Evocation - Illusions of Grandeur
1991-1993, 2005-present is an unusual active timeline for any group. For those unfamiliar with the story, Sweden’s Evocation put out two amazing demos in ‘91 and ‘92. Filthy, brutal, and understandably drenched in what would come to be known as the Sunlight sound, these recordings were on par with the likes of scene contemporaries Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Unleashed, etc. However, just as it seemed this young band was poised for Boss-Heavy-Metal-pedal greatness, they split and vanished into thin air. But 11 years later, when Breath of Night Records contacted the band about reissuing the now-classic demos, the creative juices began to flow again and the reunited group has been on a tear ever since. While recent solid offerings such as 2008’s Dead Calm Chaos and 2010’s Apocalyptic have inarguably sounded more Gothenburg than Stockholm, they’ve opened up an entirely new chapter altogether with Illusions of Grandeur. There really is no way to sugar-coat it, folks. Album #5 sounds so much like Amon Amarth it’s borderline comical. I’m not talking about a slight influence here and there, I’m talking about a carbon-copy clone. Tracks like “Well of Despair,” “Divide and Conquer,” “Metus Odium,” and “Crimson Skies” could easily pass for lost songs from Surtur Rising with a different singer! Some of that Gothenburg fury is still present (see the At the Gates-fueled “Perception of Reality” and “I’ll Be Your Suicide”), but just to alleviate any possible doubt about the band’s intentions, Johan Hegg himself drops by to lend his pipes on standout cut “Into Submission,” which —like the whole album, really— is derivative of his band to the point of plagiarism. I can’t help but find this move puzzling. How often does a well-established band flip a bitch mid-career and begin sounding identical to another well-established band? I guess from a business standpoint it makes sense given Amon Amarth’s success, and truthfully Evocation convincingly pulls off the impersonation to a tee, but it still leaves me wondering who the real Evocation is? Are their hearts even in it, or are they merely a mirror image of what sells at the time? Tough to assign a rating, as the material itself is undeniably enjoyable, but the total lack of originality and sincerity leaves a bit of a bitter taste. The odd ride continues. Wonder who they’ll sound like next.
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