I never thought I'd be so disappointed with an Evergrey album

B

batmura

Sea of Tranquility
Nov 1, 2001
2,828
4
38
www.seaoftranquility.org
First off, I love Evergrey. In the 7+ years I've been listening to them, they've never released an album I didn't like (except that I've always thought Recreation Day is their most overrated album and ranks at the bottom of my favourites).

Also, my favourite album by them has always been In Search of Truth, with Solitude Dominance Tragedy being a close second. Their first one is cool and The Inner Circle is their most atmospheric disc, despite its downsides.

Anyway, now I've heard their new one, Monday Morning Apocalypse, and what can I say? Honestly, when I read some of those negative posts on the Evergrey forum I thought people must be exaggerating. Well, obviously they weren't.

This album is lame (by Evergrey's standards). There is an apparent commerical-wannabe feel to it from start to finish. Even Englund's unique and killer vocals have been raped by the "great" production duo on the album. The guitar tone has got to be the shittiest tone I've heard on an InsideOut album too. Anyone else love the song "Lost"? How about its chorus that goes, "Inside out / Going outside in" repeated a million times?

Well, what the fuck happened?

Okay, the production sucks ass. Not a fan of the modern sound, as I believe it's killed the dark nature of Evergrey's songs. But how about the lyrics? They seem like they were put together in two weeks and bingo...

As the band so prooudly says on the InsideOut page, "this time they did nothing, so they could sit back and enjoy their producers doing the job".

Doing the "job"?

Did they mean "ripping them a new one"?

Oh well. I'm done ranting.

More detailed review here:

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=3397

Comments?
 
Before I comment further, please note that I'm participating in this thread as a fan, not a promoter....


I can understand your frustration with the change in style, specifically some of the processed vocals. I can also understand not liking the guitar tone. Hell, I agree with you that this is a more commericalized attempt (and I have no problem with that). However, I think your lyrical assessement is way the fuck off base. I think the poppiness of the that specific tune has influenced your listening throughtout the rest of the disc. The last four tunes ("Still in the Water", The Dark I Walk You Through," "I Should," and "Closure") are some of the most brutally deep dark lyrics I have heard. I love ISoT (it's my fave), but the darkness of alien abduction (or vampires from SDT) is shallow as fuck as compared to interpersonal relationship loss in my world.

This is a very polarizing disc. You hate it. I love it (although I list it as their 4th best disc). We respect each other and move on...

Glenn H.
 
I love this disc. It will certainly not make every one of their older fans happy...but niether did the last 2 albums. I dont expect Evergrey to ever repeat themselves and make a duplicate of the album before...and this one is no different in that respect. I actually love the production here. The guitars are different, by a lot. But I also think it fits the stripped down approach they were obviously going for. They have definitely taken a strong attempt at broadening their appeal but the Evergrey mood and overall vibe is still intact. I agree with Harv about the lyrics as well...they are extremely personal and emotional. In fact, some of Englunds best songs are contained on this album. And that chorus you brought up, Inside out...outside in...I cant get that out of my head. One of the catchiest songs on the disc, and the vocal delivery of that line is really cool, imo.

The bottom line for me is there is still no one who sounds like Evergrey. Whether they try a different approach or not. They still write some kick ass dark emotional songs with strong performances by each member of the band.
I would rank this one at #3 behind SDT and ISoT. I really cant wait to see how they present this material in a live setting where they have total control, Llike PP7.
 
Joel-RZ said:
I love this disc. It will certainly not make every one of their older fans happy...but niether did the last 2 albums. I dont expect Evergrey to ever repeat themselves and make a duplicate of the album before...and this one is no different in that respect. I actually love the production here. The guitars are different, by a lot. But I also think it fits the stripped down approach they were obviously going for. They have definitely taken a strong attempt at broadening their appeal but the Evergrey mood and overall vibe is still intact. I agree with Harv about the lyrics as well...they are extremely personal and emotional. In fact, some of Englunds best songs are contained on this album. And that chorus you brought up, Inside out...outside in...I cant get that out of my head. One of the catchiest songs on the disc, and the vocal delivery of that line is really cool, imo.

The bottom line for me is there is still no one who sounds like Evergrey. Whether they try a different approach or not. They still write some kick ass dark emotional songs with strong performances by each member of the band.
I would rank this one at #3 behind SDT and ISoT. I really cant wait to see how they present this material in a live setting where they have total control, Llike PP7.
Click to expand...
Yeah, as I've already stated in another thread, it won me over and I love this album! My first exposrure to Evergrey was when Tom was 2 feet in front of me at PP1 (i had never even heard of them). They didn't catch on to me for a couple of years after that. In fact, it was listening to The Inner Circle in Capps room at PP5 that finally grabbed me. I finished my EG collection the next day! Damn you Glenn for having vendors that close ;)

I think this album sounds just like EG, yes a bit simplified in places, but it still has their sound and is heavy as f**k! It still is siginifcantly better than what you hear on the radio -- hell, it even has lots of kick ass solos!

