I never thought I'd be so disappointed with an Evergrey album
- Thread starter batmura
- Start date
Formerly known as Chris F5
Member
- Mar 12, 2003
- 1,430
- 10
- 38
General Zod
Ruler of Australia
Apologies. I misunderstood when you said, "To each his own, they keep getting better to me." I thought you were suggesting each CD they've released has been better than the last.Bear said:
Interesting... you put the new one ahead of ISoT?Bear said:
I hope you're right, but fear you're not. While I'm not writing them off, I wouldn't be shocked if this discs marks the end of my interest in their music. Time will tell.Bear said:
Zod
Bear
Got Shred??
General Zod said:
ISoT is actually an album I cannot get into very much. While there is some great songs on there overall it kind of lost me. I think MMA has a better flow to it and some of the songs are friggen catchy at hell...
Bear
Azrael LenGraden
Lake Of Fire
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. "
And I would agree with the fact that I don't expect Evergrey to repeat themselves. That is what I like about them...Tom's voice, his and Henrik's guitar style, and uniquely integrated keyboard sounds keep common points of interest...then they always seem to try a few different things...I don't believe their beliefs change or their attitude... so the core of what I like about EG is there.
And I would agree with the fact that I don't expect Evergrey to repeat themselves. That is what I like about them...Tom's voice, his and Henrik's guitar style, and uniquely integrated keyboard sounds keep common points of interest...then they always seem to try a few different things...I don't believe their beliefs change or their attitude... so the core of what I like about EG is there.
Demonspell
cheating the polygraph
A very fair assessment of the CD, which has also been a source of disappointment for me, so far At Loss For Words and Obedience are the only songs I really enjoy (Still In The Water seems to be an early favorite, for reasons that elude me...it sounds very messy, and the choirs sound a bit dumb in that context), and those would be among the weaker tracks on any previous release. I agree with you about Lost, that chorus is utterly annoying. And the statement about getting producers that understand progressive music is dead on. As for the subject matter, it bothers me that some people fail to see that the alien abduction themes are metaphorical...
I have to agree this is one of their weakest albums (although not as bad Inner Circle, which was completely ruined by the stupid and annoying narrative bits).
This album definitely has a slick, over-produced sound and the songs have been simplified with the apparent attempt to have broader commercial appeal. Lyrics aside (never a strongpoint of theirs IMHO), the music definitely has lost that darker, omininous tone that defined the Evergrey sound for me.
Is it still better than a large majority of the garbage getting released these days? Yes, and there are a few good song on there. But I expected more from them.
This album definitely has a slick, over-produced sound and the songs have been simplified with the apparent attempt to have broader commercial appeal. Lyrics aside (never a strongpoint of theirs IMHO), the music definitely has lost that darker, omininous tone that defined the Evergrey sound for me.
Is it still better than a large majority of the garbage getting released these days? Yes, and there are a few good song on there. But I expected more from them.
My thoughts exactly. Besides the alien abduction is a metaphorical thing. It's not about little green aliens kidnapping the guy. It's about the fact that sometimes people can feel terribly lonely because no one even wants to listen to them.General Zod said:
That said, the darkness factor that characterizes Evergrey's sound has always been the music and Englund's vocals. Not the lyrics.
On the new album, the vocals are excessively produced, the guitar tones ridiculously watery and 'modern', and the choruses overtly poppy. No room for keys, experimentation or anything else that made the previous albums amazing.
Glad some of you are enjoying it. More power to you. I just think it's way below Evergrey's standards.
Harvester
The Promoter
batmura said:
Yes and No. The madness is driven by both the actual fear of the little green people and the fact that nobody believes him. The proof is below in an interview with Tom done by metal-rules during the ISoT era:
I read a book called COMMUNION by Whitley Strieber.
Yeah yeah I read that.
That book really affected me deeply and I think it's very sincere and honest book and no matter what you think about it serves as an introduction. This man believes he has been experiencing something in that way and that it's the most important thing that you got to think about. You know that he believes this all happened to him. So you gotta respect his ideas and cause for that. On this album I tend to reflect more on the personal level of him and try to reflect more on the emotional side of the character - his fears, sadness and all that.
What was the cause of the madness in the story line? Was it the aliens or was it the madness that led to the uncovering of the truth?
It was both actually. Mostly that nobody else believed him, not even his close family members and loved ones basically. When people close to you abandon you, you really don't have much left do you?
This whole alien conspiracy type of a story line has been very popular lately in pop culture. For example, things like the X-Files and stuff like that you've probably seen. I was wondering, what your opinion is on TV shows, movies, and pop culture things like that that are popular?
I was an X-Files fan a couple years ago. I think they have really lost track in the two later seasons we have seen in Sweden. I'm a big Sci-Fi fan but I don't watch Star Trek and stuff like that. I like any stuff that belongs to the unexplainable; the supernatural basically. Those are the subjects that really interest me.
This leads me to ask do you believe in this stuff or have you ever had a close encounter?
No I've never had a close encounter (with an alien anyway), not yet. But yeah, I think I believe. It's really hard to believe in something you've never experienced yourself. I have a major interest in finding out.
Being a concept album, would you say anything in your personal life had an affect on the lyrics or the writing?
Of course. Even though I'm basing the basic story on a book, all the feelings, fears, and ideas come from myself. I think that is what makes the story line really sincere because it's a truthful story basically. Of course I added some fiction to the story in order to make arrangements, etc..
