EVERGREY – Architects Of A New Weave (Album Review)

A symmetrical weave of sounds emerges.

Nothing answers the test of time as effectively as longevity, and now with 15 full-length studio albums under their collective belt and about as many lineup changes in a career spanning over three decades, it’s safe to say that Evergrey has made the cut of a seasoned veteran act.

Initially cutting their teeth in the same 90s power/progressive metal explosion that birthed such notable heavy-hitters as Symphony X and Vanishing Point, this Swedish mainstay has often enjoyed favorable comparisons to both aforementioned bands as well as the scene’s obvious forerunner Dream Theater, but these stylistic parallels only tell a small part of the story.

By their breakout third studio opus and debut with InsideOut Music In Search Of Truth, this quintet had carved a uniquely dark and somber auditory niche that featured most of the technical bells and whistles of a progressive approach, yet also a hook-centered songwriting approach that was a tad more accessible than most. Their latest LP, Architects Of A New Weave, bookends a 25-year run with a short interlude in the middle on a decidedly strong yet bittersweet note.

Though generally a pillar of stylistic consistency since the early 2000s, the band behind the sound has often found itself in a state of flux due to a revolving door in its rhythm section. Nevertheless, the core trio of lead vocalist/guitarist Tom S. Englund, keyboardist Rikard Zander, and virtuoso lead guitarist Henrik Danhage has largely endured since 2002 to keep the sonic ship on course through various bassists and drummers, of which Johan Niemann has become a long-term fixture of the fold, and newish drummer Simen Sandnes has seamlessly melded into the fold.

Indeed, the biggest hiccup in Evergrey’s output was a four-year hiatus on the part of Danhage that resulted in the subpar Glorious Collision album in 2011, which has now been sadly reprised with the recent second exodus of the famed shredder from the band, though thankfully not before committing his masterful riff and lick work to their tapestry of emotional depth one last time.

In every meaningful respect, the assembly of earworm anthems with a tall side order of intrigue that rounds out this opus stands as the perfect sendoff for one of its core contributors, striking a heavy chord beneath Englund’s dark and brooding baritone. Following a brief ambient prelude featuring a deep and booming narration in “Welcome To The Pattern”, the metallic grit and edge become palpable courtesy of pummeling riff machines like “The Shadow Self” and title entry “Architects Of The Weave”, exploiting the band’s signature yin and yang contrast of punchy guitars and explosive beats with a dense atmospheric foil from Zander to lay on the dynamic contrast all within the time length of a rock radio banger.

Similarly compact and climactic anthems like “Heaven” and “Chains Of Shame” go even heavier on the thrash-tinged riff work yet still maintain that inescapable chorus hook that commands crowd participation live, spearheaded by Tom’s husky yet soaring upper register. The more straightforward “Leaving The Emptiness” wants for little in the energy department as well, though it tones the progressive detailing down a fair bit for more of a power metal-oriented cooker.

That this collection of songs favors the more kinetic side of Evergrey’s signature style goes without saying, but as always, there is time made for more nuanced fare. The first sign of a mellower blend of rage and melancholy rears its head on the more expansive “The World Is On Fire”, which comes with some swifter moments and an obligatory solo master class out of Danhage, but it spends far more time in a more subdued and atmospheric place.

Things stick to a down tempo march with a somber edge on the heartfelt “The Script”, which also features one of the more crooning and poignant performances out of Englund, while the power ballads “Longing” and album closer “The Prophecy” really go hard on the dreamy atmospherics and tempers them with a forbidding yet more mixed up and nuanced riff assault when things go into heavier territory.

A slight gothic rock tinge crops up on the mid-paced fanfare of “A Burning Flame”, featuring the ocean-deep voice of Dark Tranquillity’s Mikael Stanne alongside Tom’s to really bring home the brooding darkness. But for those who are looking for a full-on plunge into progressive metal brilliance, “Call Off Your Lions” sees the whole band landing the closest to Dream Theater territory they have in over a decade.

Architects Of A New Weave stands tall among the albums that they’ve put forth with Danhage on lead guitar since his 2014 return to the fold. And given that his signature approach has long remained an integral part of this long-running progressive metal institution, the triumph of this fusion of down-tuned aggression and ethereal atmospheres lands with an especially bittersweet thud for anyone who joined the ride since 2001’s In Search Of Truth.

Those who have caught them live over the past year have already been acquainted with the surgical skill of live turned permanent lead guitarist Stephen Platt, who functions as a fitting replacement for Danhage, but this ultimately marks the end of an era, and does so on an extremely high note, for what it’s worth.

Release Date: June 5th, 2026
Record Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Progressive Metal

Musicians:

• Tom S. Englund / Vocals, guitars
• Johan Niemann / Bass, backing vocals
• Henrik Danhage / Guitar, backing vocals
• Simen Sandnes / Drums
• Rikard Zander / Keyboards

Architects Of A New Weave Track-list:

1. Welcome To The Pattern
2. The Shadow Self
3. Architects Of The New Weave
4. The World Is On Fire
5. Heaven
6. The Script
7. Leaving The Emptiness
8. Longing
9. A Burning Flame
10. Call Off Your Lions
11. Chains Of Shame
12. The Prophecy

Order the album here.