Evergrey- Monday Morning Apocalypse (review/spoilers inside)

[Dethshaft]

Evergrey is one of my favorite bands and this album is most definitely a progression of the band regardless of a less "progressive" songwriting style. If you really listen to the music and the lyrics it would be hard to not see where they are coming from. This is a melancholy album, and to me the music fits the mood they were going for perfectly. I probably like their last few albums more (as of now), but they did NOTHING wrong musically. They are still songwriting gods in my opinion! :Spin:

 

[sknight]

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.

HAHAHA! This was one of the funniest posts I've ever read here

 

[DragonOfBlood]

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.

I have given it more than 2 seconds of my time. I've listened to the album completely several times.

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

No, it's not. In fact, it's the furthest thing from excellent. It's nothing more than a glorified coaster. Your second statement is ridiculous. SDT, In Search of Truth, and Recreation Day all grabbed you by the balls and didn't let go on the first listen.

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

Apparently someone hasn't heard any Evergrey other than "I'm Sorry" and "The Inner Circle".

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.

It's much worse than that snoozefest that was "The Inner Circle". This is their absolute worst album to date.

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.

Again, you obviously have no idea what you're talking about. This album is so vastly different from anything EG have done before that you're making yourself look like a complete fucknut by saying "this is definitely Evergrey". Even the guitar tone is 100% different.

I hope you enjoy discussing this album with all the mallcore kids that are going to be picking it up, lol.

All I'm going to do with this album is extract "Till Dagmar" and save it to my comp. It'll be a cold day in hell before I spend money on this piece of crap.

 

[sknight]

DoB,

SDT, In Search of Truth, and Recreation Day all grabbed you by the balls and didn't let go on the first listen.

This is one of the most convincing statements here. TIC was the first EG I bought and it didn't grab me. In fact, I was pushed to continue and try out their other stuff several months later and I was captivated by the depth of SDT, ISOT, and RD.

Unfortunately, opinions like ours aren't welcome on this board because many here actually think that EG knows them and cares about them as friends, so people suck up, kind of like the Anthrax board.

The best thing a musical artist can have is constructive criticism by fans asking for what elements they'd like to hear and then it's up to the band to put it together and progress it.

What I'm hearing the fans want are the cool intros and outros, no effects on Tom's voice, and Rikard and Michael brought out into the front. I think technically this is Evergrey's best lineup, but the recording and writing is not exploiting this. Rikard is a phenomenal keyboard player and uses cool tones, but where is he? Michael is an aggressive bassist, but he might as well not be in the band. Tom's got an amazing voice, so he does everything he can to make it sound like shit with effects? Jonas is a very technical drummer that can eventually be hailed as a great prog metal drummer. Then there's Henrik. Too bad. Nothing here makes anyone standout anymore.

The problem at hand here is the fanboys and girls can't handle fans that were so passionate about Evergrey's music that they can say they don't like their music anymore, so they filibuster and make statements like:

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.

So I guess being an Evergrey fan is like being in a police state?

 

[DragonOfBlood]

DoB,


This is one of the most convincing statements here. TIC was the first EG I bought and it didn't grab me. In fact, I was pushed to continue and try out their other stuff several months later and I was captivated by the depth of SDT, ISOT, and RD.

I love those three albums. SDT just comes in with that huge fade in to "Solitude Within" and you're hooked right away. Just BANG! And you're rocking the fuck out.

ISOT has that creepy tape recorded intro, and right away you think to yourself "What the fuck is going on? I need to listen to this shit" and all of a sudden you're greeted with one of the greatest EG tracks, "The Masterplan". You're hooked, and the rest of the album just reels you in.

RD is the best at that initial hook. The solo on "The Great Deceiver" sonically kicks you square in the nuts as soon as you push "play" and while you're on you're knees the riffage plants one right in your face. For the next hour and a bit the album doesn't let up at all and by the end you wonder if you're worthy enough to listen to such awesome tunes.

Amazing work from a band that use to be amazing. How whats-his-face can say those albums need "3-4 listens" astounds me. They are like a musical orgasm. Monday Morning Apocalypse is like musical herpes.

Although, as much as I dislike TIC, "A Touch of Blessing" is a very good grab song. The problem is the rest of the album just lets you down.

