"Evergrey have once again shown that they are the masters of the dark side of progressive metal"

Follow up:

9/10

1. "Broken Wings" - 4:42 Watch the video!
2. "Soaked" - 4:58
3. "Fear" - 4:15
4. "When Kingdoms Fall" - 5:32
5. "In Confidence" - 4:03
6. "Fail" - 4:50
7. "Numb" - 5:17
8. "Torn" - 4:43
9. "Nothing Is Erased" - 4:40
10. "Still Walk Alone" - 4:43
11. "These Scars" - 5:51

Evergrey has a sort of pedigree in dark atmospheric metal. With lyrics mostly pertaining to death, loss, fear and being human, Evergrey know how to touch certain emotions. These Swedish prog metallers have had a tradition of mixing and producing their own material, a tradition that was put aside on their last album "Monday Morning Apocalypse" and one that they've returned to on their latest album "Torn" and it's all the better for it. "Torn" sounds almost like a full departure from the sound on "Monday Morning Apocalypse" and more like a natural progression of their sound from "The Inner Circle". The songs are all dark, heavy, lyrically intense and moving.

The production on this album is stellar. This is the best Evergrey has ever sounded. The low end is very present but not overbearing. The guitar sound is very smooth on this album. It's hard to put in words. The chug riffs are very chunky indeed but the leads and melody lines are never lost in the sound. They don't necessarily cut through the mix but sit perfectly within it. The keys on this album are a bit lower in the mix which helps give the "wall of sound" that so many bands try to get. They take center stage when appropriate and do a wonderful job creating a moody sound in other places as well.

The songwriting on "Torn" rivals that of Opeth in their ability to create tension with their music. It pulls the listener in and holds them tightly, only to let go at just the right time. Nowhere on the album is this more apparent than on the track "When Kingdoms Fall". I can hear bits and pieces of "Monday Morning Apocalypse" here and there but there's also a lot of "Recreation Day" and even some "In Search of Truth" sounding parts on this album. The way different parts of the music transition, the way the guitars harmonize and play off each other, it's just a joy to listen to "Torn".

THe musicianship here is everything you'd expect from Evergrey. There are loads of intricate guitar lines laced throughout the songs. Solos soar and are flashy when appropriate but are also meaningful in relation to the rest of the song. The music just has an overall tightness that makes the listener feel like it's going somewhere. Tom Englund's vocals are not to be downplayed either. One of the most unique aspects of Evergrey is Englund's passionate delivery of each line of these songs. He has the kind of voice that you'll either love or hate considering the genre of music Evergrey are typically classified as. The rhythm section does an outstanding job kicking my ass during the heavy parts. This is music for musicians as well as everyone else.

If you haven't heard Evergrey before now, "Torn" is a great place to start. If you're a longtime fan, you won't be disappointed. Evergrey have once again shown that they are the masters of the dark side of progressive metal. Every song is worth the price of admission but if I have to pick a standout it would be "When Kingdoms Fall". Pick this one up now!

Links

Evergrey on Myspace
Evergrey's official website
Buy the album

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