Evergrey's New Album: A Return to Form?

[caitanya]

Originally Posted by Kenneth R.

agreed. it doesn't make sense to wish a band to keep putting out the same album

In my opinion, the albums before MMA wasn't all the same... sure, the basic idea was the same (diversity, heaviness and that progressive metal touch I love) but none of them sound alike... everyone on this board can see a definite change in the song structure from the previous albums to the latest effort, otherwise there wouldn't be so much talk about how they've changed... I'm hoping for a return to the songwriting on the older albums, but I'm afraid that's not likely to happen... MMA revealed the new Evergrey, good and bad, but for me almost only bad... Another release like MMA or a relase that will take Evergrey even further from their old stuff will make me loose interest in them completely...

[painergrey]

I love this band... I came with this nickname after it... but FUCK.... Monday Morning Apocalypse is NOT evolution, is NOT progress. It's a "wannabe big in America" album.

You guys here defending MMA should stop "buying" this idea their label and the band themselves are trying to "sell" to you... this thing of "progress". Fuck this BIG LIE!

Bring back Andy LaRocque to the production or do it yourselves. Stop trying to make it to America. If it has to happen, it will. And I think you were quite close to that before Monday Morning Apocalypse. However, as a pretender, this album ruined Evergrey's course to be a bigger band.

[fridaylover]

I saw the band in London 2 months ago. They played 4-5 songs from MMA and.......even though I dont really like the album, the songs came to life on stage. They sounded so much rougher and darker I almost didnt recognized them. I think most of us would love an alternative version of MMA, same songs with the sound of good old EVERGREY as opposed to Bon Jovi´s New Jersey.

PS Im greedy. EVen though I saw them just a few weeks ago I want them back again. Damn, waiting is so painful.

[painergrey]

MMA isn't even a progression of them as songwriters. It's so fucking bad that in a special feature with more than one hundred musicians picking their favorites from 2006, Monday Morning Apocalypse was completely ignored.

Do you think they've grown up or got better as songwriters? So check that:

155 musicians ignore Evergrey

So sad... To any member of Evergrey reading this: you've pasteurized your music. Now it sounds like canned tuna. Was it worthwhile? You've time to change that... I'd go further... you've TALENT to change that!

I still believe this band. But honestly, next album will be my last try. Another Monday Morning Apocalypse and I'm done with Evergrey, and I think a lot of your fans will feel the same.

[White Prophet]

Originally Posted by painergrey

Do you think they've grown up or got better as songwriters? So check that:

155 musicians ignore Evergrey

No. Actually it's only 152. Three of them have mentioned MMA as one of their favourite albums.

Personally, I really enjoy MMA. I can understand if some people don't like it, but in my opinon it's a very good album. I had heard so much negative comments about MMA, so, when I finally bought it, I was rather surprised that it sounded so good. It's my favourite Evergrey album next to ISOT.

[Kuksug!]

Originally Posted by painergrey

MMA isn't even a progression of them as songwriters. It's so fucking bad that in a special feature with more than one hundred musicians picking their favorites from 2006, Monday Morning Apocalypse was completely ignored.

Do you think they've grown up or got better as songwriters? So check that:

155 musicians ignore Evergrey

So sad... To any member of Evergrey reading this: you've pasteurized your music. Now it sounds like canned tuna. Was it worthwhile? You've time to change that... I'd go further... you've TALENT to change that!

I still believe this band. But honestly, next album will be my last try. Another Monday Morning Apocalypse and I'm done with Evergrey, and I think a lot of your fans will feel the same.

So if there comes another MMA, In search for truth, recreation day, and all of the legendary albums will be worthless? Those albums took evergrey to where they are today and they made me love the band. im shocked that you can call yourself a fan. im not a big fan of MMA either, but i still love evrgrey for the masterpieces they have given us. A true fan would not forget that. I will stay grey regardless of what the next album will sound like.

[Kenneth R.]

my point of view was, and is, that they never left their "form" so i see no rationale to return to where they currently are.

