Trials and Tribulations, Evan Ryan Canady’s second solo long-player, is an unashamedly metal album. There is no mistaking it; the raw, grating, dark, and doom-laden opening riff is clear evidence that we have entered that sonic territory. And why not?
But metal, like all genres, has to move with the times, test its own boundaries, and explore the creative space to its fullest, otherwise it gets stuck in a tailspin celebrating its own past. Knowing that, even before “Ouverture” has come to its conclusion, Evan has led us through more proggy, more orchestral, and more exciting realms. It makes for the perfect introduction, laying out a mixed and marvellous creative stall and hinting at what’s to come.
The title track, which follows, features some dark, neo-classical, piano-led passages before settling into a sound that is both reminiscent of the early nineties metal , a period when many of the big thrash bands of the day evolved into something more considered and creative. A taste of that sound is found running through the heart of this album.
“Ride the Wave” is both anthemic and dark; it features clever interludes and incidental passages that transition into more progressive rock and symphonic metal sounds. “Vikings” is both grand and groove-driven, and the final song, “Moments of Contention,” is a dark, delicate, and delicious ballad that slowly cocoons itself in rock-classical wash and orchestral metallic sweeps—an unexpected way to end this powerful album.
The clever thing about Trials and Tribulations is that it is doing lots of imaginative, new and creative things, mixing genres, subverting expectations, but never so much that existing metal fans, and those with broader rock taste too, will not be along for the ride. That’s the art, isn’t it, evolution rather than revolution!