Theandromedastrain
eyeloveprog(Ben)
I've heard EVERY evergrey album to date and I can honestly say that I find this one is to be among the greatest of them all. MMO to me is a very good album, Tom seems to really be immersed in all the songs. Especially the songs: The Dark I Walk You Through and Closure.
This is a great release from Evergrey, FARRR better than The Inner Circle.
This is a great release from Evergrey, FARRR better than The Inner Circle.
Does it really matter how good this disk is for us, the hardcore fans? I say that because it sounds like this album was created for airplay and recognition, not just the EG base.
Say the marketing works, the stuff they play on this In Flames tour gets the Nevermore kiddies excited. Suddenly the kids are buying albums they would never buy because the would never hear EG on commercial, college or any other kind of "normal" radio. So more people hear EG and more people will become fans because, let's face it, commercial radio is the BIGGEST PILE OF FUCKING DOG SHIT ON THE FUCKING PLANET. Frankly, anything that raises their profile in America can only be a good thing. Let the MTV2 and headbangers ball kids get a taste of MMA, and then they will buy the other albums and get drawn in. Compared to the fucking crap you hear on the radio, this album has to be like pure gold.
I will buy multiple copies of this album, have my kid hand them out at her high school and I will others to some of my cooler customers and friends. If I had my way, the show in Ft Lauderdale in May will be a sellout consisting of EG fans and nobody else.
EG is one of the world's best bands IMO and deserve whatever success they can get.
Say the marketing works, the stuff they play on this In Flames tour gets the Nevermore kiddies excited. Suddenly the kids are buying albums they would never buy because the would never hear EG on commercial, college or any other kind of "normal" radio. So more people hear EG and more people will become fans because, let's face it, commercial radio is the BIGGEST PILE OF FUCKING DOG SHIT ON THE FUCKING PLANET. Frankly, anything that raises their profile in America can only be a good thing. Let the MTV2 and headbangers ball kids get a taste of MMA, and then they will buy the other albums and get drawn in. Compared to the fucking crap you hear on the radio, this album has to be like pure gold.
I will buy multiple copies of this album, have my kid hand them out at her high school and I will others to some of my cooler customers and friends. If I had my way, the show in Ft Lauderdale in May will be a sellout consisting of EG fans and nobody else.
EG is one of the world's best bands IMO and deserve whatever success they can get.
General Zod
Ruler of Australia
What about a Hard Rock CD do you expect will appeal to 15 year old In Flames fans windmilling in a pit?Greykiller said:
While it's clear that this CD is intended to increase the bands accessibility, I doubt it will have that effect. I just don't see what new market this CD will tap into, that will expand the band's fan base.
Zod
General Zod said:
All I know is that the high school kids who get the compilation albums my daughter hands out are impressed with the stuff, and this album appeals more to them than any other EG has done.
By increasing the band's accessibility, I mean that their 3 minute songs are the correct length for commercial radio--you cannot get a 6 minute song on the air in this country no matter how good it is.
When this band makes the radio, they will get more people buying their stuff.
General Zod
Ruler of Australia
Well, that should help boost the number of Evergrey MP3s that are downloaded and not paid for.Greykiller said:
While I agree that FM radio rarely touches anything over the four minute mark, simply writing short songs won't get you radio play. What gets played on US radio is determined by the folks who run the multimedia conglomerates (who own the labels, the stations, the venues, etc.). I don't see an InsideOut America artist getting a whole lot of radio play in the US. And even if they could get a song on FM radio, which track do you view as a "hit"? I don't hear one.Greykiller said:
Zod
General Zod said:
The title track is something I can envision playing on any metal or rock station in my area. As far as getting that airplay, when a local radio station sponsors a concert, they will play the bands.
As I stated before (twice) ANY airplay will increase album sales.
Finally, despite what the record companies say, a good case can be made that downloading songs leads to INCREASED album sales. I know that is how it works for me. Probably half of my albums I would not have bought if I had not sampled the stuff by downloading it first.
General Zod
Ruler of Australia
OK. However, Evergrey is currently slotted as the opening band on a 4 band bill. Even if a local radio station sponsored a bill they were on, airplay would most likely go to the acts at the top of the bill.Greykiller said:
I agree wholeheartedly, but I don't think they'll get any. Time will tell. Also, keep in mind, they're losing sales with this CD. I'm friends with at least half a dozen people who won't buy this disc, who planned on buying it. While I'm not betting on 6 CDs to reflect in record sales, I do think it's an indicator of how a portion of their fan base feels about this change. So, right off the bat, they need to gain at least as many new fans, as old fans who they've turned off.Greykiller said:
I believe that too, but it depends on the demographic. You were suggesting that they could pick up some younger fans. I've spoken to my neices, nephews and thier friends (ages 15 - 22). They're kids from well off families, and they don't buy CDs. Their friends don't buy CDs. You and I might hear a killer MP3 and want the disc, but I don't think the generation below us does.Greykiller said:
Zod
Realistically man... maybe a couple college stations will play it, but no band on Inside Out is going to get any significant or mainstream radio play in the US.
That said, I'm not voicing an opinion as to whether the album is actually "more commercial" or not, as I have not yet heard it.
That said, I'm not voicing an opinion as to whether the album is actually "more commercial" or not, as I have not yet heard it.
Entropiastrife
keeper of the keys
for me its kind of underwhelming, nothing particularily bad but nothing too stricking either, its just kind of there, and doesnt have much of the emotional force the other ones did. though I think live it might be better, and help make the more dramatic earlier songs hit harder inbetween these songs
