Evergrey, Gothenburg’s pioneering masters of darkness, have unveiled a new official video for “Cold Dreams” from their upcoming fourteenth studio album, “Theories of Emptiness”, set for release this Friday, 7th June via Napalm Records.
This sonic majesty cut from the new album showcases an out-of-this-world vocal performance by band leader and vocalist Tom Englund, alongside a guest appearance by Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) and Englund’s daughter, Salina – contributing lush backing vocals that enhance the song’s dynamics and highlighting another intense facet of the album.
Tom Englund says about “Cold Dreams”: “Is probably the darkest piece of music on Theories of Emptiness. Its somber power is quite overwhelming. It’s a composition that honestly leaves me feeling a bit uneasy. To have Jonas Renkse of Katatonia singing words describing fates that we both encountered makes it even more special and intriguing. Jonas’ unique voice of sadness spreads like a disease and to hear him growl, again, is just fucking great!“
“To balance the darkness, we decided to bring in some angelic qualities, and at the time of composing, I couldn’t imagine anything more suiting than my daughter Salina Englund‘s voice. We cannot wait to hear what you feel after these 6 minutes and 46 seconds of soul searching. Enjoy!”
Pre-order “Theories of Emptiness” HERE.
Guided by unmistakable founder, singer, and guitarist Tom S. Englund, Evergrey has maintained a remarkable consistency, hitting the biggest festivals worldwide, such as Wacken Open Air, Bloodstock, Summer Breeze, and Graspop, and throughout thirteen studio albums. Each of these – blending dark, emotive themes with complex progressive elements and melodic heavy metal – has earned them a reputation as pioneers of the genre and secured their timeless mark on metal.
“Theories of Emptiness” was produced by Tom S. Englund and Jonas Ekdahl, and was mixed by Adam “Nolly” Getgood (ex-Periphery), who worked closely with the band from the start – bringing out the vividness of the album’s overall sonic profile. Rounding out the album’s production, mastering was helmed by Thomas “Plec” Johansson (Soilwork, The Night Flight Orchestra, Onslaught, The Gems, Eleine, and many more).
“For us, progression is paramount”, states Tom S. Englund when discussing the eleven-track effort. “We’re dedicated to ensuring that our music remains innovative and avoids stagnation. With each album, we strive to introduce something new — a unique flavor, a different key or chord, fresh voices in our writing, or innovative production techniques.”
“Our new album is soon to be yours! We can’t wait for that to happen, there are so many new and refreshing elements on it as well as respect paid to every part of our past. We have just refined what we always have done and tried to make it as contemporary as we possibly could to please ourselves and our sonic expectations. With the presence of Adam ”Nolly” Getgood, we felt fired up, hungry, and eager to do our utmost to ensure that we would write the best songs we possibly could – I really feel we have achieved that. Sound quality wise we feel that it is on par with the best the world has to offer today. It is a brave statement that I will stand behind for the rest of my life. Taking Evergrey into a new cycle feels just as when I did it the first time. We are more motivated than ever, and with a lot of touring to be announced very soon, we cannot wait to come and play this new music for you,” he adds.
“Finally, we need to mention that we couldn’t be prouder to announce our guest vocalist for this album. Jonas Renkse has graced Katatonia’s music with his unique atmosphere for decades. Now we in the band and the fans of Evergrey get to experience the same and we couldn’t be more excited! You might even get to hear Jonas growl for maybe the first time in many years…”
