(CD/LP, Napalm Records, 2024)
Each EVERGREY album is a different experience, and because of this, it requires more attention than you would usually invest in new music. The exploration begins with the cover artwork before letting the digital or physical needle touch the record. I end up approaching EVERGREY records as books; at first, I check the front and the back covers in an initial attempt to guess the plot. However, the initial investigation of “Theories Of Emptiness” did not bear fruits because the combination of the simple artwork and the difficult-to-comprehend title leaves lots of room for interpretation, making it impossible to understand at first look. Personally, not really knowing where the music will take me was a powerful indication that the fourteenth EVERGREY album would be a killer. After all, if you trust your guide, then the trip and also reaching the destination will be amazing.
The album starts with the EVERGREY-trademark riff of the heavy “Falling From The Sun” with a guitar tone that reminds me of SYMPHONY X. The mixing has given the bass a loud voice, and I urge you to take note of the lines it delivers particularly during the chorus. The double guitar solo and the way the composition transitions to the calm piano-based break with Tom S. Englund’s distinct timbre are the things that I have learned to expect and love from the Swedish band. The dramatic “Misfortune” follows with more of this excellent bass sound, and the borderline Sci-Fi-sounding keyboards took my mind over to “The Atlantic” - at least until the chorus calls for some singing-along. You will find that the line “misfortune be gone! Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh” is easy to follow, and it does sound catchy.
The songs have been strategically placed to feel like quicksand is dragging you deeper into the concept as it deals with emptiness. This descend follows the gothic guitars and the Hammond-sounding keyboards in “To Become Someone Else” with Tom singing the opening lyrics: “Let the blood flow the streets where I’m walking, I will drink from your soul”. The guitar distortion enters and increases the contrast between the heavy and the calm keyboard-driven break, which happens before the solo with the sampled choirs, adding only greys and shadows to the dark atmosphere. “Say” sounds like it is cut from the same cloth, mainly due to the Hammond melodies, and then turns towards the EVERGREY trademark Progressive Metal path with a catchy main riff and foot-taping basslines appearing during the pre-chorus. Even though there is darkness hidden in the lyrics and in some of the melodies, their combination has an empowering effect on the listener. I believe this stems from the positive aspect of the “emptiness” EVERGREY are talking about. It is worth doing some research to learn how attachment can become the source of suffering. It is a magical experience when music triggers one’s curiosity before fertilizing the thinking part of the brain.
“Ghost Of My Hero” shines a light on the concept of loss with some string arrangements, pairing extremely well with lyrics like: “most days I think of you but some days I don’t / I fear I’ll forget you but know that I won’t” and the dramatic vocalisms during the end of this. “We Are The North” carries a bit of the Gothic-ness “Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy” had introduced some twenty-five years ago, and since then, is almost omnipresent in EVERGREY’s music. Headbanging is the only option when Tom sings “one by one we’ve awaken the hounds”, and it feels so good to let it go after the fateful melodies of the previous verses. “One Heart” is a powerful song, and due to the singing-along chorus is a very strong candidate when the touring cycle for this record starts. I believe the band asked the fans to provide their singing-voices and those appear after the guitar solo will give you goosebumps.
I love the keyboard tone in “The Night Within” adding a modern look, and alongside Tom’s cleaner singing, go hand-in-hand with the song’s positive vibe. However, I would not get carried away thinking that the album takes a turn towards the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. “Cold Dreams” with the amazing singing pairing between Tom and KATATONIA’s Jonas Renkse will feel heavy on your soul. Tom sings “I can’t help to feel like I’m alone”, and Jonas follows with trademark vocals: “I need to live a life that I can control”. I love the song’s Gothic face with the basslines and the simple guitar chords, but this changes as the tempo picks up with Jonas revisiting his growling singing style. He is not the only guest in this song though as the voice of the usual suspect Salina Englund adds layers, particularly during the guitar solo.
The album lets you go with the positive vibes of “Our Way Through Silence” circling back the two-fold meaning of emptiness, and see how good it feels singing along: “Some days I feel like I can’t stand my face, sometimes so strong I’ll chase the pain away” as the Hammond melodies make you draw a deep breath before letting it out. This is the last song of the album because the title-track seems like it is an excerpt from a talk, dealing with “emptiness”, with the delightful piano and bass-based music adding more power to what is being said. I have no idea whose voice this is or if this indeed comes from a book or a presentation - I’d love to know. The sure thing is that this track will make you re-consider the lyrics of the album and invite you to start listening from track number one. EVERGREY keep delivering amazing records, and I am looking forward to hearing these songs in concert.
10/10
Links:
www.Evergrey.Net
www.FaceBook.Com/Evergrey
www.Instagram.Com/EvergreyOfficial
Tracklist:
01. Falling From The Sun
02. Misfortune
03. To Become Someone Else
04. Say
05. Ghost Of My Hero
06. We Are The North
07. One Heart
08. The Night Within
09. Cold Dreams
10. Our Way Through Silence
11. A Theory Of Emptiness
Lineup:
Tom S. Englund - Vocals, Guitars
Henrik Danhage - Guitars
Rikard Zander - Keyboards
Jonas Ekdahl - Drums
Johan Niemann - Bass