ALBUM REVIEW: Architects Of A New Weave – Evergrey
When it comes to progressive metal, longevity is often brought up. Bands tend to stick around for an incredibly long time which is most likely due to the fact that this type of music is simply just so complicated to get right. Some of these bands have only a few albums within the span of so many decades. This is where the Swedish icons EVERGREY come in. Not only do they have over 10 albums in their discography, with each one, the five-piece manages to stay relevant. This is the case with Architects Of A New Weave. This record has a slightly darker edge which suits the current situation of our planet, and at times, this sounds epic. But there are points that fall flat, making for a enjoyable and unique, yet at times underwhelming release from one of the top progressive metal bands of our generation.
After a brief, spoken word intro, the album properly kicks off with The Shadow Self. A track that instantly sounds heavy, but moody. The chorus is in classic EVERGREY fashion, executed to perfection, and is way too catchy. This is helped by how both verses transition into it, with a vocal melody that is absolutely spot on for this song. This transition from verse to chorus is even better in the second time it comes round as a drum fill follows the vocals, which leads into the hook. The guitar solo is where the progressive element the band are so renowned for shines, as not only is this solo extremely technical, but towards the end, the drums make it sound incredibly unusual, in the best way possible. This segues into the final chorus, which is only the second half of the full hook, as it is the catchier half, and is used at the very end when the song fades out with just the one vocal melody and synths.
The World Is On Fire continues this brooding, dark vibe, but it also includes some of the subtle electronic elements that came before it too. This results in a standout song which may go down as one of the best progressive metal tracks of the year. The main riff is ferociously groovy, but the chorus is soft in its delivery, especially with the masterful vocal performance from frontman and guitarist Tom S. Englund. The highlight here, is how the guitar solo is introduced. The electronic sound from earlier returns, before fading out to let the guitar cry as loud as possible. This will induce goosebumps no matter if you like this alternative music subgenre. After the final chorus, the main riff returns, but this time, it is somehow even more groovy and menacing than how it sounded in the opening when it first came in.
The Script is one of the most cinematic tracks on this record. There are choirs accompanying the synths, and the guitars are once again downtuned. The verses continue to include these electronic elements whilst matching the cinematic style the main riff has. The vocals in the chorus are outstanding once more, and may be one of the best performances from Englund in a really long time. The bridge is synth led which is a nice touch as clearly the band know that not every song needs a guitar solo, and that some tracks can be more basic in structure, and for a band such as EVERGREY to pull this out, says a lot on their overall musicianship.
The eighth track on this record, Longing, is one of the more intriguing. No epic, huge riff kicks the song off, just synths, vocals and soft drumming. In the pre-chorus the use of the toms helps builds the anticipation for what is to come later. The first chorus continues with this same instrumentation, but the second verse is much more bombastic. The second chorus is an explosion of melody, and is one that could easily be found on any pop release today. It is simple, memorable and too catchy. The solo section on this track is a breakdown, which turns into a guitar solo, in which guitarist Stephen Platt shows off his capabilities. This section leads into a small bridge before the final chorus appears to finish things off.
Chains Of Shame is the second to last song on this album. After a few slower paced tracks, this one picks the pace up instantly. With a vocal intro, the main riff led by an epic drum beat kicks in, which is continued in the chorus. The verses contrast this as they are mid-paced to help build anticipation for the explosion of sounds the chorus spreads. The solo section on this track is once again synth led which is once again what one should be expecting from this band. This leads into the final chorus which turns into the main riff once more before the track abruptly ends.
Architects Of A New Weave ends with one of the most bizarre songs on the album. The Prophecy starts with a unusual keys and guitar combined riff before the first verse begins, which is fully stripped back. The chorus is where this bombastic opening riff returns to play around with the vocals. The second verse includes a pre-chorus in which every instrument is heard building up ever so slightly before Englund passionately leads the Swedish outfit into the next chorus, which lasts for the majority of the second half of the track. The song ultimately finishes after this, with the repetition of the keys playing exactly what they did in the main riff. Fully giving this album a sense of closure.
On this release, whilst there is a lot to love, it is the faster paced tracks that truly shine, not only in terms of the songwriting, but also in how each band member gives them life. It is unfortunate though, that the second half of this album focuses on slower, more melancholic sounding songs, as this ruins the momentum and pacing of this record which alters the listening experience.
With all, this is still an EVERGREY album, and one which especially sounds rejuvenated. This is shocking considering that this will be album number 15 for the group, and with an album that sounds this different, it is clear that the band is still inspired and motivated to create new music, which shows that they can and most likely will go on to play and release music for decades to come.
Rating: 7/10
Architects Of A New Weave is set for release on June 5th via Napalm Records.
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