 

[Valentine]

look around on the P2P's.

Seems like I was right about my expectations for how it will sound. You know, the thoughts that were so unpopular here, but turned out to be true.

Evergrey doesn't do commercial rock good enough to make them stand out. Not very happy with that Tom speaking though the megaphone voice.

which p2p did you find the new album songs on??:Spin:

 

[Anneke]

The best thing a musical artist can have is constructive criticism by fans asking for what elements they'd like to hear and then it's up to the band to put it together and progress it.

That's the biggest bullshit I ever heard. A real musician makes music for himself. He writes the stuff that comes naturally to him.. And as you grow older and get more experienced, the kind of music and the way you write it changes..
A band should NEVER write music because that's how their fans want it. That's a major form of selling out.

 

[jaimek]

Yep. Trying to please *other people* is a death knell for any band.

 

[JasonBecker]

For 3-4 days i ve been listening MMA and now i read all the posts.Here are my opinions;
The songs are disappointing..What i waited from Evergrey was different (dark/melodic/progressive).But it's the way they like now,ok i can understand that.
But;
where ' s the drumming?
who can hear the keys ? (out of Till Dagmar)
why are the vocal effects so dominant?
guitar tunes are unnecessarily down?
song durations are short...?
althought all those points the album has catchy and good melodies and tom rocks when he sings without adding effects,which he doesnt need
For an Evergrey album MMA is better than average i think.But for a mainstream band,really cool.
They will obviously gain new fans

 

[sknight]

That's the biggest bullshit I ever heard. A real musician makes music for himself. He writes the stuff that comes naturally to him.. And as you grow older and get more experienced, the kind of music and the way you write it changes..
A band should NEVER write music because that's how their fans want it. That's a major form of selling out.

HAHAHAHA...the EG board is full of hysterical posts

I wonder why no bands go from rock into hard metal...

 

[Snowmaker]

Well, I'm going to say I like the sound of this album. Its different, and luckily not in a St. Anger sort of way. Its a nice refreshing change from the sound of the last 3-4 albums, which all had a similar sound to them.

 

[DragonOfBlood]

Just providing a service.

 

[Snowmaker]

I've never seen such open album leak discussion on a band's own message board. Most boards don't even want it mentioned that its out there.

 

[sknight]

For the record, I rarely download and if I do, it's with the intent of buying afterward. I too found it odd that there was open discussion of the leak.

 

[Snowmaker]

Exactly. To give away an address for the leak is a shameless attempt.

Attempt at what?

 

[jaimek]

Okay guys, look: I'm trying very hard to keep a light hand on the forum, because I don't want to discourage discussion. If you hate the album, I don't care; post about it all you like. And just as you're allowed to post your opinion, others are allowed to disagree with you.

But can y'all please act like ADULTS about it and quit slinging insults?

- your friendly moderator

 

[Valentine]

I don't care if its good OR bad,(I'd like anyway,I just know) but I will most definetly buy the album anyway...it just bothers me that so many have already heard it I want to hear to dammit! all these comments are making me mad with curiousity!

 

[sknight]

the singing sounds nothing like old (real) Evergrey. Tom's scratchiness is all but gone and those stupid vocal effects are ridiculous.

That is one of the bigger things that got to me about the album. Tom's got one of the best voices I've heard and that was one of the things that sold me on Evergrey and even made me give them a second chance after starting with TIC. Tom's vocals were big and soaring, but now they're unclear and muffled.

 

[DragonOfBlood]

Yup. He had/maybe still does have the voice of a man that's been through hell.

Those stupid vocal effects ruin that entirely. That damaged, scratchy sound is what makes his voice so unique too, and now, well, that's gone.

 

[Snowmaker]

HAHAHAHA!!

So you like "The Glorious Boredom"

That's the album that got me into Iced Earth. If it wasn't for Tim Owens, I'd probably still never had checked them out. Now I have almost all the Iced Earth CDs.

I think anyone who doesn't like that album, but likes all the Matt Barlow stuff, has not given it a true chance. Gettysburg is such a great epic. Tim may be no Matt, but he still has a hell of a voice.

But anyway, I've gone off topic here.