Evermore - Court of the Tyrant King Review

Here we’ve got a Power Metal band that obliterates everything I say about Power Metal bands being totally predictable. First of all, I’ve ran into an Evermore once in my life but I can’t tell if this is the one. I can’t recall if they were Power Metal. My guess is that they weren’t. Whatever. I can’t even recall where I know them from. Maybe, just maybe I heard it from one of the compilations I keep saying all the time. In fact, those compilations were a stapler in my life. Ok, then, so let’s go to “Court of the Tyrant King,” shall we?

I’ll list here the things that I found unexpected in the album and the things found predictable. For starters, the unexpected.

The epic intro “Hero’s Journey” that leads to the fast paced “Call of the Wild” which is the essence of Power Metal which is to be fast as hell double bass drumming with fast as hell guitars and melodic and epic vocals sweating emotion from each pore. Ok, it’s a surprise to be here as unexpected but experience has told me that bands have confused a little what Power Metal is all about. It’s not only the tales, the dragons, the fairies, and the magic. It’s the power and the glory of Metal!

Tittle track “Court of the Tyrant King’s” showcases two female voices that aren’t the expected opera or classical music singing. They are regular, sweet enough to bring a break to the song that goes fast as hell. The contrast as a break gives the song the unexpected because they come up when nobody thinks they’ll be there for us. Then near the end of the song comes the guitar with some delay and ethereal effects. A thing that Power Metal doesn’t regularly use. Add to that a very pleasant chorus. Johan Haraldsson vocals value all the efforts the band made here. It’s not groundbreaking, but it works just fine.

Sixth track “See No Evil” as the ballad that would be but it’s not. The song starts as a slower theme with some piano and some classical features. Ok, that’s pretty much expected but then the song takes another road getting the way as if it were a modern version “Keeper of the Seven Keys” with the same epic effect and the not tamed emotion. Vocals here do magic. I guess that this comparison pretty much sums up everything.

As general features of the album I’ll highlight the guitars that are always melodic, but not sugared looking for different sonancies as aforementioned. Guitarist Johan Karlsson’s effort is to bring each track a different sound to his guitar. That values a lot the song and the outcome of the album. Besides all that the well-built guitar solos which take the songs to another level. The man isn’t a magician, but he knows how to use everything he’s got and that’s very much appreciated. Also Johan Haraldsson vocals for its melody and a la Helloween performance. It brings the fan back to the good old times when Power Metal was respected and valued. Not for its excesses and flamboyant attitude. Power Metal isn’t Hair Metal.

Ok, that all said I guess there’s no place for the expected. Thank you!

P.S.: By the way, now that I heard all the album and read the press release I’m sure this isn’t the Evermore I knew.

Evermore “Court of the Tyrant King” will be released on September 23rd via Scarlet Records.

Track Listing: