Evergrey
The Atlantic – AFM Records
Progmetal mainstays Evergrey are not messing around here. ‘The Atlantic’ is the complete package. A mature sound which surges with frantic guitars and radiates with epic vocals. ‘The Atlantic’ is a gripping album suited to listening to in a quiet corner with a slightly uneasy mind; one ready to be carried away by the Swedish five-strong band’s concept, which creates vivid dreamscapes and an unfightable desire to headbang around the house. ‘A Silent Arc’ is a torrent of thudding drums and a full-on bassline. ‘Weightless’ gets straight down to business. Its grinding guitars are nudged to a higher place by celestial keys and a cathartic chorus. Review-wise, ‘The Atlantic’ is a dream – all that ocean/tidal vocab waiting to be deployed. But, of course, this album isn’t about making your GCSE English teacher proud. It’s about good, solid metal from a well-established band who are on top of their game. And who show no sign of (coastal????) retreat…
Review by Jo Wright