Evergrey- Monday Morning Apocalypse (review/spoilers inside)

['Nife [Spirit Crusher]]

Yes, I do agree on the keyboards.. and the fact that the leads are way too far in the background will make them really hard for me to transcribe.. Although the guitar tuning sounds fine, And I love the low notes. They aren't muddy at all .. that i'll disagree with. But the self produced Evergrey was better, sonically. Hopefully when the CD comes out, these problems will be fixed.

Still though, the music is absolutely awesome.. so I can't really complain much.

 

[Nebulous]

The only producer/engineer that should EVER have touched EG was Andy La Roque- Period
He knew how to balance the EG sound and put everyone in the spotlight at all the right moments.

BTW, has the album been leaked?
I have no idea when these things happen, since im not into P2P, but it seems many ppl are hearing the album before me

 

[Empty Vision]

^^ yeah im listening to it now, wow this sounds very veyr radio friendly to me. Not that thats what ruins the album at all, its still Evergrey just much more basic, they have lost some of their Progressive edge, the song structures are a lot more basic and where the hell di the guitar riffs go?
The album title would be more suited to Evergrey if it was called Monday MOURNING Apocalypse.

 

[DirgeForNovember]

Oh man, I'm really disappointed. The only part I really liked was the chorus of Still In The Water. The album sounds VERY commercial. Standard riffs, predicable choruses, almost no cool intros/outros, the bad mix, little keys (and the ones you hear are standard, too), the horrible voice effects,... (I could go on for a while).



Maybe it will grow a bit, but that doesn't change the fact that it's so much less complex and predictable. I'm afraid I have to say that every good idea on this record already was on another Evergrey record. I'm sorry...

 

[DragonOfBlood]

You can sum up the album with one word.

Disappointing.

 

[1Time]

I'll agree with that. There are some songs I like...quite a bit actually. But I don't want these types of songs from Evergrey, because they are capable of so much more.

 

[Empty Vision]

I have given the album repeat listens a number of times, i was shocked at first but i have come to grips with the fact that this is a very commercial sounding record and accepted that maybe Evergrey do actually want to make it big. At first i was very dissapointed and i thought this is the end for the Evergrey i knew and loved, but now after a number of listens it has grown on me and I LOVE IT!

I think its great, its catchy, its heavy and (most) of the choruses are awesome. I still think this album could do with more upfront keyboards and could have still kept that 'Evergrey' porgressive edge and a few more interesting guitar riffs, but all in all his is a great album. The dynamics of this album are huge, the band know exactly when to hit their instruments hard and when to hit them softly. Some of the songs are really powerful. I really like 'In remembrance' because it kinda reminds me of Fragments, and i love Still In The Water because its guitar solo is crazy. Tom and Henrik have taken their soloing to a whole new level on this album, they are really talented.

i still think the title should read Monday Mourning Apocalypse.

 

[DoveWings]

How are people getting copies of the new CD and not me? I'm dying to hear it.





Dove

 

[sknight]

Well, the Black album had some appeal, mind you.

Sorry to gloat about being right with what I was predicting for this album, but I gotta since it turned out to be true. They went real light in an effort to poise themselves for a major label deal. So this is them doing what they want to do? Right. Metal bands turn watery metal under the promise of riches and exposure by the record companies.

It's been a few years since I've continued buying sub par albums from artists just for the sake of completing the collection. This album is absolutely another case of this.

Stay light!

 

[Tomodo]

I pretty much agree with Empty Vision.... now for my views on it.

I can easily hear that this is not the same as past Evergrey albums, but that does not bother me and really i see it as a positive. It gives something new and different to hear from the band. If i want Evergrey as i knew them before this album i can listen to that - then if i want something different, but still Evergrey, i can listen to MMA. Personal favourites for me are 'Unspeakable', 'Still In The Water', 'Lost For Words' and 'Closure'.

This sorta reminds me of Train Of Thought. Dream Theater made the album very different to their past albums and got severely critisised for it. I find it to be one of their weakest albums but if i do ever listen to it i can still enjoy it like any other Dream Theater material. I think this will be the case for MMA. I will love it now, eventually move on to older Evergrey and then listen to MMA a little less often.

As for the negatives - i agree partially with people here. I agree its more commerical sounding. Some songs I find are a little too short. Monday Morning Apocalypse for example just seems to come and go too quickly - before you know it Unspeakble has started. A fair amount of the songs are great at first but interest can get lost in them so there is the odd occasion of skipping to the better songs. As for the sound - for me the keyboard seems fine, i see the point in thats its behind but i'm happy with the keyboards being there at least.

Not the best, but certianly not a bad album

Looking forward to seeing them in London in 2 weeks

 

[Sea Of Darkness]

Well, I have given the album a few listens too and I can't manage to say anything good about it. Lost song sounds like a Nickelback song and Obedience reminds me of a Slipknot last album song. Imho, greyness and the dear old Evergrey sound are sadly gone and I'm very disappointed because I didn't expect something like this. Evergrey obviously want to reach mainstream, this is so fuckin commercial and obvious, over all. Unsuitable and obvious solos, standard riffs, repetitive choruses, useless effected voice which characterize and clone most of the last metal bands records; this is Monday Morning Apocalypse. I completely agree with DragonOfBlood and DirgeForNovember. The only tracks I manage to like are Still In The Water (dark and heavy but still repetitive, I love Carina vocals in it, although so short), and Till Dagmar, a beautiful and melacholic piano instrumental (sadly about 1.40 min long ).
I'm really sorry to say things like these, but I really don't manage to change my opinion, it's quite sad. This is the changing and I don't like it, ISOT and Recreation Day golden years are gone.

 

[karelrulez]

All in all not bad, but the emphasis is mainly on the 'heavy' riffing. I like heavy riffing, but the 'atmospheric' production is gone, which was great on Recreation Day and even on The Inner Circle. This album is just lacking creativity, every Evergrey album had those intricate little riffs and leads that are totally gone now. Most of the solos sound like afterthoughts, but they're crazy nonetheless. Best track: Still in the water.

 

[turke]

Well, you got a point. But "still in the water" guitar solo is great.

Differently from Dream Theater, i think it is too early to say that "golden age" is over. Not yet

 

[Snowmaker]

I should have it tonight. I'm keeping an open mind, despite all your negativity in here.

I'm sure I'll be buying it too. I can't see it being that bad.

 

[DirgeForNovember]

Well, I have given the album a few listens too and I can't manage to say anything good about it. Lost song sounds like a Nickelback song and Obedience reminds me of a Slipknot last album song. Imho, greyness and the dear old Evergrey sound are sadly gone and I'm very disappointed because I didn't expect something like this. Evergrey obviously want to reach mainstream, this is so fuckin commercial and obvious, over all. Unsuitable and obvious solos, standard riffs, repetitive choruses, useless effected voice which characterize and clone most of the last metal bands records; this is Monday Morning Apocalypse. I completely agree with DragonOfBlood and DirgeForNovember. The only tracks I manage to like are Still In The Water (dark and heavy but still repetitive, I love Carina vocals in it, although so short), and Till Dagmar, a beautiful and melacholic piano instrumental (sadly about 1.40 min long ).
I'm really sorry to say things like these, but I really don't manage to change my opinion, it's quite sad. This is the changing and I don't like it, ISOT and Recreation Day golden years are gone.

Exactly. I listenend to it a few times more and it didn't change my mind, too. I like the chorus of Still In The Water (easily the best song on MMA, although it's nowhere near great) and the chorus of Unspeakable, Till Dagmar is pretty good, but more of an interlude than an actual song. I can't even listen to MMA from start to finish in one turn, I just get this "the next song has to be better, I'll just have to wait for the next song"-feeling, but it doesn't get any better so I turn it off.

