Band:
Tom S. Englund - vocals, guitars
Marcus Jidell - guitars
Johan Niemann - bass
Rikard Zander – keyboards
Hannes van Dahl – drums
Discography:
The Dark Discovery (1998)
Solitude-Dominance-Tragedy (1999)
In Search Of Truth (2001)
Recreation Day (2003)
The Inner Circle (2004)
A Night To Remember (live 2005)
Monday Morning Apocalypse (2006)
Torn (2008)
Guests:
Info
Released 28/2-2011
Reviewed 26/1-2011
Links:
evergrey.net
myspace
youtube
spv
Before I answer that, I think we should clear out some obvious facts:
1. The main song writer and vocalist (as well as the man who have most saying when it comes to mixing, recording and production) Tom S. Englund is still in the band.
2. The same vocalist means the same voice.
3. Evergrey haven't really gone famous for their radically changed style in sound and orientation even though they've replaced eight memebers to eight albums (where seven are studio albums).
So, how different could it be? Well, at a first start-end play it's actually no differences that really strikes you. The sound as it is and the voice above is basically the same as before, it's no problem at all to hear it's Evergrey. However, when it comes to the details it's actually quite alot that's different. Evergrey have always been very heavy and solid in their sound, now it feels quite alot softer and instead really tough. The sound is more aggressive and straight to it than ever instead of just plain heavy as before. This album isn't even very heavy at all, at least not compared to the prequals. The more aggressive sound comes from how they hit the guitars and drums - it's like the music hoovers around some sort of a deathstar in an unstructured manner - kind of like bees around their hive when it's just been rocked by crazy kids.
However, it's not just the heavyness that has decreased, most of the songs are also either slow or very slow and the entire album seem to implode slowly. In one way it spits out the music more aggressive than ever while at the same time it lose tempo and feel extremely long. Ballads and mid-tempo songs without anything happening in them stagnate the entire album and then there's the problem with the lenght of the album - it ticks in at well over the hour which makes more or less every track flow together and lose direction. It's hard to tell exactly where on the album you are and often I get surpiced it's so much left when I look. It just never seems to end. This isn't helped by the fact that I can't find any songs I like better than the others. I'm not longing for any of the songs and don't jump to any of them either. If any songs catch my ear it's the faster ones (Frozen, It Comes From Within and the starting Leave it Beind Us) since they at least contribute with some kind of tempo to the album.
The funny thing with me and Evergrey though is that my opinion always seem to be different compared to the general opinion. 'In Search of Truth' and 'The Dark Discovery' was only a pain in the ass to me, and even though 'Recreation Day' was a step forward, the albums I like best are 'The Inner Circle' and 'Torn', which seems to be a very contriversal opinion. 'Torn' is thrashed almost everywhere and everyone seems to like 'In Search of Truth'. Therefore, when I say 'Glorious Collison' is pretty dull, monotonous and slow - there's plenty of chance that you, if you're a "normal" Evergrey-fan, might like this album.
Except for the technical things menthioned above, there's not really anything to complain about. It's well played, nicely produced and lacks obvious shortcomings. However, to me it just becomes boring when I listen to this album. I don't like Toms' voice and on this album he has become extra whiny and to me Evergrey make better heavy songs than atmospheric, but hey that's just me. This album isn't very heavy and that might be one reason I don't like it. One thing I do like, however, is the keyboard lines. Too bad they don't get more space and is heard more.
This is a decent metal album, but Evergrey hasn't spellbinded me with this one as they've done with some of the older ones. It's long and slow and it makes me want to sleep. And I don't think that's their thought. This album is greym flat and extraordinary dull! Kind of like a big ball at the castle with tramps as guests.
HHHHHHH
