Music: Melodic/Progressive Metal
Website: http://www.everwoodsite.com
Country: Hungary
Cool songs: Another World, Run To My Fate, Silent Wind, Escape To Death
The history of EVERWOOD started in 1997. Since then, theyve changed the name from NEVERWOOD to the present, recorded two albums and managed to play some gigs across Europe. Their original genre was: Keyboard centric melody rock/metal, and Im glad that they finally made up their minds when it comes to the style. This hybrid does not sound good and makes me feel sick. Now they describe themselves as band playing Melodic Progressive Metal.
This is it melodic/progressive but not metal at all. Or at least not enough metal, as the band would like it to be. The intro annoys: it is really melodic, but in some ba-ha hoo-la style! And it is prolonged in the next song Another World. Simple guitar riff, good technique, not a mindless butchery. They have the style and character. And the keyboards are working very hard. The guitar solo sounds cool (a la old SATRIANI). But the whole is simply over-dominated by the keyboards. What is worth to mention, is the perfect vocal line: very audible, clear and strong. Excellent for heavy metal. And this is the strongest point of EVERWOOD. the Marching Of Time starts nicely, the guitar and keyboards like to go together in here. But shortly after the beginning, it starts to sound exactly like the previous song. The chorus is an escape from that phenomenon. One of better features of this album is that it is really melodic. The leading melody of each song draws the attention and makes you hum it. If someone likes the little pop-rock stars, will definitely like EVERWOOD. Because this is not metal. It is a melodic rock with some heavier parts. This feature is clearly visible in Like A Miracle or Run To My Fate. Sometimes, because of that exaggerated piano works, I had an impression that in a minute or two, ELTON JOHN will appear in front of the microphone. Run To My Fate deserves a further word, because this is the longest song. The beginning is nice, but later it goes only worse. Like a crying boys band. Only the sound of guitar reminds me that this should be metal. Sometimes indeed, it sounds really heavy. And the guitar solos are quite good, they prove that Farkas is a gifted craftsman. Enlarged melodic sections make this song a kind of monster. After all, this is one of the heaviest and rockiest part of this album. With some delicate pauses (which really annoy). That is not good because there is not enough counterweight for the calm, acoustic and electronic pop majority enclosed in this album. Going further, sometimes the sound can get on nerves: Prelude has moments when it sounds like a midi file! What is more, it sounds like one of those intros to National Geographic programs, but everything with some heavy elements, which manage to save the whole. Cant Rain Forever reassured me that this is pop-rock. Sometimes EVERWOOD gets close to BON JOVI, which disqualifies them as a metal band. And this fact is really scary what will be next? Days Of Eternity is the last longer track. Its style is close to metal (similar to WITHIN TEMPTATION) and helps to recover after the pop parts shock. The Trial is again a weaker composition, similar to SAVATAGEs Wake Of Magellan, but not so good. The album ends very romantic and pathetic. A wonderful finish for metal release.
This CD amazes. It is a huge melting pot of pseudo metal and electronic sounds. It is not enough powerful for metal the single (although very skilful) guitar is too weak, does not carry any character. A few stronger melodic compositions hold this thing together, while the rest is trying to blow it up into pieces. It is not a very bad album, but that pop variety can really annoy. EVERWOOD should listen to and learn from DREAM THEATER or PAGAN'S MIND if they want to be visible on the progressive scene. Half of point is added, because this is something Ive never heard in my entire life.
note: 5.5/10
Tracklist
1. Pure Awakening
2. Another World
3. The Marching Of Time
4. Like A Miracle
5. Run To My Fate
6. Unbroken
7. Behind Your Smile
8. Leaves Of November
9. Prelude
10. Can't Rain Forever
11. Silent Wind
12. Days Of Eternity
13. The Trial
14. Escape To Death
15. Redemption
Total playing time 67:43
Line-up
Balazs Koncz “Balu” – Vocals
Ferenc Farkas “Louper” – Guitar
Attila Tanczer “Atesz” – Keyboards
Viktor Erdos “Vik” – Bass Guitar
Tamas Szabo “Toi” – Drums & Percussion
Related Posts
WOLFPATH „Wolfpath”
EXHORDER „Defectum Omnium”
UKĆ „Coming Out”
HER ANXIETY „No Land In Sight”
REBEL SOULS „Dawn of Depravity”
CICONIA „Animal Chapters”
SIEGE OF POWER „This Is Tomorrow”
LUMSK „Fremmede Toner”
LITOST „Pathos”
DIRTY VELVET “Far Beyond The Moon”
ZØRORMR „The Monolith”
THE GROUND SHAKER “Rogue Asylum”
BLACK HAWK „Soulkeeper”
OÏKOUMEN „Dystopia”
SLEGEST „Avstand”
ÓSSERP „Els Nous Cants De La Sibil-la”
KATATONIA „Sky Void Of Stars”
REVOCATION „Netherheaven”
ICESTORM „The Northern Crusades”
EXODUS „Persona Non Grata”
ORIGIN OF INFINITY „After The Slumber”
ORIGIN OF INFINITY „Ocvltism”
GLOBUS “Cinematica”
HEIDEN „Andzjel”
EXESSUS „Asynapse”
LORD SONNY THE UNIFIER “America’s Newest Hitmaker”
MAGICAL HEART „Heartsonic”
SPOILER NYC “Banned in 38 States”
SON CESANO “Emerge”
DEVILSBRIDGE „Sense Of”
RED ELM „Arena”
FLYING CIRCUS „Seasons 1997″ / “Seasons 25”
NIGHT ATTACK „The Initiation”
FOGOS „Corpses And Ashes”
WINTER „Fire Rider”
