Evergrey's 'Architects of a New Weave' - Album Review

I am not sure that too many bands over the past decade or so have been as prolific as the Swedish progressive/power metal act Evergrey. Between 2014 and 2024, during which the band's longest-standing line-up of frontman Tom S. Englund, guitarist Henrik Danhage, bassist Johan Niemann, keyboard player Rikard Zander, and drummer Jonas Ekdahl operated, Evergrey released six studio albums: from 2014's Hymns for the Broken (which I reviewed here) to 2024's Theories of Emptiness (which I also reviewed here). A new Evergrey album generally has dropped every couple of years, or even in consecutive years, of late - and much of the band's strongest work has come during this era. Looking at the band's live setlists in recent years, and I have ben lucky enough to see them a few times during this period, very few songs from the eight albums released before this recent run have been included - so it is clear that Evergrey really consider that their best material has come more recently. I would, largely, agree. I am certainly more familiar with the band's more recent work - but I do find some of the band's older albums to be on the patchy side, despite plenty of excellence to be found. There has been plenty of variety of late in the band's catalogue, too. The first three albums of the six-album run felt like a genuine trilogy - with influences as diverse and Anathema and Gojira bolstering the band's core gothic-tinged progressive/power metal sound. The two albums that followed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic felt warmer and more old-school in nature - harking back somewhat to the band's older albums, as well as their progressive and power metal influences. Theories of Emptiness, the final album of the run, was perhaps the odd one out - with a shorter run time and a more condensed, heavy sound seeing the band feeling much more metallic. It also turned out to be the end of an era - as it was the last album to feature both Ekdahl and Danhage. Ekdahl had left the band before the album came out, and Danhage stopped playing live with Evergrey last year - only to be officially replaced earlier this year. I was sad when both Ekdahl and Danhage left. They had both been veterans of the band prior to their 2014 return - having previously left in 2010 after serving since 2003 and 2000 respectively. It was initially hinted that Ekdahl would still work with the band in a production capacity, but that has not transpired to be the case - and it seems Danhage just stopped turning up. This is a real shame, but it makes fifteenth album Architects of a New Weave an interesting and exciting prospect. Englund, Niemann, and Zander return - with drummer Simen Sandnes (Shining; Temic) making his studio debut with the band here. Stephen Platt (Collibus; Ghost Keeper; Devin Townsend; Scar Symmetry) has since replaced Danhage, but he did not contribute to this latest album - making Architects of a New Weave something of a transitional album, as well as the band's first album as a four-piece since 1999's Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy. The album feels a bit different, too, in the sense that around half of the material was written by the band as a whole; with the other half written by Englund and his Silent Skies/Redemption bandmate Vikram Shankar - who also produced the album. With only one guitarist in the band, too, lead guitar duties are split between Englund and Niemann - with the latter impressing with some shredded solos. It may follow only two years after Theories Of Emptiness, but Architects of a New Weave is very much a new-look Evergrey - and likely a prequel to the next era.

Sound-wise, the album is very much typical of the band's core approach - but it pulls back on some of the overt heaviness of the last album, instead returning to the warmer sound of the two albums before it. In truth, there is a bit of every Evergrey era here - but the melodies are very strong. Englund is as good as ever vocally, but it is perhaps Zander's playing that stands out the most. Perhaps the lack of two guitarists during the creative process allowed his playing to feature more - and keyboard melodies feel much more prevalent this time. Opening with a spoken word piece, Welcome to the Pattern is a short, dark number with dramatic narration and dense strings. I do not recall the band doing something like this before - but it works well, and it segues nicely into The Shadow Self. A grinding, heavy riff kicks off The Shadow Self, reminiscent of the groovier approach of the aforementioned trilogy of the previous era - but dense keyboard textures add depth. There is a great mix of big guitar riffing and keyboard tones throughout this album, and The Shadow Self is a good example of such. The heaviness of the verses come from the guitars, whilst Englund sings with a real urgency and Sandnes immediately showcases his talent with a shuffling double bass drum groove, but there is a dynamic approach taken - with slower, piano-led pre-choruses and a soaring chorus that pushes the keyboards to the fore, both shimmering atmosphere and piano hooks. Subtle harmony vocals really make the latter half of the chorus pop melody-wise - and it feels pretty anthemic overall, whilst retaining the band's core darkness. Englund and Niemann later trade guitar solos, too, and the song feels like a perfect album opener - and a song that is likely to become a live favourite. The title track follows, opening with a strident mid-paced guitar pattern, underpinned by a warm synth melody and hard-hitting, groovy drum pattern. Some of the heaviness of the opening track is reined in here, with a much more atmospheric approach taken throughout - despite tough guitar rhythms and some double bass drumming. Snappy riffs act as links between song sections, but Zander's keyboards perhaps dominate during the verses - despite a pulsing rhythm and Englund's emotive vocals. The later chorus also feels quite anthemic, with Englund backed by some subtle gang vocals and a hypnotic synth melody to create something of a shout-along moment. Evergrey never really go for a full-on anthemic approach, but both choruses so far have felt full-bodied and hooky - and it is clear that this album is prioritising hooks. The chorus just continues to repeat as the song fades out - and this melody is one that really sticks in the brain long after the album has come to a close. The World Is on Fire returns more to the groovy vibe of the The Shadow Self, with a juddering main riff that recalls those occasional Gojira influences that have infiltrated the band's sound of late - whilst the verses here feel somewhat off-kilter, with progressive grooves, stop-start riffing, and vocal melodies that do not always follow traditional patterns. Following two somewhat more anthemic pieces, this song feels a little different and takes a few listens to fully appreciate. The riffing really grabs hold, though, given its undulating patterns, but the vocal melodies take time to bed in - even if the chorus takes a smoother approach thanks to some prominent synth atmospherics. The chorus feels like a bit of a contrast to everything else, but the combination works well - and is typical of Evergrey's approach of late.

Heaven picks up the pace, bursting out of the gate with a fast-paced, tougher power metal riff that is backed by some old-school stop-start double bass drumming from Sandnes. There is little of the band's modern, groovier approach here - with the song instead harking back to the band's older work somewhat. The arrangement is a bit more straight forward, then, going for that darker, gothic-tinged power metal sound that made Evergrey famous in the first place - whilst injecting a sense of pace and urgency. Englund sounds a little grittier here vocally, especially during the verses, whilst the riffing throughout is fast-paced and kinetic. Even the chorus, which does slow down somewhat compared to the verses, still feels pretty energetic - with something of a pace retained early on, even if the latter half of the chorus is more anthemic and mid-paced thanks to some more shout-along melodies. Guitar-wise, things are a bit more overtly melodic, too, with some twin guitar leads at times, a flashy melody sitting beneath the chorus, as well as another excellent solo trade-off between Englund and Niemann. The Script feels like it is going to be another pretty heavy track, given that it opens with a barrelling, juddering heavy guitar riff - but the song overall is much more dynamic overall. There are strong ballad-esque strains during the slow-moving and emotive song, but it never feels like a true ballad due to some heavier moments - even if Zander's piano does a lot of heavy lifting and Niemann's bass cuts through the mix quite a lot. There is a dense and emotive tone throughout the while piece. Englund, perhaps given the relative lack of heaviness, really dominates vocally - his trademark, deeper vocal delivery sounding as powerful as ever. Zander also does a lot of good work here, with piano melodies and hypnotic synth leads largely providing the main hooks - with occasional heavy guitar riffing to provide overall accents. A big guitar solo would have been welcome, but this is not really a song for the guitarists. Leaving the Emptiness ups the pace, and it is one of those somewhat rare songs that Evergrey write that feels surprisingly upbeat. The band are known for their emotive and quite downbeat vibe, but occasionally they put something together with a bit of a bounce to it - and this song is one such example. The main guitar and synth riffs early on are pretty energetic, whilst the cinematic expanse of the verses, thanks to some snappy drumming, keeps the energy levels high. Niemann's bass playing drives the verses nicely, whilst the keyboards shimmer away in the background, but the intro melodies later form the basis of a hooky and power metal-tinged chorus - with lots of strong Englund vocal hooks. Both Niemann and Englund later solo, too, with Zander also joining in - doubling up some of their melodies to really boost that power metal vibe. Longing returns to a much more dense sound following the relative bombast of the previous song - with subtle drum programming and synths the only backing for Englund's vocals early on. Following The Script giving ballad vibes, Longing is a true ballad - with little heaviness, even as the song progresses. Spacey synth melodies and rumbling bass playing dominates the song - whilst subtle guitar melodies and proper drumming do join in later on, with the overall arrangement and percussive nature of the piece reminding me somewhat of U2 of all bands. Some later chorus renditions do feel a little heavier, and there is a riffy bridge section later on - but Englund's guitar solo soars, keeping the song's emotive nature locked in.