[Lodbrokk]

Originally Posted by the mourner13

They will do what they believe in no matter what we say...

conclusion of whole this dicussion...

[painergrey]

Originally Posted by Kuksug!

So if there comes another MMA, In search for truth, recreation day, and all of the legendary albums will be worthless? Those albums took evergrey to where they are today and they made me love the band. im shocked that you can call yourself a fan. im not a big fan of MMA either, but i still love evrgrey for the masterpieces they have given us. A true fan would not forget that. I will stay grey regardless of what the next album will sound like.

First, I'm a fan. Second, please, please, please, don't include "Monday Morning Apocalypse" in the same sentence of "In Search Of Truth" and "Recreation Day" to describe something legendary. Those two latest are really legendary. "Monday Morning Apocalypse" is a bad error.

I believe even the guys in the band are disappointed, because they were expecting this to be a big hit... after all, "Monday Morning Apocalypse" is CLEARLY produced and prepared to the American market. But it sucked in every possible way.

Did you see highlights to Evergrey this year? So... but I've seen highlights and big praises to TRUE masterpieces like "In Search Of Truth" and to the amazing live album "A Night To Remember".

When you have 156 musicians picking their favorite albums (156, that's the right number) and just THREE (ONLY 3) mention "Monday Morning Apocalypse", you can see this is a hell of a terrible work.

Slayer got 25 votes (ok, they're big). Celtic Frost got more than 10 (are they THAT big? Don't think so). Katatonia got 6 (not even big). Meshuggah got 2... and what did they do in 2006? Nothing (well, nothing the word, not the album), just re-released an album. It's up to you to check that:

156 musicians ignore Evergrey

I remember this same article past year... and "A Night To Remember" was praised! I wouldn't care if "Monday Morning Apocalypse" wasn't praised, but what this article shows me is that:

1st. Evergrey really didn't record anything worth a "Best Of The Year" nomination

2nd. Evergrey tried hard to make it big, instead of trying to make it fantastic, LEGENDARY. And they failed. No one cares about "Monday Morning Apocalypse"... not even the North American market... which was CLEARLY their main target.

My question once again is:

Was it worthwhile recording an album that doesn't match up to the high standards of Evergrey just to reach the U.S. with a more accessible sonority?

Evergrey was holsted with its own petard. Backfire, that is what happened

[the mourner13]

Actually I like MMA,but it's clear even for me(I'm a brand new fan) that it's weaker than the other albums...We will wait and see..That's all we can do...And for the musicians pickin the best albums of the year thingy;it's not a big deal at all.Slayer got 25 votes yet the album sucks so badly for me...It's just a matter of opinion...

[RisenFromTheSea_CRO]

@painergrey


especially for this:

Originally Posted by painergrey

Was it worthwhile recording an album that doesn't match up to the high standards of Evergrey just to reach the U.S. with a more accessible sonority?

[fos]

so whens the new one out.pm me

[painergrey]

If they do it right, I don't care when the new album will come out. Honestly. I can wait 1000009389043 years for Evergrey. But please don't rush things out, don't hire Bon Jovi and Def Leppard producers (they're good to those bands, not to Evergrey).

Please, do the production yourselves or maybe bring back Andy LaRocque and/or hire Andy Sneap, Neil Kernon, this kind of producers.

Sanken Sandquist and Stefan Glaumann were to Evergrey what Bob Rock was to Metallica. I wouldn't go as far as to say that Monday Morning Apocalypse is to Evergrey what Load and Reload were to Metallica, but... MMA would be to Evergrey like something in-between Black Album and Load to Metallica.

Hopefully the next step is not Evergrey's "Load". Because if it is, I won't press Reload, that's for sure. Evergrey will be done to me.

[cry_of_the_black_birds]

What a stinker that cd was not one decent song on the whole thing it get's my vote as worst album of the year.-ken

Originally Posted by Xenoslayer33

Hey all, I rarely post on the forums, in fact I may not have ever posted here before...