 

[peza]

Exactly. I listenend to it a few times more and it didn't change my mind, too. I like the chorus of Still In The Water (easily the best song on MMA, although it's nowhere near great) and the chorus of Unspeakable, Till Dagmar is pretty good, but more of an interlude than an actual song. I can't even listen to MMA from start to finish in one turn, I just get this "the next song has to be better, I'll just have to wait for the next song"-feeling, but it doesn't get any better so I turn it off.

Well, let's hope (in your case) that the next album gets better. And that you buy this one, because it obviously seems like you've listened to it a lot.

 

[NeonKnite]

My god... you are guys are such whiners and complainers.... give something more than two seconds of your time before forming an opinion. You all sound like absolute children.

This album is excellent! As with every Evergrey disc, it takes 3-4 listens to begin to absorb and appreciate it.

I am really digging this album and it's got all the elements that have made past Evergrey albums great.

It's far too early to decide where this album ranks among other Grey albums as I need to live with it more, but at this point it's nothing less than "The Inner Circle" for me.

And to the guy who doesn't like MMA... I don't get it... great great song. Seriously, if you don't dig this album I can't really see how you're an Evergrey fan because this album is definitely Evergrey.

 

[slaesh]

been a DIEHARD fan since STD and like every album! with ISOT as my absolute favourite! IMO one of the best records ever made!
Evergrey was, IMO, among with In Flames, COB (was), Dimmu Borgir, one of the best metal bands every.. one of the only band that can measure themselves with the BIG bands with the BIG songs such as metallica, iron maiden etc..
i always trusted the band and preordered ever release!
I noticed a big change on RD, where i think the band wanted big choruses! but IMO choruses has never been what evergrey's all about.. it's been the atmosphere of the songs which is building up through the songs and always makes the chorus very logical and extremely beautiful! Evergrey is for me about great compositions with great atmosphere of darkness, anxiety.. i am VERY VERY sad this feature has dissapeared more and more since ISOT and on MMA completely vanished, making evergrey seem like another band that just want's a big hit??. where the fuck is the dark atmosphere?? bring it back evergrey, for that is what you do best in the world..
i did not preorder MMA

 

[sknight]

Well, you got a point. But "still in the water" guitar solo is great.

Differently from Dream Theater, i think it is too early to say that "golden age" is over. Not yet

One song can't carry an entire album and justify the purchase. There is a value equation here that's lacking.

Hopefully Evergrey won't do another album with a numerical theme based around their studio recordings that contains themes of how much they hate fame and how much they abhorr their fans, a la Dream Theater.

So two mediocre albums in a row. Kind of sucks, especially since they were my favorite band and could have done very well continuing their unique dark/heavy/symphonic sound. This is called selling out, folks. Metallica didn't need to go where they did, as they made tons of money prior, but they did anyway.

 

[peza]

One song can't carry an entire album and justify the purchase. There is a value equation here that's lacking.

So two mediocre albums in a row. Kind of sucks, especially since they were my favorite band and could have done very well continuing their unique dark/heavy/symphonic sound. This is called selling out, folks. Metallica didn't need to go where they did, as they made tons of money prior, but they did anyway.

TIC a mediocre album? Said by a guy who called them "my favourite band" and hangs around the forum bitching about "selling out"? I really don't know if it's funny or sad, but if the guys (Evergrey) have done something they liked (which I believe they have) that's great! On top of that, if a lot of people likes it (which to me start to seem quite obvious) than it's even greater!

So, progress it's also called, and it can't appeal to everyone, and it doesn’t even have to. This case may not be yours, but your opinion about what Evergrey should do, could've done, or are best at, is kind of bollocks anyway.

Put on The Dark Discovery or get a grip. Or even better, quit whining about a work of art you don't even consider worth spending money on, continuing with that, makes you look really bad. And, nevertheless, stop acting as you were the only one who has the right to make an opinion, or the only one who has the "right" opinion, because EG is not yours only, and has never been.

I promise.