The US / EU are world-renowned for their outstanding selection of Progressive and Power Metal bands; BLIND GUARDIAN, NEVERMORE and THEOCRACY to name a few. South Carolina's EVERTHRONE are a Prog Power band growing in popularity, and their debut full-length, "Evil Tongues" is an eclectic mix of elements typical of Progressive Power Metal, but also ingeniously incorporates synth melodies and arrangements not so different to those found in AMARANTHE.

Even the intro track is no small matter to gloss over; intelligently composed, the melodic progressions are beautiful and contain mystery and majesty, and sound a special kind of fantastical. Opening track "Remnants" carries on from this melodic majesty, translated into a Heavy Metal epic, borrowing from the notebooks of AMORPHIS and CIRCUS MAXIMUS. Another thing of note is the thought put into construction of riffs, which are in their own right masterful and thoughtfully technical. "I Am Usurper" begins like a conventional power metal track, but we are soon met with vicious and vitriolic harsh vocals uttered by Russell Plyler. The man has already proven himself to be a highly proficient singer - wise and wizard-like are the best words I can use - so I was pleasantly surprised to hear such a powerful growling performance.

"Euphoria" stands out as an anthem-like track on this record, with wide-reaching melodic ranges and grandiose-sounding arrangements filled to the brim with symphonic atmospherics. Some extremely impressive vocal work is yet again found here, with Plyler making smart use of his wide note range; the symphonic tracking at the very least enhancing his power. However, by now I'm noticing somewhat of a lack of lead guitar work; the band concentrating on atmospherics, vocal and riff construction. I feel as if just a little more use of lead guitar could add to what is already an amazing mix. My favourite track on the record, "Gilded Throat" begins with a sombre piano melody that is fleshed out by an earth-moving series of syncopated, fast chugs that pave out the road for a steamrolling, powerful backbone riff overlaid with a return to the grandiose symphonic tracking. The track gets even better with the boiling and blistering guitar solo which is both technical and soulful.

I feel like the only criticism I could make about this record is a lacking lead-guitar presence. Everything else is there. In fact, the vocals are my favourite part about this band; unique, regal and kingly, for want of a better adjective. If Gandalf were in a Power Metal band, this would be it. Nonetheless, the band's collective talent for Metallic songwriting is stellar and still holds, I feel, vast potential.