Torn

After their last two cds, Evergrey has joined the ranks of those rare bands that I buy instantly upon their release without hearing anything. It's a small group -- Only four or five bands get that kind of respect from me. Lots have been on that list over the years, but most eventually let me down and get cut after a few albums. So far Evergrey is staying on it. Once again Evergrey has put out one of those rarities of nature -- an album without filler. That's right. Every song is a keeper. My only complaint with this cd is the mix isn't quite as clear as their last one, but that's a minor issue -- their previous disc was a pretty tough act to follow in that regard. To describe Evergrey's music as dark seems redundant, but they seem to have gotten a bit darker still. Torn is just a fabulous album from start to finish and the new raw feel of this album makes Torn a very apt title. Under heavy criticism from their fan-base, they backed off the streamlined direction of their previous cd and returned to the slightly longer and more intricate compositions that marked their earlier work. While I don't believe that was necessary, it doesn't hurt anything here. There still isn't a song over six minutes and the cd as a whole is very heavy and remains very tight. Once again the feelings represented range mostly from anger to anguish (where Englund is at his finest) and the music is always perfectly paired to emulate the emotion. This ability to connect with the listener and really allow the music to evoke a feeling that echoes the lyrics, in my opinion, has been and continues to be, Evergrey's trademark. This band is in class of their own ... Just brilliant. --Scott