Histor… Read Full Bio ↴Evergrey is a Swedish progressive metal band from Gothenburg.
History
Evergrey was formed in 1993 in Gothenburg by guitarist/vocalist Tom S. Englund as a progressive power metal band, in contrast to the melodic death metal that Gothenburg is known for. Since then, the band's lyrics have always been of the darker sort, and the same can be said of the band's imagery. After finding a stable lineup, The Dark Discovery was recorded in 1996 and released in 1998, and Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy was recorded and released in 1999. While those two albums dealt with a variety of ideas, In Search of Truth (2001) and Recreation Day (2003) are concept albums, the latter album dealing with issues such as contemplating suicide ("As I Lie Here Bleeding"), mourners after a funeral ("I'm Sorry", a cover of Dilba Demirbag's hit), and dying people looking back on their "unforgivable" sins ("Unforgivable"). "Unforgivable" also acted as a catalyst for the next album, The Inner Circle (2004), which expanded on the issues described in the song: cults, religion and child abuse.
On 4 April 2006, Evergrey released their sixth studio album, Monday Morning Apocalypse. It debuted at No. 6 in Sweden.
Later that year, Evergrey played at many festivals throughout Europe: among others, Sweden Rock Festival, Download Festival, Arvika Festival, Masters of Rock, Storsjöyran and Sziget Festival. From 5 to 30 May, the band toured the United States with In Flames, Nevermore and Throwdown. On 15 September, they headlined Prog Power VII in Atlanta, Georgia.
On 24 October 2006, Evergrey started a new European tour. They were supported by fellow Swedish death metal band Avatar, and they visited Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Sweden.
Evergrey released their seventh studio album, Torn, in September 2008, continuing with their trademark lyrical themes of desperation and despair. Jari Kainulainen permanently filled the role on 6 August 2007, who also played bass on Torn.
On 8 May 2008, Evergrey announced that they had signed a deal with Steamhammer/SPV. This included the release of their new album and the entire back catalogue. It also was announced that the new album, Torn, would be released early in September 2008. As the deal includes the band's entire back catalog, there is the possibility of re-releases of previous Evergrey albums with the inclusion of added bonus material.
In July 2008, Swedish/Danish band Amaranthe announced that keyboardist Rikard Zander, along with In Flames bassist Peter Iwers, would make a guest appearance on their upcoming album.
In May 2010, it was announced that Jonas Ekdahl, Henrik Danhage and Jari Kainulainen have all left Evergrey by mutual decision because of problems with the band members interacting with each other. They called it quits as to not ruin the friendship they all have with each other.
An article posted on 13 November 2010 on Evergrey's blog contained dates for upcoming concerts as well as the confirmation of a new album titled Glorious Collision on 28 February 2011.
Via Facebook posts in November 2013, while writing the next Evergrey album due for release in 2014, the band first confirmed that drummer Hannes Van Dahl would be leaving the band to join Sabaton full-time, and then due to "problems working together" guitarist Marcus Jidell would also be leaving.
In August 2014, the release of the music video for "King of Errors" from the forthcoming Hymns for the Broken revealed that Henrik Danhage and Jonas Ekdahl had returned to the band. Hymns for the Broken was released in September 2014. The band released two more albums after that, The Storm Within in 2016 and The Atlantic in 2019. Those three albums were mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen and form a conceptual trilogy.
Evergrey's twelfth studio album, Escape of the Phoenix, was released on 26 February 2021.
On 26 August 2021 Evergrey announced they signed a new deal with Napalm Records and are already working on a new album.
On 24 February 2022 Evergrey announced the release of their thirteenth studio album, A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), which was released on Napalm Records on 20 May 2022.
On 23 October 2023 Evergrey announced the release of From Dark Discoveries To Heartless Portraits, a compilation album to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the band's formation, released on 15 December 2023.
On April 12th, 2024, the band released a new single, "Falling from the Sun", coinciding with the announcement of their newest album Theories of Emptiness, which released on June 7th, 2024. On May 15th, it was announced that drummer Jonas Ekdahl would be stepping down as drummer for the band due to having more interest in production and mixing than drumming. Simen Sandnes joined as drummer.
Albums
The Dark Discovery (1998)
Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy (1999)
In Search of Truth (2001)
Recreation Day (2003)
The Inner Circle (2004)
Monday Morning Apocalypse (2006)
Torn (2008)
Glorious Collision (2011)
Hymns for the Broken (2014)
The Storm Within (2016)
The Atlantic (2019)
Escape Of The Phoenix (2021)
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) (2022)
Theories of Emptiness (2024)
State of Paralysis
Evergrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My tears when they fall
Feel my anguish
Where's my shelter when I am cold
My eyes seek something
But finds nothing at all
My souls screams for mercy
Where's my guidance when I'm lost
The will I had ain't strong enough
The strength I seek ain't there
And my world is dead
My future's broken
Cause it all stays the same
They're coming
They're coming... here
The lyrics to Evergrey's "State of Paralysis" are emotionally raw and cutting. The singer expresses his deep despair and isolation, unable to find any solace or hope in his life. He cries out for help, but it seems that no one is there to offer him any kind of guidance or support. He feels lost and alone, with nothing to hold onto in the face of his pain.
In the first verse, the singer describes his overwhelming sadness and the tears that he sheds in response to it. He longs for some kind of refuge, but he is left cold and exposed. He searches for something meaningful to hold onto, but finds only emptiness and despair. In the second verse, he expresses his frustration and hopelessness, lamenting his lack of strength and willpower. He feels that his life is stagnant and has no future to speak of.
Overall, the lyrics of "State of Paralysis" offer a deeply personal and intimate glimpse into the struggles of a person fighting against their own pain and sadness. The song captures the feeling of being lost and alone, with no hope of ever finding a way out of that darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
See my sorrow
Observe the pain and distress that I am experiencing
My tears when they fall
The physical manifestation of my emotional pain is shown through my tears
Feel my anguish
Experience the intense psychological and emotional distress I am undergoing
Where's my shelter when I am cold
I am in need of a safe and comfortable place to take refuge in when I'm feeling lonely and vulnerable
My eyes seek something
I am searching for something, possibly hope, that may alleviate my negative feelings
But finds nothing at all
Despite my active search, I am unable to find the desired outcome
My souls screams for mercy
My innermost self is crying out for compassion and forgiveness
Where's my guidance when I'm lost
I am lost and confused and require someone, or something, to show me the way
The will I had ain't strong enough
Despite the focus and determination I previously had, I feel weak and helpless
The strength I seek ain't there
I am in need of the power and resilience that is unavailable to me right now
And my world is dead
Everything around me seems lifeless and meaningless
My future's broken
My plans and aspirations have been shattered and cannot be mended
Cause it all stays the same
Nothing seems to change no matter what attempts at improvement are made
They're coming
An unknown entity or event is approaching
They're coming... here
The entity or event is drawing near and may have an impact on the current situation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: HENRIK DANHAGE, MICHAEL CARL HAKANSSON, PATRIK CARLSSON, TOMAS ENGLUND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind