It seems like there must be some downside to listening to something this good. Everything else has. If it Tastes good, it's fattening or bad for you or both. If it feels good, it's dangerous, addicting or can give you VD. My daddy always said, if it has an upside lookout for the downside but I can't see it. I've been listening to Evergrey for sixteen months and everything is hunky dory. I haven't gained any weight, my blood pressure is fine and I can go twenty four hours without listening to Evergrey.

And what about Evergrey. Isn't there some kind of law or something against being this good? They're unbelievable, they're too good for their own good. I'm worried that another band might put a contract out on them. LOOK OUT EVERGREY!!!! Yes there are bands that are as good Instrumentally and yes there are bands that are as good on songwriting and arranging. There's even bands that are as good lyrically and production capabilities but damn it they're all different bands.

Evergrey is the complete package. They play a dark melodic, sometimes symphonic progressive rock / metal. They've been on the carousel four times and have four brass rings. How many pretenders can say that. LOOK OUT EVERGREY!!!!.

For the glass is half empty crowd, I have never seen a negative review on Evergrey. In fact, with regard to In Search of Truth, I've never seen anything but five star reviews. Nada, Zip, Zero, Zilch! Hey naysayer, be my guest, check around. Good luck.

In Search of Truth

"I have decided to keep this tape recorder with me at all times. Just so that I maybe one day can explain all the strange things happening to me. The lack of sleep...the loss of time. But most of all, the sensation of never being lonely...always being watched..." With this narration, In Search Of Truth begins.

All joking aside, this is a monumental work. It's a concept album about; take your pick: (a) an alien abduction, (b) a man who is crazy and perseverates on aliens and thinks he's experienced an alien abduction (c) a man who is crazy because of an alien abduction and believes his home is co-habitated by aliens, (d) any combination of above that you chose.

While the premise for In Search of Truth may sound silly, Evergrey pull it off magnificently. Truly, the music and especially singer/guitarist, Tom Englund's, performance is inspired. I have never heard a singer play their part better. You feel his bewilderment, his agony and his desperation. Even though it is fiction, you empathize with our victim.

Now some of you may think that my review is not objective since I need my Evergrey fix every twenty-four hours but let me assure you, my views have not been skewed in any way, so let's discuss the individual songs of this album which should have won an EMMY for progressive album of the year. There is no justice!!!!! Down with the Academy for the Promotion of unemotional, simplistic songs or P.U.S.S for short.

In Search Of Truth
Song / Track List
1) The Masterplan (4:48)
2) Rulers Of The Mind (5:59)
3) Watching The Skies (6:18)
4) State Of Paralysis (2:15)
5) The Encounter (4:40)
6) Mark Of The Triangle (6:24)
7) Dark Waters (6:04)
8) Different Worlds (5:31)
9) Misled (5:59)

"The Masterplan"

"Look at me
And tell me if there's something
Strange you see
Am I special - something's wrong
can't be the only one"

"Masterplan" is a lush medium fast number with excellent drums and guitars and a very catchy chorus; "We are all a part of, forced to live within, a conspiracy for ages, THE MASTERPLAN!"


"Rulers Of The Mind"

"You can't possibly know me
What I feel cause even I don't
A strange sensation of never being lonely
Has made me question the essence of existence
...of life"

"Rulers of the Mind" is a mid-paced song featuring masterful sometimes tinkling, keyboards and crunchy guitars and Englund's impassioned vocals occasionally backed by a female choir.

"Watching The Skies"

"Time has come to ask myself
What future lies ahead
The weakness of my soul
Awakes the fury that was dead
And what is it that brings out the shame"

"Watching The Skies", everything so very melodic and dynamic. A very impressive, powerful piece with a brilliant juxtaposition between the heavy guitars and the relatively soft keyboards.

"State Of Paralysis"

"See my sorrow
My tears when they fall
Feel my anguish
Where's my shelter when I am cold"

"State of Paralysis" is a short but intensive number that seems to have the power of a longer song that had been compressed into one, consisting of only a piano and Englunds very emotional, urgent vocals and leads right into "The Encounter"

"The Encounter"

"Like leaves on trees in fall
I'm shivering I'm falling
Like the screams from a new-born child
So innocent so fragile"

"The Encounter", which just like the following "Mark Of The Triangle" is more powerful and heavier, but never forgetting the atmosphere and intricate arrangements, on the contrary, softer emotional parts always are intermingled to keep up overall anxiety.

"Mark Of The Triangle"

"The sun is back again the day is here
Try to recall try to remember
What night brought upon me this time
There it is I've seen it before recognize the shape"

"The Mark of the Triangle" starts with an enticing harmony, a blend of guitars and lush keyboards followed by Evergrey's trademark crunchy melodic guitar riffs. The chorus pervades a sense of trepidation and foreboding as the Englund tries to make sense of his tortured dreams.


"Dark Waters"

"Twilight
Still not dark
The snow on the ground sheds some light
A silhouette not taller than a child
Appears in the doorway"

"Dark Waters", has my vote for the best song. Intense, grandiose, lush, with equally heavy guitars and emotional passages, driving rhythms and a symphonic element including a lovely choir that would fit nicely in any album by Tristania or Therion, with everything ingeniously woven together,

"Different Worlds"

"The silence awakes me
My heartbeat would so easily reveal me
Who am I what is left is it my mind
That constantly deceives me"

"Different Worlds", begins with keyboard, piano and emphatic vocals, then supported by some acoustic guitars, "Different Worlds" leads us into just these, soft, atmospheric, intense but tortured reflections

"Misled"

"Strapped in a bed with no clothes
The room has no windows
I try to remember last night
But there's nothing"

"Misled" is an emotional heavy metal piece where Englund's character relives his abduction. Second best song, unfortunately this is the finale but look you can hit the replay button and start all over.

Similar Artists

NONE!

Related Artists

Ayreon, Dream Theater, Threshold, Royal Hunt, Green Carnation, Savatage, Secret Sphere

Other Reviewers Views

"If you have not yet delve into the world of Evergrey, then please, consider this your invitation. You don't know what you are missing."

"I could not believe the absolute passion that vocalist Tom S. Englund has in his voice. I don't know that I ever will hear a singer compare to him in that department. This, combined with the driving music and the capturing atmosphere of the keyboards, created a perfect ten out of ten in my book."

"Without compromising integrity or true metal grit, In Search Of Truth is an accessible album. I don't necessarily mean "radio friendly" in the derogatory way it is meant, but that's exactly it. By those same stations that gave airplay to Soundgarden and other metal bands (that, by dint of which state they were based, were lumped into the grunge category), this would have found a home. Radio (that is, US radio) has changed so much, that it may not be the case today. Shame, as this is so much more interesting than some of the so-called metal that does get the airplay -- without naming names".

"My cohorts Larry and Keith have also already reviewed this title, and I join them in telling you that this is one of the essential releases of 2001. It is at the top of my list for the year, that much is certain."

"At various times over the past several weeks, bits and pieces of this album come back to me, playing over and over again in my head, mainly "The Masterplan." If I gave out ratings, it'd be a 10 of 10, without question."

"Every song is a highlight here - I can't even tell which songs are better than the other ones. And all of them are full of fresh ideas and perfect in their complexity. The album incorporates a lot of symphonic elements - orchestral background, choir and operatic vocals. All this creates a majestic but still very dark atmosphere. Add here also unbelievably good piano parts and you will get the picture. Undoubtly the best prog album of the year."

"The guitars and drums shred quite nicely and although this is nothing new for a good metal band, the technical ability here makes them shine. Most of the time the sound is fast and crunchy but I can't accuse them of really stealing a style from any other metal band. I'd say that if you are a prog metal fan, you really can't go wrong with this band and if you're looking into checking out some prog metal for the first time, this would be perfect."

CONCLUSION

It is a shame that this music gets to be heard only by the persistent few in America. Even so, In Search of Truth has had very respectable sales in America and I expect it to keep growing long after demand has diminished in Europe, where everybody is readily exposed to their own music, mostly because of the phenomenon known as downloading and by word of mouth.

I want to remind you, if you're old enough, that "Stairway to Heaven" was not released as a single and was not a hit at the time of it's release. Nevertheless, It has become a classic. I can visualize such a scenario for In Search of Truth

In closing, I want to tell you that at the present time there are two other very good reviews on this masterpiece and I wasn't going to review it because of that but it is my co-favorite, along with Light of Day, Day Of Darkness, so how could I not review it?. Besides it really is the 2001 album of the YEAR. I dare you to check it out! I double dare you, forget about the du du and check it out!!!

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising