Album Review: Evergrey – A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)

I’ve got a soft spot for the Gothenburg outfit led by the amazing Tom S. Englund. I’ve never really devoted enough time to dive deep into their extensive catalogue, but when I do cross paths with them, I always enjoy their work. They are captivating live, polished and professional with heart and passion that makes them a joy to watch. A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is their 13th album, an impressive output for the band that formed in 1995. This latest release cements their reputation as one of the finest bands to emerge from Sweden in the 1990s. The ten songs are beautifully constructed, full of heavy riffs that will appeal the harder metal fan whilst rich with melody that allow their appeal to cross over boundaries.

The opening song “Save Us” sets the tempo. It’s fast, vibrant, and catchy. Englund’s clean singing has always been one of the key factors that set Evergrey apart and here he is on fine form. The driving rhythm section of drummer Jonas Ekdahl and bassist Johan Niemann are locked tight, providing a platform for Rikard Zander’s keyboards and the dual guitars of Englund and Henrik Danhage to do the creative work. It’s a soaring, uplifting opener that rattles along with a uniqueness that is often lacking.

Technically, there are few bands that can compete with Evergrey. The music is on point from start to finish, and on this album, it is enhanced by a solid production that allows the crispness of the band’s delivery to stand out. There is plenty of harmonies on the vocals, with backing singing an essential part of the Evergrey sound. “Midwinter Calls” has plenty of this, with additional vocals provided by hundreds of the band’s fans who submitted their voices to be cleverly weaved into the backing sound; it gives the song a wider sound that wraps around Englund’s heartfelt singing. Whilst Evergrey can bring the noise, their main strength is the melody that surges through each song like blood through veins. The symphonic elements on “Call Out the Dark” tug hard on the heart strings, emotions all fired and tumbling. The guitar work screams out of the centre of the song, fluid and organic, whilst the chorus lingers long in the memory. Like most of Englund’s writing, the hooks are memorable.

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“The Orphean Testament” ups the tempo with a pace to match “Save Me.” Thickly layered, it’s one of the most exciting and impressive songs on the album, no mean feat on an album crammed full of high quality. The changes in pace, atmosphere and tension all work in tandem, allowing the music space to breath whilst still maintaining the overall Evergrey sound. Some fine 80s style synth bursts forth, adding yet another subtle component to the band’s intricate sound.

Evergrey don’t worry about dropping the odd semi-ballad either. “Reawakening” is glorious in it’s semi-Eurovision feel, all pomp and ceremony, and it works fantastically well in the general running order of the album. There’s an oriental flavour to “The Great Unwashed”, a dramatic and epic piece which drops speed to allow some scintillating guitar work before building with cinematic sound to a huge conclusion. It’s impossible not to be washed along in the emotion of such huge sweeping passages of music.

There is no filler on this album. The concluding trio of songs are every bit as energetic as those before them. The final single from the album, the blistering “Blindfolded” is the standout of the three, with some stellar drum work from Ekdahl who propels the song forward at pace. It’s another beautifully composed song, with plenty to listen to as it develops. Fine interplay between keys and guitar, more excellent lead breaks and a duel between the two instruments which is magical.

It may be close to 30 years since Evergrey first got together, but with a line-up now firmly established and working together, there is no sign of any deterioration in quality from a band that should really be better recognised than they are. Check this album out. It really is good.

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A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is out on May 20th

Check out all the bands we review in 2022 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!

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