Evergrey is a six-piece progressive/ power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden that formed in 1995. The band went on a hiatus in 2010, but on September 30th their ninth studio album, "Hymns for the Broken" will be released, and it’s a commanding, loud mixture of intense lyrics, bellowing vocals, unforgettable guitar riffs,and banging percussion.
On their Facebook page, Evergrey lists bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Deftones as influences, and the impact that these bands have had on Evergrey certainly isn’t lost in their music. I found myself comparing a lot of “Hymns for the Broken,” to a great deal of Avenged Sevenfold’s work, though Englund and M Shadows’ voices are two different breeds, the fast-paced and powerful instrumentation is very similar.
“Hymns for the Broken” certainly isn’t short on thought-provoking and spine-chilling lyrics, that echo about loss, hardship, perseverance, and overcoming difficulties. A few of the tracks on the album, like “The Fire,” and “Hymns for the Broken” feature choirs, the former a children’s choir, add a beautiful element to both songs, offsetting the loud, almost harsh instrumentation and lyrics. One song on the album that gives the listener a distinct sense of power and strength, ends with what sounds like a woman pleading, and then slowly fades out, leaving the tone of the song as somewhat eery.
The ninth track “Hymns for the Broken,” has powerful, deep lyrics, and booming guitars and percussion. The track slowly fades out with a choir singing, that then leads into the softest, slowest song on the album “I Miss You.” Also the shortest track, “I Miss You” features only a piano and Tom Englund’s vocals, whose voice truly shines on this somber, heartfelt song. All of the tracks that feature a prominent piano have an almost haunting beauty to them in comparison to the heavy guitars and percussion that dominant the album.
This album leaves a lot for lovers of metal music to like, but I would definitely say Evergrey isn’t for everyone. Their lyrics are solid, passionate, thought-provoking, and backed by as equally solid, passionate, and even thought-provoking instrumentation. “Hymns for the Broken” promises to be a new, strong body of work, and a real treat for Evergrey fans, as well as fans of metal music that aren’t quite familiar with the band.