Originally written by Chris Chellis.
If collaborating with a pop producer resulted in anything, it was a greater attention to catchy choruses. Monday Morning Apocalypse is so full of catchy choruses that I can’t help but proclaim it as one of Evergrey’s finest, right next to Recreation Day in replay value. Tom Englund is one of metal’s finest modern vocalists. His ability to ride a melody at just the right time should be unquestioned by all and it’s on full display here. You’ll find yourself singing along in no time. Whether you’re comfortable with that is something you should ask yourself before you decide to buy this release, because you really should be prepared to handle the involuntary desire to belt out random Monday Morning Apocalypse choruses at any given moment, whether it’s in front of your boss or within the safe confines of your sparsely lit home. Englund’s talents have been allowed to breathe and take shape in a way that listeners have not been exposed to yet, and the band has finally figured out that while his voice does sound great in and of itself, it needs similarly passionate accompaniment. With past releases Evergrey has allowed the instruments to speak for the band in isolated moments but Englund dominates this bitch like Bobby Brown on Whitney Houston. The thrashy, heavier parts remain an integral part of the Evergrey sound, but Englund injects a considerable amount of catchiness to the mix and it seems the riffs follow suit. The guitar crunch found in “More Than Ever” was apparently either a voluntary or involuntary influence on this release, because I hear it on a considerable amount of songs, which is fine by me because that particular song is one of my favorites. Remove the softer, more limp ballads from The Inner Circle, up the crunchiness of the guitar tone, and breed a few killer choruses from a love match of the last two albums and you’ve arrived at the very chemical formula that decides the sound of this album. More experimental songs like “In Remembrance” that play with tempo and start/stop theatrics work just as effectively as more traditional and predictable, given the band’s library, songs like “Unspeakable.” In fact, one of the album’s stronger tracks is “Still in the Water,” a song that deviates from the Evergrey norm because it experiments with an even crunchier guitar tone. What really propels Monday Morning Apocalypse and gives it a discernible identity though is the fact that it’s recognizably Evergrey but exists as a certain progression from The Inner Circle. It is catchier where The Inner Circle was not as easily digested and yet still retains the depth and replay value of Recreation Day. While it might take some warming up to for some fans after the slight disappointment of the previous release, it’s only a matter of time before the more frigid see the light. Considering the impressive debut number the live Evergrey DVD arrived at upon its release, I suspect Monday Morning Apocalypse will reach an even more impressive number and with good reason. The band now encapsulates the catchiness needed for a mainstream and publicly recognized effort all while maintaining a prog meets thrash aesthetic. It doesn’t hurt that Englund’s voice is so commanding, either. If you were disappointed by The Inner Circle but loved Recreation Day, I should think you would find comfort in this release. To those predicting a sell-out, cynical asses that you are…look elsewhere. While the band sounds catchier than ever, the thrashtastic riffs, faster songs, and testosterone pumping through my speakers right now as I play “Still in the Water” tells me that you are all a bunch of raving lunatics too quick to pick up your pitchforks.