I think people in our genre have become so elitist at this point that the fear of any of our coveted groups gaining any sort of popularity tends to scare us away from liking them. DT is hated by so many, even SyX took a bunch of heat for King of Terrors and I'm sure they are next on the "love to hate" list with their recent success. I wish people would quit trying to label everything with 7-string or down-tuned crunchy rhythms as nu-metal! What the hell is nu-metal anymore anyhow?!?!?
 
Damn, I must be the odd ball evergrey fan (in the grand scheme), because I rank the albums as such:

holy crap, this is awesome music: ISoT, Recreation Day, Inner Circle
Pretty cool: SDT, DD
eh... : MMA

I think a lot of people started listening to evergrey with ISoT so it naturally is their favorite, but I really think RD and IC are just as good (and better sometimes depending on my mood).

In any case, I cannot get into MMA yet, and dunno if I will. I agree with batmura, the chorus of Lost really "erks" me out, lol.
 
Rick Pierpont said:
I think people in our genre have become so elitist at this point that the fear of any of our coveted groups gaining any sort of popularity tends to scare us away from liking them.
Click to expand...

There's probably something to that. I, for one, welcome the move to "heavier" things, although Evergrey STILL hasn't put out the elite-level album I know they have in them. If they could combine the concise nature of MMA with the drama of ISoT...

Rick Pierpont said:
DT is hated by so many,
Click to expand...

Uh, in my case it's because they stopped writing songs, and started writing jams. I could care less how popular they are - they even GOT heavier, and I still don't like anything after "Scenes".

Rick Pierpont said:
even SyX took a bunch of heat for King of Terrors and I'm sure they are next on the "love to hate" list with their recent success. I wish people would quit trying to label everything with 7-string or down-tuned crunchy rhythms as nu-metal! What the hell is nu-metal anymore anyhow?!?!?
Click to expand...

Yeah, we're so Nu-Metal with our 7 strings, right? ;)

Seriously, people need to get over this crap. Extended range can be used well, and it can be abused ("Hey, let me bang on this B string for a while 'cause it's so LOW, man!), but it's not going anywhere. Evergrey's previous albums had stuff in C#, anyway, IIRC, so what's the big deal?

It *is* a direction change. So was TIC. I like them about equally, for different reasons.
 
I love the album!!! I think it rules, Tom never has sound better and both Tom and Henrick are playing some great memorable lead guitars. To each his own, they keep getting better to me.

Bear
 
Harvester said:
I love ISoT (it's my fave), but the darkness of alien abduction (or vampires from SDT) is shallow as fuck as compared to interpersonal relationship loss in my world.
Click to expand...
I think a number of different factors effect the overall "vibe" of a song or a CD. While I'd agree with you, that personal loss is a much darker subject than alien abduction, I think all of their previous material had a darker feel. For me, the dark vibe that Evergrey has always projected, has never come from their lyrical content. It's always come from the music and Tom's voice. And while the lyrics to the songs you listed may be darker, I walked away unaffected.

Harvester said:
This is a very polarizing disc. You hate it. I love it (although I list it as their 4th best disc). We respect each other and move on...
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say I hate it. There's nothing offensive about it. For me, it's just dull. Tom's vocals, the melodies, the guitar work, the drumming, etc. Dull. And while I never expect everyone to share my opinions (though, in a perfect world, that would be ideal), I am a bit surprised that the response has been as favorable as it's been. Since I wish Evergrey nothing but success, I'm happy for them that the majority of their fan base is enjoying this disc.

Zod
 
This is going to seem strange when I say this, but I'm going to anyway. Judging by the picture of the band at the top of the forum, that even looks a little commercial. The cover of the new disc reminds me of Stryper's Against the Law CD with them in the jailbird outfits. Sorry, but that's what I thought of when I first saw it! :err:

I'm not a current fan of this band by any stretch, but I'm hoping that will change after I see them live. From what I've read from the fanbase, they put on a hell of live show.
 
I've only listened to it a few times, but from In Remembrance on has really grown on me and I like those quite a lot. The first half of the album I need to hear some more before I make an opinion on those, they just haven't grabbed me much yet.
 
General Zod said:
Wow. So, in your opinion, this is their best CD?

Zod
Click to expand...

No thats not what I said. As in my opinion? My favorite Evergrey album is Recreation Day, followed by SDT and MMA!! Then the The Inner Circle , ISoT and The Dark Discovery. I feel they keep getting better as writes and as musicians but your not always going to get that awesome album that everyone loves. I just think expereince has alot do to with it.Their best cd hasn't been made yet I do not think. I think they are on the verge of the creation though!!

Bear
 
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