Customer Reviews

In search of truth

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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, even if it's obvious that 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)

Similar Artists

NONE!

Related Artists

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

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 several 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!!!

I have to admit, when I heard about these guys I was skeptical. The whole "alien abduction" subject blew over 5 or 6 years ago for me--it's not something that would normally peak my interest in 2003. Plus, too many bands are receiving rave reviews these days without measuring up to the hype. And with the name Evergrey, visions of bad nu-metal filled my head. As you can probably imagine then, I placed "In Search for Truth" into my CD changer with a heavy sigh--forcing myself into an open frame of mind. I remember thinking: "Two listens. If it doesn't work for me after 2, its Ebay time."

While I'm sure you can find this CD on Ebay, it definitely won't be from me. Darkly emotional and masterfully produced, In Search For Truth fills your ears and heart with melodrama from start to finish. Englund's vocals are a clear standout here. What he lacks in range, he makes up for 10X over with pure emotion. After hearing this album, I'm convinced Tom could make me sympathetic over the plight of an ice cream sundae. He's so real--and he knows how to deliver with power while staying within himself. If you are about to buy this album (and you SHOULD buy this album), believe me--it's a pleasure to hear progressive/power metal sung with such conviction. Listen to the slow interlude in "Mark of the Triangle"--if that doesn't make you feel something, then you're dead. Englund's vocals, along with the ultra-powerful, tight rhythms of the band, place Evergrey firmly outside the contrived masses that populate most of this genre. There's no CHEESE in Evergrey--it's the real thing.

It never ceases to amaze me how smaller, independent bands like Evergrey can deliver massive productions. In Search... is a bigger production than 90% of the major label releases out there. You will appreciate the time and effort that must have gone into this material. Everything is perfectly mixed: from the cruch-laden silk of the guitars, to the earth-moving bass section, to the ethereal keyboards and background vocals. It's all done with masterful precision. The result: there is nothing to annoy or distract, allowing the listener to simply focus on the music and the incredible performances throughout.

I can't imagine a better album than this. Will it become a classic? I don't know--there have been other CDs deserving a place in history that were forgotten. But the fact that I'm asking the question should tell you something.

Evergrey's stunning 3rd album. For those who are new to Evergrey, this album is a good introduction to their progressive style metal music.

In Search of Truth is based upon a story of paranoia, fear and hidden anger. It has 9 tracks in total, spanning for around 50 or so minutes. The guitaring and keyboarding is exceptional, and vocalist Tom Englund truly outdid himself in this epic.

From the start, the story begins with an eerie type tape recording, crashing into the first song "Masterplan" where the perception of paranoia begins. It peaks at "Mark of the Triangle" and "Dark Waters". By then, you would have been totally engrossed in the lyrical depth and theme of "In Search of Truth".

The production and mixing was great. Done by Andy La Rocque (King Diamond), in Los Angeles, La Rocque truly found a way to enhance each element of the song, and the vocals come out clear, the drumming is crisp, close to perfection, the guitaring and keyboarding is well heard.

If you enjoy progressive metal, e.g Royal Hunt, Dream Theater, Evergrey is a darker version of these bands, with more haunting melodies. If you are in search of the truth....you know the answer.

Give me a second to gush about my favorite underrated power metal band. A touch of progressive and a dash of doom, this is amazing stuff. I can't get over how powerful "Different Worlds" and "Watching The Skies" are, "In Search of Truth" is an absolute masterpiece in every way. Everything is in its place, every song is a standout, the guitars and keyboards mesh perfectly to create some awesome riffs, particulartly on "The Masterplan" , and the vocals... this guy has replaced Roy Khan from Kamelot as my favorite power metal vocalist, something about his voice has a hint of an edge to it, it's not as smooth and perfect as Khan's voice, it's got a little more authenticity to it, that's what gives him the edge. This is just fantastic, I don't know where people are coming from when they say it's a Gothenburg-style band here, I don't hear any Shadow or Dark Tranquillity here, this is power metal with elements of prog and doom in it, and it's some of the most criminally underrated music in history. Do yourself and the band a favor and check them out, spread the word!

Evergrey is one of those bands that's a little difficult to pin down. Often, they are labeled as a "power metal" band, but personally I don't think this label even remotely does them justice, as this fine group of Swedes have a much darker, heavier, and more emotional feel than just about any band in that genre. Not to mention the technical sophistication to bring them much closer to the prog metal camp.

Well, whatever you want to call them, Evergrey are an extremely talented band, and "In Search of Truth" is, from start to finish, a fantastic album, filled with heavy riffs and amazing melodies. Tom Englund is an incredible vocalist. Not technically mindblowing in terms of range, but the ferocity and emotional power with which he belts out these tunes is just tremendous. I would describe him as kind of a combination of Daniel from Pain of Salvation, and Phil from Pantera, although I like him a lot more than either of them. And, in addition to being a great singer, he's an excellent guitarist as well, and combined with second guitarist Henrik Danhage, we have some of the finest twin guitar work this side of Iron Maiden. Keyboardist Sven Karllson is also worth a mention. While not particularly flashy, his work on this album is some of the most stunningly beautiful keyboard playing I've ever heard. Whether it's a haunting synth backdrop, a tastefully done solo, or a chilling piano melody, he never ceases to amaze. Drummer Patrick Carllson often fades into the background a bit, but with his Peart-like tom fills and ferocious double bass, he proves to be more than competent behind the kit.

The great thing about the musicianship here is that while there is a great deal of talent on display here, it is never the main focal point of the music. Instead, it is there to create, heavy, emcompassing sound, that gives the whole album a very dark and melancholic feel. This is definitely not for a sunny day. There are a few songs, such as "Masterplan" and "Watching the Skies", that are a bit faster and more thrash-oriented, but the album overall is very dark and melodic. "Rulers of the Mind" is a very heavy and crunchy track, with a great balance of Tom's more aggressive vocals on the verses, and his more melodic style on the chorus. "State of Paralysis" and "The Encounter" are kind of a 2-part song, with the former being a short, touching ballad with only piano, and the latter building into heaviness, with some wild time changes and still some very emotional vocals. "Mark of the Triangle" is a killer balance of the heavy, crunchy riffing and mesmerizing keys, "Dark Waters" features a choir, contributing some awesome background vocals, and again some amazing keyboard melodies. "Misled" is the powerful closer, starting with soft piano, and building into a heavy mid-pace, with some cool guitar harmonies (very Maiden inspired), and a truly rousing performance from Tom. There isn't a bad song to be found here, as each one is powerful and memorable in its own way.

If the album has one weakness, I suppose it would be the lyrics. "In Search of Truth" is a concept album about a man who is abducted by aliens, and falls into paranoia and despair afterwards, feeling as though they are still watching him, and not being able to convince anyone of it. The concept is a bit corny, but the music and vocals are just so perfectly executed, it more than makes up for it. Tom serves as the first-person voice of the main character, and his impossibly emotional delivery, combined with the beautiful music really add a great deal of substance to the story. You can't help but sympathize for the main character's frustration and vulnerability, even if you think all sci-fi is for geeks.

So, all in all, this is a fantastic and well-crafted album. If you're into Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Symphony X, Iced Earth, or any other bands of that nature, this is an album you are certain to enjoy. Those who dismiss them as a "cheesy power metal band" are way off, and don't know what they're missing. You can't afford to pass this up.

Let me first say Tom S Enguland has one of the most emotional vocies in music today the only one who has more emotion would be Keith Sundano on my #1 cd of all time The Edge by Eternity X. In Search of Truth was my favorite cd of 2001. I really love story cds and this one has a great one, it is about a man who thinks aliens are in his house but i really think he is going crazy. Evergrey has 3 cds and i rate all 3 very high ! A must have i put this in my top 10 of all time and i have 1000 cds .

I have 4 of the 5 Evergrey albums, and this one is easily the best. Recreation Day is also really good. This album just plain out rocks. The guitar solos have passion, as do the vocals. "Masterplan" really gets the album started. All of the songs are awesome. "Rulers of the Mind" is a heavy song with some cool choir sections. "State of Paralysis" is a very emotional song. Englund does a great job singing on this one. "The Encounter" is also a killer, heavy tune. "Misled" is heavy, and has some really beautiful vocal harmonies. You cannot go wrong with this album. Each song rules, there are no duds. This album is 10 stars!

Further evidence that real music, especially heavy metal/melodic rock hasn't gone extinct, it went overseas-particularly north! This is some really great progressive metal, not one bad song on here, and, unlike some other proggers, there's no excessive showing off making a song 10 minutes long where four or five minutes would have sufficed. They are, however, very technically accomplished musicians and use the "non-metal" aspects (i.e. the choir, etc.)very well, but sparingly, so that the music is still quite hard edged, including the vocals. As others have stated, it is a concept album, about alien abduction, a rather strange concept to be sure,(or even a little corny) but these guys manage to pull it off in spades. They make it a very specific, personal experience of one man who loses his friends, family, dignity, health, and possibly his life in the process. And, what's really cool, at the end of the album you really have no idea if this guy was really being abducted and experimented on, or if he's just some wacko totally descending into madness! I would actually rate this somewhere between 4 and 4 1/2 stars, so check out the samples and add this to your cart-you shouldn't be disappointed.

I have since found places to get into one of my favorite styles of music: Progressive Metal. I have loved Fates Warning, Dream Theater and wore out several tapes (thats right cassettes) of Operation Mindcrime.

I bought an older Shadow Gallery album years ago based on some folks reviewing and listened to it once and put in the collection.

Now that I discovered nice samples I bought some of the following bands lately (of which this EveryGrey CD was the best): SymphonyX, Vanden Plas, Devon Townsend Band, Opeth (sorry music rockets - vocals are annoying)...and some others.

CLEARLY Evergrey has it all: vocals, lyrics, guitars, drums, keyboards, concepts, production, skill. This CD has NO cheese in it found in some progressive metal CDs. This is pure pleasure after my 2nd listen to - I ordered all the other CDs by them.

The vocals are great. He does have range (don't know what another reviewer was talking about) and he has major emotion. Just a fantastic CD. I too have a great many CDs...this is one of the BEST.

This is so far the best release of metal in 2001 so far. This album is incredible. Although sometimes grouped as a Gothenburg band, this band is far more. The sound is dark, heavy, melodic, progressive, and these guys can solo like no body's business. This album reminds me a lot of Superior's Behind which was legendary in progressive/dark metal. Stand out tracks include The Encounter, Mark of the Triangle... this album is a MUST HAVE!!!