Evergrey has a very special meaning to me. When we created metalreviews.com back in December 1999 with my brother, we contacted many labels for promos and one of the first discovery we made in early 2000 via these promos was ... Evergrey (Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy).

It is impossible to compare Evergrey's music with another band as these Swedish musicians have created their own atmosphere, their own sound on Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy. Evergrey continue to evolve album after album and The Inner Circle regroup all the talent of the band discovered previously in Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy, Search Of The Truth (2001) and Recreation Day (2003). This long awaited fifth album is once again ... a real success and will please their most intolerably demanding fans (who said me?).

The production is top-notch and the crystal clear sound is better than ever. The voice of Tom Englund is again amazing, delivering all kinds of (new) emotions and reminding me sometimes David Coverdale (In The Wake Of The Weary). Evergrey's sound is constructed on "hammering" guitar riffs joint with the bass/drums rhythm. Melodies are developed around the above-mentioned structure, combined with accelerated parts and atmospheric breaks, highlighting a matured song-writing. The inclusion of the Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra and Carina Englund - for the female vocals - generate innovative emotions : between soft, heavy, classic, progressive, atmospheric, quiet and peaceful moments, Evergrey's music touches directly the soul and the heart of the listener.

The Inner Circle is a concept album dealing with religions and humans (manipulation?) where good and evil play their roles. I let you discover the full story your own way ... as lyrics have different meanings for each of us. I can however invite you to immerse yourself in the lyrics and the magic of the concept album will operate on you. The mood of the album is less "depressive" (except the last track) and a kind of a "canalized hope" delivers the message. For example, the opener - A Touch Of Blessing - oscillates with genius between anger, suffer and hope. The vocals combined with the keyboards and the guitar solos carry these emotions and through out the first fourth tracks, Evergrey supply their best ever music.

Unfortunately (yes!) the first ballad - Waking Up Blind, fifth track - is a step back compare to the other songs and the track closing officially the album - When The Walls Go Down - is a bit strange : no singing, just spoken words as the music goes on (this voice appears on The Essence Of Conviction, Faith Restored and at the beginning of Ambassador). Apart these two aliens tracks, the rest of The Inner Circle is very enjoyable, even though the power of the music is softer compare to their previous albums. Actually, it is softer but at the same time more "spectacular" considering the presence of the orchestra ...

Due to these spoken words used here and there, I could "compare" this album to Operation Mindcrime (concept album, manipulation, etc) but we are living another century, another time. The balance used for the arrangement, the top-notch production (especially the drums of the new member, Jonas Ekdahl), the female vocals, Tom Englund voice and the string of the orchestra are the big winners. The constancy of the good tracks doesn't help me for the choice of the best killing tracks ... but I would mention the great opener A Touch Of Blessing, the pounding beat Ambassador, the faster and complex In the Wake Of The Weary and More Than Ever as being my favorite songs.

Evergrey is on tour right now in the U.S. with Iced Earth and Children of Bodom. Lucky American metal fans ;)

The limited edition contains three bonus tracks (Evergrey Live And Acoustic In France).