They released their last album in 2021, and now Swedish prog metallers Evergrey have steamrolled their way into another, their 13th record A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament). Founding member Tom S Englund tells Prog why the band can’t stop writing – and how the state of the world around him is providing fresh inspiration.

Words: Chris Cope

Tom S Englund can’t turn a blind eye to the state of the world.

Images: Patric Ullaeus

Evergrey’s Tom S Englund needs help from our old friend the internet when Prog talks up his band’s prolificacy, which has resulted in three studio albums in as many years.

“I think it should be… three albums in five years? I don’t know…” he replies, somewhat muddled, before investigating further on his computer.

“Oh, and we released a live album this year [Before The Aftermath (Live In Gothenburg)] –I forgot about that. [There was a studio album] in 2019, 2021 [and now 2022]… yeah, you’re right. Wow, that’s insane.”

It’s fair to say the Swedish progressive metal band have certainly not been twiddling thumbs in recent years. Vocalist and guitarist Englund is speaking ahead of the release of their latest album, A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament), their 13th since forming in the mid-1990s. The quintet have released so much music recently that it’s little wonder Englund needs a reminder of their discography. Last year, with the pandemic halting touring, the band diverted their attention to the well-received Escape Of The Phoenix, which was preceded by The Atlantic in 2019.