Evergrey

Biography

Evergrey is a Swedish progressive metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1993 by guitarist and vocalist Tom S. Englund and guitarist Dan Bronell. The band is known for combining progressive metal and power metal with dark lyrical themes and imagery.
After releasing their debut album, The Dark Discovery×The Dark Discovery1998 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Blackened Dawn3:532December 26th5:063Dark Discovery3:354As Light Is Our Darkness2:005Beyond Salvation4:036Closed Eyes6:407Trust and Betrayal4:188Shadowed3:529When the River Calls4:2910For Every Tear That Falls4:1511To Hope Is to Fear5:40, in 1998, Evergrey developed a discography that includes concept albums such as In Search of Truth×In Search of Truth13 November 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1The Masterplan4:472Rulers of the Mind5:573Watching the Skies6:174State of Paralysis2:135The Encounter4:386Mark of the Triangle6:237Dark Waters6:038Different Worlds5:309Misled6:00 and Recreation Day×Recreation Day11 March 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Great Deceiver4:212End of Your Days4:403As I Lie Here Bleeding3:504Recreation Day5:215Visions6:026I’m Sorry3:197Blinded4:358Fragments5:389Madness Caught Another Victim3:0010Your Darkest Hour6:1511Unforgivable4:1512Trilogy of the Damned9:01, as well as the later conceptual trilogy Hymns for the Broken, The Storm Within, and The Atlantic. Englund has remained the band's central member through numerous lineup changes.

History

Evergrey was formed in 1993 in Gothenburg by guitarist/vocalist Tom S. Englund and guitarist Dan Bronell 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×In Search of Truth13 November 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1The Masterplan4:472Rulers of the Mind5:573Watching the Skies6:174State of Paralysis2:135The Encounter4:386Mark of the Triangle6:237Dark Waters6:038Different Worlds5:309Misled6:00 (2001) and Recreation Day×Recreation Day11 March 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Great Deceiver4:212End of Your Days4:403As I Lie Here Bleeding3:504Recreation Day5:215Visions6:026I’m Sorry3:197Blinded4:358Fragments5:389Madness Caught Another Victim3:0010Your Darkest Hour6:1511Unforgivable4:1512Trilogy of the Damned9:01 (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×The Inner Circle26 April 2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1A Touch of Blessing5:502Ambassador4:293In the Wake of the Weary4:434Harmless Wishes4:195Waking Up Blind4:226More Than Ever4:137The Essence of Conviction6:078Where All Good Sleep4:379Faith Restored3:5410When the Walls Go Down5:4211I’m Sorry (acoustic version)3:2812Recreation Day (acoustic version)3:3413Madness Caught Another Victim (acoustic version)3:09 (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×Monday Morning Apocalypse24 March 2006 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Monday Morning Apocalypse3:112Unspeakable3:553Lost3:144Obedience4:145The Curtain Fall3:096In Remembrance3:347At Loss for Words4:148Till Dagmar1:409Still in the Water5:1810The Dark I Walk You Through4:2011I Should4:5212Closure3:09. 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×Glorious Collision22 February 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Leave It Behind Us5:092You6:233Wrong5:144Frozen5:005Restoring the Loss4:466To Fit the Mold5:247Out of Reach3:438The Phantom Letters5:319The Disease…4:1310It Comes From Within4:2511Free3:4512I’m Drowning Alone4:1713…And the Distance3:47 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×King of Errors15 August 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1King of Errors5:41" 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×The Storm Within9 September 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Distance5:382Passing Through5:023Someday4:584Astray5:225The Impossible3:196My Allied Ocean4:077In Orbit5:388The Lonely Monarch5:289The Paradox of the Flame5:4010Disconnect7:0011The Storm Within6:15 in 2016 and The Atlantic×The Atlantic25 January 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11A Silent Arc7:472Weightless6:413All I Have6:194A Secret Atlantis5:315The Tidal1:076End of Silence4:487Currents5:308Departure6:309The Beacon5:2410This Ocean4:31Disc 21Documentary: The Atlantic Recordings 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×Escape of the Phoenix26 February 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Forever Outsider4:092Where August Mourn5:313Stories6:404A Dandelion Cipher4:345The Beholder5:496In the Absence of Sun6:077Eternal Nocturnal4:348Escape of the Phoenix4:119You From You5:1810Leaden Saints5:5611Run5:51, was released on 26 February 2021. It was elected by Metal Hammer as the 10th best progressive metal album of 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 Orphéan 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 12 April 2024 the band released a new single, "Falling from the Sun×Falling From the Sun11 April 2024 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Falling From the Sun4:15", coinciding with the announcement of their newest album Theories of Emptiness×Theories of Emptiness7 June 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Falling From the Sun4:152Misfortune3:203To Become Someone Else5:404Say4:225Ghost of My Hero5:516We Are the North5:097The Night Within3:488Cold Dreams6:479Our Way Through Silence4:4210A Theory of Emptiness2:08Disc 21Ghost of My Hero (orchestra version)5:542Ghost of My Hero (piano version)6:02, which released on 7 June 2024. On 15 May 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 (also of Shining) joined as their new drummer.
On 6 November 2025, a new single called "Oxygen" was released. This came after an announcement for a new European tour in 2025, where they would be supporting Katatonia.
On 9 November 2025, the band announced that Henrik Danhage would be taking a break from the band. Stephen Platt (Scar Symmetry & former live guitarist for Devin Townsend) was announced to be filling in his place for all upcoming live shows. On 7 April 2026, it was announced the band had parted ways with Danhage. Two days later, Platt was announced as a full-time member of the band.