The Storm Within not only celebrates 20 years as a band for Swedish act Evergrey, but it's also their 10th album overall, not as easy feat for a group that has had as much upheaval as have these progressive metallers. Led as always by vocalist/guitarist Tom S. Englund, the current version of Evergrey also includes guitarist Henrok Danhage, keyboard player Rikard Zander, drummer Jonas Ekdahl, and bassist Johan Niemann. The Storm Within is another fantastic release from the band, filled with all the emotional yet heavy hitting type of material we've come to expect from them over the years.
Consistency has always been the key with these guys, and if you go up and down their discography, really only 2006's Monday Morning Apocalypse remains the lone hiccup among all their fine albums, and even that one isn't a complete failure. The Storm Within once again fulfills their flair for dramatic progressive & power metal themes with a touch of gothic tension, with passionate but heavy songs like "Distance", "Passing Through", "Astray", and "My Allied Ocean" filled with crunchy guitar riffs, a smattering of majestic keys, pounding drums, sizzling guitar solos, and Englund's instantly recognizable and unique vocal delivery. The melodic, catchy nature of Englund's songwriting as always is front and center, no example more evident than on "In Orbit", a hook laden track that features a vocal duet between the leader and Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen. With a killer chorus, fabulous vocal performances, and alluring musical arrangements, it's a great track, and an addicting one. Other highlights include the vibrant, upbeat "The Lonely Monarch" and the rampaging closer "The Storm Within", the latter easily the heaviest track here, with a killer riff, spooky keys, and layers of vocals.
There's a reason why Evergrey take 2-4 years generally between releases, as it's always been pretty obvious that a lot of thought, care, and attention to detail goes into the songwriting and production of each album, resulting in a top notch product time in and time out. Always a band with their own individual sound and style, Evergrey have once again delivered a very strong album here with The Storm Within, one that should make their ever growing fanbase quite happy.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
01. Distance
02. Passing Trough
03. Someday
04. Astray
05. The Impossible
06. My Allied Ocean
07. In Orbit (feat. Floor Jansen)
08. The Lonely Monarch
09. The Paradox Of The Flame
10. Disconnect
11. The Storm Within
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