Artist: Evergrey
Label: Inside Out Music
Release Date: 3/11/03
Rating: 4 Skulls
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Title: Recreation Day Artist: Evergrey Label: Inside Out Music Release Date: 3/11/03
Rating: 4 Skulls |
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Reviewed by Solomon (3/4/03):
Sweden's (no way!) Evergrey, as of late, have managed to carve out a little niche for themselves. You'd expect a band like this to pilfer certain stylistic tendencies this Viking land is known for, but they manage to incorporate the jutting, angular guitar riffs associated with this region without drifting too far into NWOSDM territory. Match this with some prog and gothic leanings, top it off with Tom S. Englund's dramatic and melodic vocal flare, and you have the Evergrey mix. I guess this is why I consider this quintet to be one of the great metal acts of the late 90's through today. They take a little bit of everything, from the heavy and hard to the light and delicate, and fuse it together in an exciting mix they can call their own, combining the greatest elements of Queensryche, Metallica, Soilwork and Dream Theater, to mention just a few points of comparison.Recreation Day is the band's fourth album, and fans of previous efforts will not be disappointed. There is maybe a little more pop drama involved here (check out the chorus to "As I Lie Here Bleeding"). They even did a cover of Swedish pop artist Dilba's "I'm Sorry" just to drive home the point. Natural Born Chaos must have rubbed off on the gutteral chug of the title track, but this album shouldn't throw anyone for a loop. To judge any Evergrey effort after the debut is a tough call, since The Dark Discovery (1998) is a milestone in progressive/power metal greatness. That record is a bible of kick-ass guitar riff and rhythmic excellence, and is almost impossible to beat. Consequently, I have not enjoyed any subsequent Evergrey record the same way, but the band has maintained a track record of quality, from the debut to Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy (1999) to In Search of Truth (2001) to the present release. Even though Recreation Day doesn't float my boat like the first record or SDT does, this is still a very decent collection of melodic, punchy and well-orchestrated metal. The above mentioned pop cover is a sweet delight, as is the sing-along chorus of "As I Lie Here Bleeding." The brief "Madness Caught Another Victim" is an interesting acoustic track that features a slightly different musical direction. The best was saved for last, as the "Unforgivable" is easily the most enjoyable track on the album, making use of the chewy, yummy guitar lines the band are best known for and an attractive, dramatic vocal dynamic between the verse and chorus. The initial limited edition contains the bonus track "Trilogy Of The Damned," which is actually a medley of previous ballad tracks, including "As Light Is Our Darkness" from Dark Discovery and "The Shocking Truth" and "Words Mean Nothing" from SDT. This is not a bad feature. I enjoy the lighter interpretations of these songs, although I prefer the original, heavier versions of "The Shocking Truth" and "As Light Is Our Darkness."
Evergrey rules, buy this.
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