Swedish band EVERGREY have been a presence in the metal circuit since 1998, with nine studio albums to their name at the time of writing. “Hymns for the Broken” is the most recent of these, and was released through German label AFM Records in the fall of 2014.
I understand that the circumstances behind the creation of this album wasn’t the easiest, and that the line-up of the band was revamped while this CD was recorded. The members who left have been replaced by old hands though, so as far as line-up alterations goes these ones presumably weren’t the most dramatic as such, at least not for long time fans of the band.
I’m not overly familiar with the past exploits by this band, but did encounter what appears to have been one of their weaker albums a few years back, a production called “Monday Morning Apocalypse”, and while not what I’d describe as a bad album as such, at least not these days, it is a CD that y and large left me a bit indifferent. This time around I’m rather more impressed on this band’s take on what I think might be described as an accessible variety of progressive metal.
Relatively short and tight songs appears to be a specialty of this band, at least in their current line-up, and they use a select few approaches and arrangements to very good effect throughout. Generally speaking, the songs will have an opening section, either gentle or more in your face, and an intermediate build-up and transition phase may also appear prior to hitting an initial verse section, which will often be relatively gentle, in the context of that particular song. A chorus section follows, at times with a transitional phase leading into it, and the chorus section will by and large be honing in on a more majestic arrangement, at times fairly grandiose at that, where guitar riffs and riff barrages, surging, floating or orchestral oriented keyboard textures and a wandering piano motif is paired off with the powerful, emotional lead vocals of band leader Tom Englund. Usually we’ll have another transition phase back to the verse again after this, and the second and following verses tends to be harder edged or more majestic in construction than the initial ones. Some interludes and usually one or more breaks are then tucked into appropriate places in between whatever verse and chorus sections remains, and the compositions then ends in some manner or other, with everything from gentle lead outs and sudden stops to transitional phases into the following track and elongated fadeouts employed.
A key feature throughout are the emotional lead vocals of Tom Englund, who is a quality powerful singer, but a more subtle recurring detail is the elegant use of the piano to add a gentler and delicate touch to the proceedings, functioning at times brilliantly as a contrast to the more powerful sounds that dominates the greater majority of the compositions.
While I do find this album to be an enjoyable and solid one throughout, with only a token few creations not quite as interesting at the others, the most impressive composition has been tucked in towards the end here. The Grand Collapse is the name of this particular song, and besides using the aforementioned elements to a higher level of superiority here, this is also a creation that sports a more liberal use of instrumental passages, some extremely effective gentler, atmospheric laden interludes but also a piece that sports perhaps the most majestic, dramatic arrangements on this CD as well. Stronger contrasts, more focus on instrumentation and perhaps even a stronger focus on the dramatic and majestic too. Whatever the more appealing elements may be if this song is broken down and analyzed is hard to place, and for me it is the grand totality, all these elements combined in just this manner, that makes the end result here as impressive. As far as individual tracks go, this one is high on my list of favorites from 2014.
All in all, a rather impressive album by this Swedish band, a solid quality production with a fdew weak spots and a potent, vital breath of fresh air thrown in towards the end. Those who have a tendency to enjoy dramatic, majestic and accessible progressive metal, arguably with half a foot or so inside a power metal or symphonic metal sphere of reference, should most likely treasure the contents of this production.
My rating: 75/100
