[1] It is a concept album, and contains one song divided into twelve parts and is noted for its darker mood and more progressive style.

The album is notable for its darker mood and mixture of progressive rock and metal with hints of industrial, classical, and psychedelia.

Then-former Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera and former Dream Theater keyboard player Kevin Moore were recruited to complete the recording lineup of Matheos, Alder, and Zonder.

"[2] In 2007 the album was re-released by Metal Blade Europe with a bonus DVD of the Pleasant Shade of Gray Live video, previously only on VHS.

[7] However, AllMusic panned the album, criticizing "the guitar riffs and melodic hooks [as] simply not that memorable, requiring way too many listens before leaving any lasting impressions and overshadowing the band's remarkable musicianship [...] All told, A Pleasant Shade of Gray is a challenging listen and not for the faint of heart.