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Evergrey: A Night to Remember
 Evergrey's first live album is an exciting and spirited 2 CD set, recorded in 2004 in the bands hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. As far as live metal CD's go, this one sounds excellent, with all of the instruments crystal clear, especially the vocals of Tom Englund, the drums of Jonas Ekdahl, and the symphonic keyboards of Rikard Zander. Oh, and did I forget to mention the crushing guitar work of both Englund and Henrik Danhage? Yes, these two make a formidable guitar duo, and in a live setting their brutal riffs and nimble solos really make a statement.
Many of the bands classic numbers are included here, representing a nice cross section of songs from all of their studio albums. You get emotional versions of tunes like "More Than Ever" (gotta love those female backing vocals), headbangers like "Mark of the Triangle" and "Solitude Within", plus the more prog-rock numbers like "As I Lie Here Bleeding", "Rulers of the Mind", and "Recreation Day". While Evergrey's style is hard to classify (it's metal no doubt, but with lots of gothic, prog, and power-metal sounds) in a live format they come across as a purely melodic metal machine, capable of rendering plenty of hooks, rhythmic thunder, and instrumental flash. Listen to the crushing riffs on "She Speaks to the Dead", a catchy tune that manages to satisfy the metal, prog, and gothic itch quite nicely.
If you are already an Evergrey fan, this will be a no-brainer of a purchase. Quite frankly, it's one of the best sounding live metal albums I have heard in a while. Should you be new to the band, A Night to Remember can serve as a great starter or "greatest hits" package into the world of a band that seems on the verge of greatness.
Track Listing
CD 1
Intro
Blinded
End Of Your Days
More Than Ever
She Speaks To The Dead
Rulers Of The Mind
Blackened Dawn
Waking Up Blind
As I Lie Here Bleeding
Mislead
Mark Of The Triangle
CD 2
When The Walls Go Down
Harmless Wishes
Essence Of Conviction
Solitude Within
Nosferatu
Recreation Day
For Every Tear That Falls
Touch Of Blessing
The Masterplan
Added: August 24th 2005
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:  
Related Link: Evergrey Website
Hits: 6134
Language: english
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Evergrey: A Night to Remember
Posted by Ken Pierce, SoT Staff Writer on 2005-08-24 05:55:11
My Score:
Evergrey has always been one of those bands that were harder to classify in a musical sense than their peers have been. One wonders if they fall under Progressive Metal or is what they bring to the table more of the Power Metal style. Perhaps it is a finely tuned mixture of both areas since as a group they have traveled beyond the mere description that Heavy Metal in the traditional sense holds. This double CD set is just what the fans of the band have been waiting for. The show which was recorded in Gothenburg Sweden on 10/9/2004 is loaded with every song you would expect to find and then some. The band also employs the use of a choir and some string instruments to deliver this to you in the finest possible fashion. It is safe to say that this release is even better than a greatest hits package which is purely based on the fact that songs from every album are present on the CD. It also seems to be the tracks one would want on a hits piece. The sound is killer and the production is worthy of praise. None of the instruments overpower one another and the vocals are crystal clear throughout the concert. Lead singer Tom Englund is one of the most impressive front men in Metal music today. With Henrik Danhage (guitar), Michael Hakansson (bass), Richard Zander (keyboards) and Jonas Ekdahl (drums) the band certainly shows that they are a quartet to be respected.
I had trouble deciding on which tracks were my favorites and I think this is the first time I have encountered this. I essentially enjoyed the entire CD and find myself letting more than a track or two run in sequence when I choose to listen to it. When I begin the CD, I end the CD. It is as simple as that. The band gives you 20 songs on two CDs and it is wrapped in a fantastic package. Included with the CD is a very comprehensive booklet with some liner notes about the performance. Inside the book you will also find a great amount of pictures from the show as well. I felt that the entire thing was able to capture the moment and mood of the event and makes you wish you were there. A Companion DVD of this concert is also available and loaded with extra features. The CD is a must have for not only fans of Evergrey but anyone who likes a very well produced live album. This release comes with the highest of recommendations.