I am a huge Evergrey fan like many of you.. I own all their albums, the DVD, and I've seen em jam with Children of Bodom and Iced Earth. Needless to say, I was slightly disappointed with Monday Morning Apocalypse. Not that the album wasn't good, it just strayed too far from the Evergrey I know and love.

My question then, is directed to both fans and Evergrey themselves: With the change of a new bassist and feedback from fans, do you think the new Evergrey album will be a return to the form we love? Or will they continue to develop this mainstream, cliched style of shorter songs? Will we see a more progressive side, with frequent time-changes solos, and complexity? Or will we again see the repetitive chorus and riff segments?

Only time will tell of course, but what do you think?

[painergrey]

Originally Posted by cry_of_the_black_birds

What a stinker that cd was not one decent song on the whole thing it get's my vote as worst album of the year.-ken

hahaha I second that.

Evergrey would be a strong contestant to worst album of the year.

[dargormudshark]

I'm sure as we've all been fans of Evergrey (atleast enjoyed 1 album, some of us all, some of us everything up until MMA) they will do some albums we'll enjoy. Priest is a great band but they've had their bumps in the road, Point of Entry. Helloween had Pink Bubbles and Chameleon. The band i'm sure just wants to do something different for a while, it can only make going back to that more specific Evergrey style more fresh.

[Sinistas]

I hope they continue the path they're on...

...Just to see everybody get even more pissy. OMG, SIMPLE SONG STRUCTURE! THEY MUST WANT TO TOUR WITH A7X~!!!111eleven!!!

[painergrey]

I'm sure I won't be checking your band anytime soon. If you support MMA, your band probably doesn't sound any better than that.

Blind fans... everything their idols do is perfect.

WAKE UP! Inner Circle isn't about shred! Inner Circle is about great and inspired musicianship, songwriting, playing.... so is Recreantion Day, and most of the other albums.

It sucks pretty hard and so does Dreaded Silence, although I won't ever listen to this shit.

[peza]

Actually, I know two guys who kind of liked Evergrey prior to MMA, and opened their eyes got totally EG fans when they heard the latest release.

[Kuksug!]

not to be a big ass, but i cant quite figure out your post..

[fos]

Originally Posted by painergrey

If they do it right, I don't care when the new album will come out. Honestly. I can wait 1000009389043 years for Evergrey. But please don't rush things out, don't hire Bon Jovi and Def Leppard producers (they're good to those bands, not to Evergrey).

Please, do the production yourselves or maybe bring back Andy LaRocque and/or hire Andy Sneap, Neil Kernon, this kind of producers.

Sanken Sandquist and Stefan Glaumann were to Evergrey what Bob Rock was to Metallica. I wouldn't go as far as to say that Monday Morning Apocalypse is to Evergrey what Load and Reload were to Metallica, but... MMA would be to Evergrey like something in-between Black Album and Load to Metallica.

Hopefully the next step is not Evergrey's "Load". Because if it is, I won't press Reload, that's for sure. Evergrey will be done to me.

makes sense to me.
as a newbie to this forum i acnt believe the fan base evergrey has.
FUCK

[painergrey]

Do the members of this forum represent Evergrey fan basis? Somehow yes, but not completely. I'm a newbie here, not a newbie to Evergrey.

MMA is not a good album. It's surprising to see it's the favorite Evergrey album of some people.

[BlueSky]

it's still a hell of a lot better than most bands can ever hope for.

[peza]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

it's still a hell of a lot better than most bands can ever hope for.

It's better than most albums I've bought over the last 20 years. Basically, I think Evergrey raised the expectations tremendously by always delivering excellent stuff. This might do it hard for some people to make a sound judgement on the quality of the songs. I also recall the tremendous bitching that arouse when Recreation Day came out, not to mention The Inner Circle.

By the way, MMA is not my favourite album; however I recognize that there are some really strong tunes on it. Most bands only get to have one.

[painergrey]

Originally Posted by peza

It's better than most albums I've bought over the last 20 years.

It's pretty clear to me that you haven't been listening to a lot of music.