EVERGREY — In Search of Truth (review)

EVERGREY — In Search of Truth album cover

Album · 2001 · Progressive Metal

5/5 · 2021-03-23
lukretion

After two good but somewhat uneven albums, Evergrey strike gold with their third record, In Search of Truth. Released in 2001 on Inside Out, this is one of those rare albums where everything just falls in the right place, the songwriting, the performances, even the X-Files-inspired story of alien abduction. Nearly every single song on this album is a little masterpiece of dark prog/power metal, making In Search of Truth the still unequalled magnum opus of Evergrey’s discography and indeed one of the best albums of the whole genre.

One of the reasons why this albums works so well still today, twenty years after its release, is that it masterfully combines technical progressive songwriting with great atmosphere and emotional impact. Prog metal is a genre where it is rare to find albums that can connect with the listener at both a technical and emotional level. When this happens, the outcome is usually a masterpiece that stands the test of time to become one of the classics of the genre, like in the case of In Search of Truth. The songwriting on this album is rich and inventive, much more prog-oriented than Evergrey’s previous two records, while at the same time retaining the band’s trademark gothic and classic heavy metal influences. Each song brims with great instrumentation, from technical but melodic guitar riffs and leads, to sophisticated keyboard arrangements, to clever drum fills – this album has it all. The mini-revolution in the lineup (three-fifths of the band are new on this album) was certainly beneficial for Evergrey. The contribution of new keyboardist Sven Karlsson (who will soon join Soilwork) is particularly remarkable, especially if compared with the tentative performances of the band’s previous keyboard players. New guitarist Henrik Danhage also proves more effective than Evergrey’s former guitar player Dan Bronell (and in fact his residency with the band still continues today). Overall, the band’s technical level has noticeably increased relative to the two previous albums, and this is partly what makes In Search of Truth a far more interesting and compelling release.

The higher level of technical proficiency allowed Evergrey to write songs that are more complex than before. Most of the tracks exceed the 5-minute mark and feature frequent instrumental intermezzos steering the music in multiple different directions. Yet, this complexity does not come at all at the expense of cohesiveness or accessibility. There is a strong sense of purpose and direction in each song that makes them very easy to follow and engage with. This is another sign of a great piece of music. Writing complex songs is (relatively) easy. Writing complex songs that are still catchy and easy to assimilate, and that involve the listener on both an emotional and intellectual level, requires much more skill. One of the reasons why Evergrey succeed in this is the extraordinary performance of their leader, Tom S. Englund. Englund is the glue that holds the music of this album together. He is a gifted singer, with a distinctive timbre and phrasing that make him instantly recognizable. His voice is dark and gritty, yet melodious at the same time. He possesses the rare talent of being able to credibly convey raw emotions through his voice, especially dark feelings of melancholia and desperation. This suits perfectly the spooky theme of the album, an eerie story of alien abduction and experimentation. Englund plays perfectly the part of the distressed abductee frantically trying to piece together the fragments of his memory to figure out what is happening to him. It is frankly hard to remain emotionally unaffected by his howls on “State of Paralysis” or by the desperate chorus of “Different Worlds”.

The album is nearly faultless. The quality of the songwriting is high throughout its nine songs, which is a rare achievement for Evergrey (most of their albums contain at least a few fillers). Yet, a few tracks stand out as absolute masterpieces. “Rulers of the Mind” is a progressive tour-de-force that twists and turns through a myriad of parts before opening up in an amazing chorus. The interconnected pair of songs in the middle of the album, “State of Paralysis” / “The Encounter”, is where the album achieves its incredible emotional peak. The former track is a short piano-driven prelude, drenched with Englund’s emotional singing. “The Encounter” is instead a progressive beast that is sustained by some of the most muscular riffs that you’ll find on the album. The two songs share a beautifully desperate chorus (“They’re coming… They’re coming here to stay…”) that never fails to get me, every single time. “Mark of the Triangle” is another great track, featuring strong dynamics and another masterful performance by Englund. “Different Worlds” is perhaps the best track of the album, dark and gothic and with a chorus that is nearly impossible to get out of one’s mind.

If I were to find a fault with the record is that it closes somewhat weakly, with the unspectacular “Misled” – probably the least remarkable song here. It is a pity, as this is not the way to close such a fantastic album. The production is also perhaps slightly weaker than one would have hoped for. Do not get me wrong, it is a massive improvement over the very shaky productions of Evergrey’ previous two albums. However, I cannot help but feel that producer Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) has not yet been able to figure out what this band need to sound great. On previous albums he had overemphasized the bass tones, resulting in a sound that was too boomy and murky. Here LaRocque almost errs on the opposite side. The album sounds somewhat too clean and airy, while I wish for more power and grit. I do not know if it’s a coincidence, but this will be the last Evergrey album with LaRocque in charge of production and mixing, which is probably for the best.

But these are minor grievances: In Search of Truth is a progressive metal masterpiece. It has everything one can wish for in such a genre: complex songwriting, sophisticated arrangements, strong dynamics, catchy (yet not cheesy) melodic lines, powerful and emotional performances, and a captivating concept. It is hard to find albums that are superior to this one, both in Evergrey’s discography and in the scene as a whole. Honestly, if you are a progressive metal fan, you simply have to give this album a spin (or twenty)!

[Also published on https://www.metal-archives.com]