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Evergrey: A Night to Remember
Posted by Murat Batmaz, SoT Staff Writer on 2005-04-04 10:37:37
My Score:
Evergrey have finally released their long-awaited double live album recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden last year. A Night to Remember is a splendid live release covering songs from the band's all five studio albums. Live albums are usually difficult to pull off; because some fans want to hear the songs rendered close to their original versions, while some others look for novelties. In Evergrey's case, it seems this won't be a problem, since Tom Englund and the band him behind easily manage to keep the unique Evergrey sound intact through the whole concert, still adding touches of new ideas.
The sound quality is simply excellent. Tom Englund and Henrik Danhage's guitar sound is thick and richly nuanced. They trade off solos like they do on their studio releases and their playing ranges from emotionally charging solos to crushing metal riffage depending on the songs. Englund's voice is absolutely amazing; he delivers each and every piece exactly the same way he does on the albums conveying emotions of fear, confusion and aggression. It could be that there are some overdubs on this album, but even if that's the case, they are no where close to being derivative.
New drummer Jonas Ekdahl had got me confused for a moment with his competent yet rather straightforward drumming on the last Evergrey album, The Inner Circle. However, the songs on A Night to Remember find Ekdahl kicking ass, doing the previous songs justice and playing them exactly the way they should be played. Even his tone fits with the rest of the instruments seamlessly -- check out his rhythm workout on "As I Lie Here Bleeding" and you'll see what I mean. The first disc is a bit more varied as it contains songs from all albums. My favourites would be the In Search of Truth numbers as they're more progressive and textured; "Mislead" is one of the longest tracks here and Rikard Zander plays a blindingly beautiful keyboard solo. He also shines on "Mark of the Triangle", another favourite song. "Rulers of the Mind", however, along with the final track is the ultimate climax of this 112-minute live album.
The Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra helps Evergrey create their huge sound, especially on The Inner Circle tracks. Three female vocalists, including Englund's wife, also support the band, adding impressive vocal melodies. Englund and his wife duet on "For Every Tear That Falls", a song from the band's underrated debut disc. The female vocalists are also amazing on "End of Your Days" and "More Than Ever".
The second disc starts off with "When the Walls Go Down", a song I'd never think they'd do live, since it's basically an instrumental track with punctuated voice-over parts. If there's anything that seems slightly out of place here, it's this tune. The band quickly goes back to its thunderous heaviness though. "Solitude Within" and "Nosferatu" from the band's second release both open up with a killer main riff supported by powerful bass, chaotic drumming and imposing keyboard lines. Even the violin on the former track is present in the music to stay true to the song's original format. "The Masterplan", spanning over 10 minutes, is an aural gratification displaying the great audience singing the chorus of the song. Tom Englund introduces his bandmates in the breakdown and they finish off the track by merging the keyboard-oriented parts into heavier guitar passages. A Night to Remember is a great live album from a great band -- check it out.
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Evergrey: A Night to Remember
Posted by Michael Popke, SoT Staff Writer on 2005-03-15 09:29:16
My Score:
Live albums typically are little more than glorified compilations of a band's strongest (and sometimes not so strong) songs. But the double-disc set A Night to Remember, recorded in front of an enthusiastic home town crowd in Gothenburg, Sweden, in October 2004, presents Evergrey's dramatic progressive-meets-gothic-meets-power-metal music in a new light -- or darkness -- and accents the shadows and hues.
Band founder, vocalist and guitarist Tom S. Englund and his four band mates are joined by three backing singers (including Englund's wife, Carina), who complement practically each of the 20 songs aired here by breathing especially deep into "End of Your Days," "Essence of Conviction," "Recreation Day" and "Touch of Blessing." Englund even duets with his wife on "For Every Tear That Falls" and gets more soulful than ever on the piano ballad "Waking Up Blind." The Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra's string quartet gets in on the act, too.
Overcoming what sounds like a muddy mix early on, Englund and Co. pummel this audience (and, by extension, you the enthralled listener) with material culled from all five Evergrey albums. There's rarely a false move here - from the song selection to the musical execution. Evergrey planned this gig for months, Englund writes in the liner notes to A Night to Remember, and it shows: The band proves why it ranks among the world's metal elite, as its dark, melodic, hypnotic and soul-hitting music practically defines the genre.
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