Nevermore
Original post
Posted by Unknown user, 17.05.2006 - 10:54
The follow-up "In Memory" EP (1996) and the second album "The Politics Of Ecstasy" (1996) displayed NEVERMORE on their quest for their very own, unmistakable sound. The band experimented with a whole lot of influences from various styles and impressed with a great degree of highly-technical finesse that never endangered the catchiness of the songs. Still, NEVERMORE never wrote songs that easily stuck in your head, even though they're nowhere near as complicated as an Ikea construction manual, resulting in listeners giving their albums four or five runs before the variety of each song becomes obvious.
After "The Politics Of Ecstasy" the band parted ways with their second guitarist Pat O'Brien (now in Cannibal Corpse) and it took them almost a year until they found former Forbidden-member Tim Calvert to fill the vacant spot. With this line-up they recorded the masterly "Dreaming Neon Black" (1999) which showed the perfect balance between all the different components of the NEVERMORE sound. There were small, complex mini-dramas as well as super-tight thrashers and quiet, emotional tunes opposed to angry noise eruptions. NEVERMORE managed to create an album equipped with numerous non-metal trademarks which sound appealing to the usually very sensitively reacting true metal community. Or maybe it was still metal enough that it could not even upset the die-hard purists? Anyway, it is a matter of fact that the career of our five heroes just went straight up. Seemingly endless, but still extremely successful tours followed the release, the US was toured not less than four times, Europe was frequently visited (with LeFay - now Morgana Lefay again -, Sacred Steel, Nocturnal Rites) and they even stopped in Australia for a number of shows. After all, guitarist Tim Calvert decided to leave the band in early 2000 to focus on non-musical activities. The remaining band members decided to carry on as a four-piece and did not hesitate to start recording their fourth album "Dead Heart In A Dead World (2000)". For the first time not Neil Kernon but Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Testament, Skinlab, Napalm Death, Stuck Mojo) worked the knobs and moved especially Loomis "skin-flaying" guitar play to the production's forefront. Again tireless world touring followed and turned songs like "Narcosynthesis" and "Inside Four Walls" into anthemic fan favorites. German Rock Hard magazine stated fittingly: "This is the masterpiece of one of the most talented bands in present time".
2003's Enemies Of Reality received similar praise: "must have album of the year" said Outburn Magazine, Guitar One called NEVERMORE's newest songs "opuses that often reach dark symphonic peaks". With performing at Europe's largest rock festivals including the infamous Dynamo, the prestigious Wacken Open Air and sharing stage with metal's elite including Arch Enemy, Children Of Bodom, Dimmu Borgir, Iced Earth, King Diamond and Opeth throughout their recording career NEVERMORE could manifest the high position they deservedly occupy within the metal scene.
Now, in 2005, "This Godless Endeavor" is the title of the band's latest work to date and was recorded at England's Backstage Studios, once again with Andy Sneap (who not only produced "Dead Heart In A Dead World" but also just recently re-worked "Enemies Of Reality"). "This Godless Endeavor" captures "the most ripping guitar work we've recorded", says vocalist Warrel Dane. Marking his NEVERMORE recording debut, guitarist Steve Smyth (ex-Testament/Dragonlord) joins core members Dane, Jeff Loomis, Jim Sheppard and Van Williams. Hugh Syme (Rush, Megadeth) provided stark album artwork, which according to Dane, "incorporates our ongoing theme of everyone wearing a mask." Appearing on the mainstage of Megadeth's Gigantour throughout the summer as well as moving over to Europe for a string of summer festivals and a full club-tour by September, NEVERMORE ask you to venture out, to experience the unfathomable, to join them on This Godless Endeavor. An album determined to become a future classic of the metal movement? "
Nevermore is:
Warrel Dane - vocals
Jeff Loomis - lead, rhythmn and acoustic guitars
Steve Smyth - lead, rhythmn and acoustic guitars
Jim Sheppard - bass
Van Williams - drums
Website: [url]www.nevermore.tv[/url]
| Vrana Posts: 776  |
damn, the setlist is perfect! I have to get that DVD! can't wait, can't wait 
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427  |
Written by Too many fail. on 27.09.2007 at 19:14 Not even The Politics Of Ecstasy or Dead Heart In A Dead World? Man, you are weird. 
