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Evergrey

The Atlantic

Review by Greg Olma

I admit that I was not an Evergrey fan from the beginning.  It wasn’t until a friend lent me a copy of In Search of Truth that I finally understood why he was forever trying to get me into this band.  Ever since, I have been a big fan of their music and purchased all of the discs when they are released.  The Atlantic had its trials and tribulations as their studio was broken into and equipment was stolen.  Luckily, this did not stop their resolve in getting the record released. I have to be honest here, at first listen I was a bit worried that it did not match up to their two previous releases The Storm Within and Hymns for the Broken, but after repeated spins, the album really grew on me.  It took time for me to dissect the lyrics and catch the subtle nuances to the tracks.  As time passes, I feel that The Atlantic will be one of my “go to” albums.  Sometimes the seemingly disappointing records turn out to be classics.


This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2019  Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2019.

Track by Track Review
A Silent Arc

The album opens with some very death metal type riffing.  Then after about a minute-and-a-half, it moves into more familiar Evergrey territory.  That riffing does come back throughout the track here and there, but not taking it over.  This song puts forth their prog metal best as there are multiple parts that keep the tune interesting throughout.  It is a great way to start this disc.

Weightless
Classic Evergrey riffing starts things off, but quickly we get Tom Englund’s emotional vocals.  There is plenty of melody throughout, and the riffing keeps the track moving along in a nice prog metal pace.
All I Have
The guitar sound at the very beginning is very different, and I’m not quite sure if I like it.  The song does have the hallmark Evergrey elements like emotional vocals, soaring guitar solos and great lyrics, but that opening guitar work just doesn’t work for me.
The Secret Atlantis
Now this is more like it.  The guitar riffing and time changes make this one of my favorites from The Atlantic.  It has some fast drumming (not thrash) representing  some great work from Jonas Ekdahl.
The Tidal
Clocking in at just over a minute, this is a keyboard piece that almost acts as an intro to the “End Of Silence."
End Of Silence
This is another classic sounding Evergrey tune that follows their formula.  It’s not as memorable as some of the other material, but even their less memorable tracks are better than most band’s hits.
Currents
I like the thumping bass on this cut, and the chorus really sticks.  While “End Of Silence” may not have the memorability factor, this tune definitely delivers.  If I would have to rank the songs in order, then this would be my number two pick for standout tracks.  It has “hit” written all over it.
Departure
We get another odd sounding piece and, while “All I Have” didn’t quite work for me, this tune is so much better.  It’s a mellower song, but Englund’s emotional vocals lift this to something special.  Evergrey always throws these types of tracks on their records and most of time, for me at least, they tend to be standout moments.
The Beacon
Here we get another classic sounding Evergrey track that upon first listen didn’t really make an impression on me but after repeated spins, it grew on me.  It has a vocal melody that is very catchy, and the guitar solo really fits the tune without overplay.
This Ocean
They saved the shortest tune for last but it follows the rest of the record with regard to sound, mood and lyrics.  Instead of a fade out, they opt to have the record close very abruptly which takes away from the epic-ness of their music.
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