Album Review // 2022-05-25

Evergrey

A Heartless Portrait: The Orphean Testament

Released: 2022-05-20

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Weightless was one of the first songs by this band I heard. I have it on my playlist. Looking at their discography, they have been around for quite some time. I heard they were putting out a new album and thought this would be the time to check more out from them. 

The band prefers to be making new material to keep things fun and interesting. Though they have lots of material started from the past that was never used, after their last album not so long ago, they made a decision together to get to it and make more material, after the pandemic ended their plans for touring.

They seem to be a humble group of people, doing what they love to do. They have had several lineup changes along the way, but the last four albums have been the same set of musicians.

The name of the band, Evergrey, just makes me think of a gloomy day or season that is never changing. Apparently, the band associated it with a period of time in their life where the years went by quickly, with not much effect, and they considered it a grey storm. They derived their name from this.

The title of the album, A Heartless Portrait: The Orphean Testament, has a great overarching theme of grief and loss, and how it can change a person. It seems in this story, Orpheus may have been able to avoid the grief, if he was willing to die, as his wife had, and join her in Hades. Instead, he decided to retrieve her, and stay alive. His plans didn't work out. Orpheus himself was associated with music. After the loss of his wife, he changed the format of his music. It presented in a much more sombre way; even Hades couldn't handle it.

My journey hearing this album started in the bath, because it was a place I could relax and truly listen. I went on to listen to it many times after, in my car and at home while I was active. Here is my overall take on this album.

Artwork

I really like artwork that has very little colours, yet still feels contrasted. This must be Orpheus depicted; he seems very determined to get that lantern. The piece has a beauty about it - a flowy, imaginative look that I like.

Mood

The mood recognizes the unhealthy relationships you have with yourself and others. It seems to want some help, but doesn't have the trust required. It might be the type of situation where a person asks for help, only to have others not understand the severity of the problem. Then the person retreats into their cave, like a bear in winter - but this winter is long. Considering the connection to Orpheus, I believe they have tied in the aspect of grief and the way it changes us. Though there seems to be lots of discussion about this band having dark lyrics and themes, I don't find this to be overly dark. I see it as more honest and sincere, which I have to appreciate.

Vocals

This guy can sing. He hits some highs and has great melodic components to his voice. He is very mellow. I can't help but sing along. This calm quality to his voice sways the music to be pretty easy listening. I think my mom could listen to some of this (she is not a fan of heavy music). My least favourite is the chanty stuff in Midwinter Calls, though I heard it involves voices of fans? Which is incredibly cool; apparently something they have done before, even on other songs on this album.

Music

Because it all fits together well, I think you can miss some details going on in this music. There really is lots of layers. My favourite parts are the guitar, which has a sorrowful nature to it, at times, and feels like it is telling a story instead of just doing the part in the song, as well as the keyboard, which just adds some whimsy and hopefulness. This is catchy stuff. I have listened to this probably five times, and even after just the first time, I had the songs in my head non-stop (every one of them).

Save Us

Makes me think of the way things seem so good outwardly, but then we are shocked to hear someone was struggling so hard behind the scenes. They were trying to live up to the story that was being told about them, not based on any truth. Now, they are finally reaching out for help, but things are desperate.

We were out of control
We got lost when we stopped to feel
Our inside's bleeding fear
Save us
Fell in love with a story
But its words were never about us
Now we're drowning in trenches
That we've been digging for ages

Hey! Save us!
Hey! Save us!

Midwinter Calls

This song highlights the effect everything has on something. Seems it has all added up, and the person just wants to crawl into their cave and escape. I get that.

Just listen
It's not the sunrise, it is the light it brings
And it's not the tears, it's how the sorrow sings
It's not the solitude, it is the emptiness
It's not the fear, it's how the blood rushes
It's not the fleeing, it is the leaving
And that my inside remains unchanged

I shut all doors to summer
Opening the vaults to fall
Closing my mind to all color
Midwinter calls
Home!

Ominous

I think this is about holding onto the impact of things. Yes, something may be over, but you are a changed person who is carrying more weight, now.

The fire's gone but I'm still burning
Life is long, I'll travel on
When I'm alone the heat is ominous

I will go on
My fire's still burning
To see new dawns
I'll carry on
I must believe
This heat will clear for me
And that he smoke will scatter

Call Out The Dark

I am not sure what it means to call out the darkness, but this does seem to be talking about actually not trusting anyone, and trying to work through something yourself. Not advisable, but again, I have found myself there.

I collide
I swim against the tide
With no one to rely on
You're safe when you're alone
'Cause when your own your own
The only thing you can trust is
Is that your inside
Is a place where you can stay

You call out the dark
We call out the dark
Call out the dark
We call out the dark

The Orphean Testament

This feels like an unexpected loss that is hard to work through. Orpheus lost his wife in the mythology, and it changed what the music he created sounded like. So, this is a great way to tie in the impact of grief.

I would travel through light-years to see
Just a glimpse of you again
So the sense of you remain
Heaven's wept tears of God's fell from stars
My words painted the skies in blue
My hymns of sorrow echoes for you
Shadows fell and changed all light
Misfortune of the serpent bite
Colored all we knew into night
The price of a glance unjust
Turns all we know to dust
Life ended right before us

I was caught in the ripples of a leaving light I must halt
'Cause when I found myself out of hope
I didn't know how to fall
I always thought I could rule it all
We never thought life could harm us
Beneath the ground and into the night
The ceaseless fall

Reawakening

This reminds of the feeling you get, like you just need to ____________, and then you will be in a better mental place. Then, you will have hope. Then, you will feel awake. How do you reawaken?

I'm picking up the pieces
Over the fields of crying
Are you offering me shelter?
And am I really this asleep?
Are you offering me a way to my soul?
My lack of understanding is life-long
I don't understand me

Dreaming
Reshape this fear to hope
Reawakening
To become what you have lost

The Great Unwashed

I think this is the realization that we aren't perfect. The acceptance of not doing things the right way. Could actually be playing with guilt here.

Make me innocent
Erase my ignorance
This world has changed me
I'm starving in my chase to be free
But I'm not innocent
No, I'm not innocent
I'm a fallen fortress
A heartless portrait

We are in on the lie
We got no place to go
Falling like leaves end of summer
Slowly withering
We are in on the lie
It got out of control
But we'll always unite
The great unwashed

Heartless

This is a recognition of losing a loving feeling for someone, recognizing that they really don't deserve you. You are struggling with your past decisions.

Untie my beliefs end
I'm tired of breathing you
Tired of dreaming
Of times that won't come true
So tired of feeling
I'm tired of feeling you
And all this time that I've lost
I've lost to you

I can't believe that
I stood by you for this long
I even knew the outcome, oh yeah
A heart finds treason
Less important than breaking
So when something's worth saving
It saves it

Blindfolded

Seems like there is a desire for change, freedom, release, but a huge uncertainty about how to do that; like if you were wearing a blindfold, but had to go a specific direction.

I need something to start feeling again
And something more to start believing in me
And this time that I'm weaving
I'll make sure all ends are meeting
I'll need it

It is a miracle to free yourself from chains
'Cause failure's imminent and life can't change to
Something more beautiful, even acceptable
We need to open up our eyes and leave the

Wildfires

Looking at a fire raging with lust for energy and motivation. You have lost it. You have no more to give.

If the sun fell down
And burnt us down to the ground
Would the wildfires remind me of
That my heart's worn out
And I'm all out of fire
And if that's all that life is
I don't want to do this

Playlist Picks

Overall, this is great easy-listening music. It is quite easy to just put on and get busy doing something, or put on if you're around someone that can't handle heavy music. But can it get old...? I think it can. I found myself wanting a little more life after listening in it's entirety. It gave me a desire to switch it up.

The Great Unwashed and Blindfolded will make it to my playlist, because they have enough dynamics to keep me interested, and emotion for me to make a connection.