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)
The Encounter
Evergrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm shivering I'm falling
Like the screams from a new-born child
So innocent so fragile
Screaming struggling trying
I want to see what the future holds
This life in fear is no life at all
And the strength I seek ain't there
My world is dead
My future's broken
And it all stays the same
They're coming
They're coming here to stay
They're coming
They're taking me away...
I beg for a helping hand
I'm reaching I am searching
But no...
And i pray for an ear that listens
My hope's washed away
I'm here alone
[solo danhage]
I hear them
They're coming
Quickly through the hallway
The door opens
Helpless again
The will I had ain't strong enough
The strength i seek ain't there
My world is dead
My future's broken
Cause it all stays the same
They're coming
They're coming here to stay
They're coming
They're taking me away...
They're coming
Only to leave me in shame
Simply leave me...
The lyrics to Evergrey's song The Encounter paint a picture of someone who is lost and uncertain, overwhelmed by fear and struggling to find their way. The comparison to leaves falling from a tree in autumn suggests a sense of inevitability and impending change, while the lines referencing a newborn's scream convey a sense of innocence and vulnerability. The repeated refrain of "They're coming, they're taking me away" adds to the sense of helplessness and fear that permeates the song.
The singer of the song is clearly in a state of emotional distress, reaching out for help and finding none. The reference to a "dead" world and a "broken" future suggests that there is no hope for improvement, no chance for happiness or fulfillment. The repeated lines about the lack of strength and willpower further indicate a sense of defeat and hopelessness.
The final lines of the song, "They're coming / Only to leave me in shame / Simply leave me" suggest that the singer has been abandoned and betrayed by those who they had hoped would help them. The raw emotion and stark imagery of the song leave a lasting impression on the listener, conveying a sense of loss and pain that is hard to shake.
Line by Line Meaning
Like leaves on trees in fall
I am shivering and falling like the leaves on trees in autumn.
I'm shivering I'm falling
I am experiencing a great deal of fear and uncertainty.
Like the screams from a new-born child
The way I feel is similar to the cries of a baby who has just been born.
So innocent so fragile
I feel vulnerable and unable to defend myself.
Screaming struggling trying
I am trying to fight against what is happening to me, but I am struggling to do so.
I want to see what the future holds
I am curious and hopeful about what the future might bring for me.
This life in fear is no life at all
Living in constant fear is not really living at all.
The will I had ain't strong enough
I do not have the willpower necessary to overcome this situation.
And the strength I seek ain't there
I am unable to find the strength I need to deal with this problem.
My world is dead
I feel like my world is crumbling around me.
My future's broken
I am afraid that my future has been severely damaged.
And it all stays the same
Nothing seems to be changing, and I feel stuck in this situation.
They're coming
The people who are causing my problems are coming to take me away.
They're coming here to stay
These people are coming to my home, and I fear they are here to stay.
They're taking me away...
I am being taken away against my will.
I beg for a helping hand
I am desperately asking for help from anyone who can offer it.
I'm reaching I am searching
I am trying to find a solution to my problems, but it is very difficult.
But no...
Unfortunately, it seems that there is no one who can help me.
And i pray for an ear that listens
I am praying that someone will listen to me and understand my situation.
My hope's washed away
I am losing hope and becoming more and more discouraged.
I'm here alone
I feel completely alone and isolated.
[solo danhage]
Instrumental break
I hear them
I can hear the people who are coming to take me away.
Quickly through the hallway
They are moving quickly and with purpose towards me.
The door opens
They have arrived and are now entering my home.
Helpless again
Once again, I feel completely powerless and unable to stop what is happening.
Only to leave me in shame
They will take me away, but I fear that they will eventually release me and leave me feeling embarrassed and humiliated.
Simply leave me...
I wish they would just leave me alone and let me deal with my problems on my own.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: HENRIK DANHAGE, MICHAEL CARL HAKANSSON, PATRIK CARLSSON, TOMAS ENGLUND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind