IN SEARCH OF TRUTH

Evergrey brings a somewhat darker twist to progressive metal, fusing the dark prog of bands like Pain Of Salvation with the nasty metallic crunch and drive of power metal. The result is centered in a decidedly gloomier part of the sonic spectrum than Dream Theater and their many followers, with an edgy modern intensity that wasn't prevalent in the influences of DT. To Evergrey's great credit, however, "In Search Of Truth" isn't overpoweringly bleak. It's melodic and energetic enough to appeal to a broad portion of the prog-metal spectrum, with strong vocals and grand, pomped-up keyboard atmosphere atop its dark guitar foundation. The resulting sound is forceful and relatively accessible, just without the sense of light that DT (especially James LaBrie's soaring voice) and similar bands often bring to their songs.

Although the songwriting on "In Search Of Truth" is less outstanding than Evergrey's overall sound, it is more than solid enough to support the band's tough take on prog-metal. Their songs are often 6-minute mood pieces with ominous hues, and they aren't always instantly memorable. Nonetheless, fans of dark prog will have no trouble feeling the substance and power of dramatic, multi-textured highlights like "Watching The Skies" and "Misled."

There's nothing evil about "In Search Of Truth," nothing deathy in the death-metal sense. There's just a grey-stone sense of foreboding and very little light, all executed with admirable proficiency. It's not for everyone, but for fans of that kind of darkness in music --from darker Queensryche to Pain Of Salvation and beyond-- it is well worth checking out.