appreciate it...if u are diehard...it will blow you ass off..
 
Yes, I dug this one out from the depths! :) I came up to post on the subject and remembered this.

Anyhow...
I have had the album for a couple of weeks now and at first listen, it doesn't hit you. Just the past week, in fact, in the past few days this album has officially begun to kick my ass!! It is f**king heavy as shit, cool hooky choruses (but then again EG is known for that), and some great guitar work. Upon first listen, it sounded way different, but the more I listen the more it comes shining through as Evergrey! Tom's voice is a signature and helps to keep their identity.

I would agree that there is an overall "simplification" of riffs, but there are still some amazing riffage going on. It does sound like they tuned down, went to 7 strings, or went to baritone guitars. If people playing heavy grinding riffs on a detuned guitar automatically counts it for nu metal, then I guess we can call Evergrey, Symphony X, Dream Theater, Tad Morose, etc... all the best nu metal bands out there. One way that EG greatly differentiates itself from so called nu metal is there are no shortage of solos!

Bottom line, is that it is still a great album! Get it, crank it up, and enjoy it!!!
 
I think it's dull. This will be the first Evergrey CD I won't purchase (even though I'm a bit of a completist), The fact that it's "not as Metal" as their previous CDs isn't the reason I don't like it (though the lack of double-bass work is sorely missed). To my ear, the songs are just boring. I've listened to the CD on three occasions, and each time it's been a struggle to make it through in one sitting.

Zod
 
I've had it for about two weeks, and although there are parts that remind me of classic EG, I'm still not sure it's in the top 3 of their releases. Maybe time will be on my side and it will grow on me some more... but for now, I think the processed vocals and samples partially kill it for me. Why do they feel the need for this??!
 
Thanks for slicing and dicing my post Zod.It will kick my nuts off because Evergrey can do no wrong...just as Fates can do no wrong. As long as Tom is singing...it will be great...as long as ray Alder is singing...it will be great (Examples...Engine,Redemption,one song from Fragile Vastness...all classics)
I didn't reserve judgement on Fates...I just didn't like Simple Human;that doesn't mean I didn't stand at my mailbox the day it came out ready to kill my mailman if he didn't have a package for me.
My post wasn't an attack on you Zod...it was an opinion that sample clips cant be the measuring gauge for an entire disc,and that I'm looking forward to it.I will agree that some discs are just better than others during an entire career...Dream Theater comes to mind...some classic others are listenable but not classic w/the exception of Falling Into Obscurity which could have effectively ended DT's career.
I'm glad you're going to buy the disc...I saw it was leaked a few days ago,and regardless of whether or not people dl it for free...if its a band you beliieve in...give 'em your support and buy buy buy!!!