After the Burial - Evergreen (2019)

Sumerian Records, April 19, 2019

Tracklist

1. Behold the Crown

2. Exit, Exist

3. 11/26

4. In Flux

5. Respire

6. Quicksand
7. The Great Repeat

8. To Challenge Existence

9. A Pulse Exchanged

After the Burial's Evergreen is the band's fifth release on Sumerian Records and their first with current bassist Adrian Oropeza. The band has gone through some hardships especially with the tragic loss of rhythm guitarist Justin Lowe, but have remained a key presence in the progressive metalcore scene throughout their existence. Like their previous two albums Wolves Within and Dig Deep, Evergreen is nine tracks long and has a runtime of approximately forty minutes. The group's Meshuggah influence and Trent Halfdahl's technical skill on the guitar is evident and listeners know to expect from an After the Burial album. The opening track and early single, "Behold the Crown", is dominated by pitch harmonics and a single catchy riff pattern, not unlike "Lost in the Static" from 2016's Dig Deep. However, it's the three tracks in the middle that prove to be Evergreen's most interesting moments. "In Flux" is the album's longest track at six minutes long and is one of its best. This song is both impressive in its complex riffs and composition and provides Evergreen with some needed dynamics, ending with a two-minute ambient instrumental section that leads directly into "Respire". "Quicksand" closes and opens with a similarly ambient section, and follows a slower, more ominous pace. It's got a darker undertone to it and builds nicely. "Respire" bookends these two tracks that have ambient sections, and is a more straightforward song that really stands out for its melodic guitar solo and riffs.

Evergreen is a solid technical metal album that doesn't have many issues with it. The drawbacks mainly come down to a lack of variety. Though a couple of tracks change up the pacing or atmosphere slightly, some variation in the vocals or additional dynamics would help the individual tracks stand out more on their own. I also would have liked to hear a track with buildup and release like "Disconnect" in the mix. Overall, while Wolves Within is still my favorite from this band, Evergreen is a very solid release from a band that remains consistent in their output, and earns a score of 8/10.