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)
Watching the Skies
Evergrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What future lies ahead
The weakness of my soul
Awakes the fury that was dead
And what is it that brings out the shame
In my dreams i travel
Lost confused
Watching the skies
All my sleep is wasted
Awake or not
Still waiting
Watching the skies
My home is no longer
A place where safety can be found
Constantly looking over my shoulder
Forced into the darkest corner of the mind
I find myself not trusting anyone
And distrust leaves you lonely
The hiding from the fear
Brings me closer to despair
Feelings of doubt joins me
I fight to keep myself above the surface
I try but the waves i swim are just growing stronger
The light's getting distant and i am drifting further
i'm being swallowed by the night
[solo karlsson]
In my dreams i travel
Lost confused
Still searching
Watching the skies
All my sleep is wasted
Awake or not
Still waiting
Watching the skies
Please be the eyes
That guides me through
Please be the hands to lead me
In search for the shocking truth
Please be my courage
My will to win
Please understand and listen
Please be my friend
The lyrics to Evergrey's song "Watching the Skies" capture the internal struggles of an individual who is unsure about their future and feels lost in their present situation. The opening lines indicate that the singer is questioning what lies ahead and is awakening feelings of anger and shame that they thought were dead. They express their confusion and desperation through dreams and watching the skies, hinting that they are 'lost' and uncertain about their future.
The song takes a darker turn as the singer talks about their feelings of isolation and distrust, emphasising their loss of safety and the fear that they are constantly looking over their shoulder. The lines, "The hiding from the fear brings me closer to despair/ Feelings of doubt joins me" signify that the fear is gradually consuming them and that they are struggling to hold onto hope. This despair accentuates the internal conflict that the singer is facing, making it almost impossible for them to keep their head above the water.
The song concludes with a plea to be guided, led to the truth, and given courage to face the challenges ahead. The desperation in the singer's voice is evident as they seek reassurance, understanding and support from their listeners. The overall message of the song is to never give up hope and to believe that good things can come from even the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Time has come to ask myself
I am reflecting on my life and what is to come
What future lies ahead
I am uncertain about what the future holds
The weakness of my soul
I am feeling vulnerable and exposed
Awakes the fury that was dead
My anger and frustration are resurfacing
And what is it that brings out the shame
I am trying to figure out what is causing me to feel ashamed
In my dreams i travel
I find solace in my dreams
Lost confused
I am unsure of my direction in life
Still searching
I am seeking answers
Watching the skies
I am searching for signs and guidance
All my sleep is wasted
Even when I am asleep, I cannot escape my thoughts
Awake or not
My thoughts consume me whether I am awake or asleep
Still waiting
I am waiting for something, but I am not sure what
My home is no longer
I no longer feel safe and secure in my surroundings
A place where safety can be found
I cannot find comfort or security in my home
Constantly looking over my shoulder
I feel paranoid and on edge
Forced into the darkest corner of the mind
My thoughts are consuming me and leading me to dark places
I find myself not trusting anyone
I am struggling to trust others due to my own insecurities
And distrust leaves you lonely
My lack of trust is causing me to feel isolated and alone
The hiding from the fear
I am trying to avoid facing my fears
Brings me closer to despair
My avoidance is making me feel hopeless and lost
Feelings of doubt joins me
I am grappling with self-doubt
I fight to keep myself above the surface
I am struggling to keep my thoughts and emotions under control
I try but the waves i swim are just growing stronger
My struggles are becoming increasingly difficult to manage
The light's getting distant and i am drifting further
I am feeling disconnected from the world around me
i'm being swallowed by the night
I am being consumed by my own darkness
Please be the eyes
I am reaching out for help
That guides me through
I need guidance and support
Please be the hands to lead me
I need someone to guide me
In search for the shocking truth
I am looking for answers even if they are difficult to face
Please be my courage
I need someone to give me strength and courage
My will to win
I need motivation to keep fighting
Please understand and listen
I need someone to validate my feelings and listen to me
Please be my friend
I need someone to support me and be there for me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HENRIK DANHAGE, MICHAEL CARL HAKANSSON, PATRIK CARLSSON, TOMAS ENGLUND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind