Metamorphosis

Evergrey are back and better than ever!  I think the general consensus is that as the band became more and more popular the music became a bit more commercial and the production slicker.  Tom Englund has gone back to the basics and its clearly the right move.  Jonas Ekdahl (drums) and Henrik Danhage (guitars) have returned to the fold and production has been handed over to Jacob Hansen.  This is a return to the "classic" Evergrey sound - that perfect balance of melody and heaviness with the right amount of "prog" injected when necessary.  COMEBACK ALBUM OF THE YEAR!  BUY OR DIE!"One of the leading names in the power/progressive metal world is the Swedish five-piece, Evergrey. Forming in 1995, the band has released eight full length albums, with number nine releasing this fall. The band has been known for relatively dark lyrics and concept albums since their debut, and because of this fact, it was very difficult for me to get into their music. I can easily count the amount of times I thought “I should listen to Evergrey” on one hand. Though I wasn’t well versed in their discography, what I had heard was moving quite slowly, was downright melancholic, and just couldn’t catch my attention. That was until the Hymns for the Broken album landed in my inbox.First off, the notable changes in the lineup, with the return of Jonas Ekdahl (drums) and Henrik Danhage (guitar) grabbed my attention immediately. Though the band briefly spoke about the addition of the two previous members on their Facebook, “What can we say? We missed each other.” I truly believe that this decision, and the amazing mixing by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe, Primal Fear) and production quality are what set this album up for its coming success.The album kicks off with a very eerie intro track, then jumps into the first single and video, “King of Errors”. Even without being an Evergrey fan in particular, I have always known who Tom Englund was, as his voice is so unique and legendary in the industry that I couldn’t ever really escape it. This song is a great display of the power and ability he has as a vocalist to truly bring a wonderfully written song to an entirely new level. The blend of the guitar riffs and keyboard work is perfection to say the least, but when the awe-inspiring guitar solo hit, I knew this album had me by its teeth.Immediately following is another one of the strongest tracks on the album, “A New Dawn” with a strong and hard-hitting guitar and bass riff that doesn’t ever really let go throughout the song. This song features one of the more beautiful keyboard solos on the album, but yet again that guitar solo just comes out of nowhere and destroys any solo I have ever heard this band release. “Black Undertow” is another perfect example of why Englund is so well-respected in the music world. It begins with his chillingly lower vocal range, but builds back up to where he truly shines. This song not only features another soaring and strong chorus, but the rhythm work between all instruments keeps it dark and eerie, though the keyboard lightly dances above it all.The title track to the record explodes into this phenomenal musical intro, but fades just as quickly as it hits. Boasting some of the strongest, most emotional lyrics on the album, the song hits a chord in many personal ways. “Scream loud, these hymns are for the broken,” are just some of this crowd enticing chorus that Englund sings flawlessly throughout. Bringing the album to a close is the over seven minute song “The Aftermath” which begins in a ballad-like fashion, but builds to a very strong finale. The tempo remains slow, but the flawless movement in the instruments keeps it absolutely enthralling. The last half of the song is entirely instrumental, and the conversations between keyboard, bass, and drums is something that I could listen to on repeat for hours, especially when the haunting lead melody soars above it all.If you can’t tell, I can’t think of a single moment on this album I don’t absolutely love. As someone who could never get hooked by an Evergrey album, I can assure you this is not just ‘fandom’ talking. Hymns for the Broken is a perfect album that even after weeks of constant play, I can not get enough of. Perhaps it is indeed perfection, or perhaps it just hit me at the right time in my life, either way I am in love. Easily a current contender for album of the year, it’s so full of beautiful melodies and amazing arrangements that any fan of power or progressive metal will absolutely love. I don’t doubt that all previous fans of the band will appreciate this album as much as I do, but I sincerely hope that new listeners give this record a fair and objective chance as well.This is definitely their most ambitious release yet, and they absolutely nailed it!" - Metalholic 

2CD digipak edition includes instrumental mixes and one bonus track."Kamelot are one of the greatest powerhouses of American Power Metal, with an impressive body of work and having the distinction of having inspired the similarly prolific and mind-bendingly talented Epica. Kamelot have covered a lot of ground over the years, but the first thing to note about their latest album ‘The Shadow Theory’ is that it reaches into the darkest and harshest elements of the band’s art. With that being said, the first half of the album in particular seems to capture the tension of sci-fi edging into the apocalyptic, while the second is dedicated to Gothic melancholy. The sci-fi tension immediately arises in the opening The Mission, which feels like it could open Tron or Blade Runner as a Kamelot album, if those films happened to be directed by Tim Burton. Fans may also notice some nods to the melodies of ‘Ghost Opera.’The album then kicks into the dramatic and even chaotic stylings of Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire). Alongside typical Kamelot drama is a true sense of Gothic evil in the pounding drums, crunchy guitars and harsh vocals of Lauren Hart. While her harsh vocals rival – perhaps even eclipse – Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz, her cleans are more reminiscent of Doro Pesch. Even Tommy Karevik’s vocals are a little darker than usual amongst the dense music, which gets so hectic as to err on the side of confusing.RavenLight opens with a guitar sound more akin to melodic Death Metal than Power Metal, though the lilting keys and stronger showcase of Karevik’s vocals keep the song anchored to a comfortably Kamelot space. This track is particularly guitar-focused, with powerful solos from Thomas Youngblood, and Oliver Palotai not to be outdone on keys.Amnesiac carries on the heaviness with crunchy, aggressive guitars, and the sci-fi flavours of the synths returning with a vengeance. This is one of the catchiest songs on the album with its energetic chorus, and grooving bassline courtesy of Sean Tibbetts. Prog fans may notice some hints of Ayreon influence amongst the sci-fi elements, particularly in the guitars.Things kick up a notch with Burns to Embrace, which builds tension with dramatic music underlying Karevik’s slow vocal line. Haunting, mournful strings mix with heavy drums and riffs, while Palotai’s keys carry the melancholy through verses and Youngblood’s guitars twist the sadness into anger. This song is the first to bring the disparate parts of the album’s sound together in a way that really, unquestionably works. In this case, the solos are more restrained and focused more on melody than technicality.In Twilight Hours is fairly typical of slower Kamelot songs, starting out with a focus and keys and vocals before launching into dramatic guitars and symphonic elements. Of particular note are Jennifer Haben’s gorgeous vocals, with a style not unlike Simone Simons mixed with Sharon den Adel.The pace picks up again with Kevlar Skin, showcasing the cohesion of the band beautifully – there’s no showboating here, just a great song with masterful symphonic elements and epic solos. By contrast, Static shines the spotlight on hauntingly beautiful strings and piano, maintaining that despondent glory as the song evolves into heavy guitars and further symphonic elements. Karevik presents deeply emotive vocals, and Youngblood’s guitar fairly weeps alongside him.MindFall Remedy reinstates many of the elements of Phantom Divine, particularly the dark and dramatic sci-fi mood. Hart’s vocals are nothing short of incredible on this track, her growls absolutely unbelievable.Stories Unheard is a disciplined and restrained track, gentle at times but maintaining tension throughout. However, it is the following two tracks that are the greatest triumphs on the album. Vespertine (My Crimson Bride) is simply an excellent example of a Kamelot song – all the elements are there. It’s fast, symphonic, powerful and dramatic, with Youngblood’s solo crying with raw emotion and energy.The absolute coup of the album though is The Proud and the Broken, described by Karevik as the second part of Burns to Embrace and “more of a moody piece of art than a song.” Palotai’s creepy and haunting piano leads into riffing that is nothing short of darkly fantastical alongside interesting synth sounds. New drummer Johan Nunez’s work is wonderfully varied throughout, and the track perfectly captures the dark fantasy side of Kamelot. As it continues it descends into the depths of woe with a simple, dark piano melody accompanied by Karevik’s lamentations, before moving into Palotai’s mind-blowing keyboard shredding.In closing, the album becomes Burton-esque and whimsical once more with Ministrium (Shadow Key), which sits somewhere between The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Lord of the Rings in its aesthetic.Overall, ‘The Shadow Theory’ is a bit of a slow starter in that the songs in the latter portion of the album are often vastly superior to the openers. That being said, the album is more than worth persevering with, and absolutely rewards the listener into an excursion into dark fantasy sure to please those Kamelot fans with an inclination towards the creepy and the mournful. Best listened to in the cemetery by moonlight." - Overdrive Magazine

Remastered edition with two bonus tracks."After the failed experiment of Turbo, Judas Priest toned down the synths and returned to the basics, delivering a straight-ahead, much more typical Priest album with Ram It Down. The band's fan base was still devoted enough to consistently push each new album past the platinum sales mark, and perhaps that's part of the reason Ram It Down generally sounds like it's on autopilot. While there are some well-constructed songs, they tend toward the generic, and the songwriting is pretty lackluster overall, with the up-tempo title track easily standing out as the best tune here. And even though Ram It Down backed away from the territory explored on Turbo, much of the album still has a too-polished, mechanical-sounding production, especially the drums. Lyrically, Ram It Down is firmly entrenched in adolescent theatrics that lack the personality or toughness of Priest's best anthems, which -- coupled with the lack of much truly memorable music -- makes the record sound cynical and insincere, the lowest point in the Rob Halford era. Further debits are given for the cover of "Johnny B. Goode."" - All Music Guide