A Burning Flame ups the pace again, and is another song that feels a little more upbeat than is often the case for Evergrey - at least early on. The main riff, again backed by synth leads, is pretty infectious - although the verses that follow are a bit more stripped back with a big bass presence and a lack of real heaviness. Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity; Grand Cadaver; The Halo Effect; Cemetery Skyline) is featured on the song, but in truth I am not 100% sure what he does here. I think he adds some harmonies to the chorus and perhaps sings part of the second verse - but his contributions do not really stand out, which is a shame as he is a dynamic vocalist. Perhaps utilising his harsh vocals a little might have helped him stand out more - but this is a more overtly melodic song so that may not have worked. Despite this, there are hooks during the chorus - and a lengthy Englund shredded solo adds a lot to the song overall. Call Off Your Lions is more typical of the core Evergrey sound, although it perhaps lacks some of the core heaviness - instead going for a slower-burning gothic sound, with tougher riffing a little more in the background and big keyboard textures. The verses do grind along in a groovy manner, but the guitar riffing is a little more muted than it sometimes is - whilst the chorus, packed with emotion, feels like something of a lighters in the air moment despite the song not feeling like a ballad. There is a tough yet emotive feel here that is very much representative of that core sound Evergrey have channelled since the beginning - and the song sticks in the brain thanks to this vibe and some easy on the ear melodies. Zander gets a chance to solo here, too, his warm, retro synths giving a strong prog vibe to the piece. Chains of Shame picks the pace back up again, with another groovy riff kicking things off - which is very reminiscent of the band's last era. The riffing is quite fast-moving, though, so there is a strong energy here despite a groovy approach. The verses do slow the pace a little, with snaking bass playing and guitars crashing in and out continuing the groove - but the chorus feels energetic thanks to big keyboard stabs and an urgent Englund vocal. Clean guitar melodies later do something a bit different, creating a warm bridge section alongside a plodding rhythm and shimmering synths, before the core heaviness returns and the song speeds away to a tight finish. The album then comes to a close with the big-sounding The Prophecy. Opening with a rendition of the song's chorus, the slow-moving, yet fairly epic, piece is another with ballad-esque vibes without ever truly feeling like such. That being said, some of the album's most stripped back moments appear here, with Englund at times singing just against Zander's piano, but there is enough toughness here thanks to some doomy riffs and a dense arrangement to ensure that the song feels big and cinematic. Strings and other keyboard textures are often used elsewhere to aid this big sound - whilst crushing riffing adds to the doomy feeling, particularly during later chorus renditions. Melody-wise, the song is not one of the hookiest on the album - but it does go for a huge scope that reminds me of album closers past. It is a song that definitely takes a few listens to fully appreciate, and I do feel that it is another piece that would have benefitted from a truly soaring guitar solo, but I do like the way that the sombre, doomy piece closes out the album with a mix of dense piano and tough guitar riffing - even if there are stronger songs elsewhere. Overall, then, Architects of a New Weave sees Evergrey continue to do what they do best - despite the long-standing previous era having now ended. The line-up changes have not impacted the overall quality of the material, and I like that this album channels a few different vibes from the band's past. It will be interesting to see what Platt brings going forward, but this transitional album is another strong effort - and one that will likely really work live.

The album was released on 5th June 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Leaving the Emptiness.