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Too many fail. Posts: 533  |
:C
---- Here is my actual theory beyond the huge, hilarious jokes I have: If you're so pro-life and you're so pro-child, then adopt one that's already here, that's very unwanted and very alone and needs someone to take care of it. - Bill Hicks
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| Soliloquy Posts: 1892  |
i accidentally stumbled across nevermore recently. was looking for insane, and over the top(yet highly accurate!!!!!!!) shredding guitar solos, and was quite disappointed in majority of stuff i was finding. from herman li, to luca turuli, to(i may be killed for this...) at times alexi laiho when hes drunk, hes quite sloppy. but, i stumbled across jeff loomis, and at first i thought that he can not be human. dont see too many guitarists out there that manage to be so fucking technical, but at the same time, be far from sloppy anyways, you guys mind recommending me something by nevermore? their singles seem interesting. really liking psalm of lydia. and i am a fan of neo-classical stuff...and supposedly their second last album, enemies of reality, has neo-classical solos here and there...but i heard that its production quality is disgusting. that true? it may be getting good reviews, but they tend to be bais ever so often... and i'm liking the idea behind dreaming neon black...but cant find that damn album anywhere! EDIT: i forgot to mention, i actually really like children of bodom, and alexi. and alexi is one of my inspirations for picking up a guitar. just, there are other technical guitarists out there..thats all.
---- now get on your knees and worship me! -Zakk Wylde
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
Written by Soliloquy on 14.10.2007 at 07:50 Thankfully, they remastered Enemies of Reality, and that album is fucking killer; most of their albums are. My favorites are Dead Heart in a Dead World and This Godless Endeavor.
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| Dreamwar_86 To Arms! Posts: 480  |
before the album this godless endevour i did not knew the band. thanks to the top 100 albums that i saw it was on first placve, i decided to ckeck them out and i was really shocked when i hear the song Born and The Final Product damn this album really deserves to be on the top 100 of all time Jeff Loomis is a legend almost as good as Jeff Waters
---- Stay Metal !!!
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted
I must be amongst the minority when I say that their latest is far from their best effort and sounds quite flat for the most part. I loved it at first, but soon realised it didn't have much lift to it (although I didn't overplay it, at least I don't think I did). Revisiting their albums (especially Enemies of Reality) is quite fun anyway  I guess I'm also amongst the minority when I also say I don't mind the production on the original Enemies of Reality  Of course there's a noticable difference, but it really doesn't phase me, whichever copy I play
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| Lord TJ Posts: 1522  |
Didn't this band have some kind of connection to Megadeth in a way? If so how?
---- Visit the "Black Metal Page" on facebook, my page delivers everything black metal - Memes - Music - Humor - Interviews - Discussion. https://www.facebook.com/TheBMPage
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Thought they borrowed a guitarplayer or something in that vein.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted Written by Lucas on 14.12.2007 at 22:02 Checked their band info and... nope
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Written by [user id=12867] on 14.12.2007 at 22:52 Oh wait. I think I read somewhere that Jeff Loomis auditioned for Megadeth, but got turned down because of his age. Wiki.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted Written by Lucas on 14.12.2007 at 22:55 YES! Damn, forgot about that... And yet I seem to be a bigger fan than you of this band, shame on me jk, jk
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Written by [user id=12867] on 15.12.2007 at 00:50 Pfft. Don't forget I own all of their releases too. 
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262 |
This Warrel Dane side project thingy is pissing me off. If it wasn't for that, we'd have a new Nevermore album and the fucking DVD already. I'm still going to buy his solo album because I'm a bigger Nevermore fan than Nervel and Opium put together j/k
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted Written by Dangerboner on 15.12.2007 at 02:23 I was planning to buy it too, looking forward to it You're what now?
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| Stigmatized .......... Posts: 3820  |
After avoiding their earlier material due to being bored by "Dreaming Neon Black", I've finally went back and listened to "The Politics of Ecstasy". All I can say is, I wasted so much time. TPOE is killer, right up there with TGE.
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5773  |
Written by Stigmatized on 23.02.2008 at 02:05 I've never listened to this album and was wondering how is it? I'm been able to get around to everything else except this release, I've only heard a few tracks. How is it as a whole?
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| Stigmatized .......... Posts: 3820 |
Written by Clintagräm on 23.02.2008 at 02:08 Solid, all the way through. It's easily worth a purchase.
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5773 |
Written by Stigmatized on 23.02.2008 at 06:18 Yeah, but like what's the progression from the debut to their junior effort? While 'Nevermore' was good, it was almost too Metallica influenced for me, while, as you said, DNB was a little stale.
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| Stigmatized .......... Posts: 3820 |
I haven't heard the album "Nevermore", so I can't answer that question.
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262 |
Written by Clintagräm on 23.02.2008 at 06:20 It's one of the most dramatic progressive leaps I've heard in my life; it sounds more like their newer stuff than the debut. It's not my favorite Nevermore album, but like Stigmatized said, it's without a doubt good enough to buy.
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| Daniel Posts: 166  |
Nevermore are a fantastic band. Although I dont have enough of their stuff I'm getting there! Who else thinks the guitarists are too under- acknowledged ? They come up with some sweet stuff.
---- In The Cold Winds of Nowhere
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted Written by Clintagräm on 23.02.2008 at 06:20 And because I read so much about this band, it allows me to correct things like this Warrel exclaimed that they (including Jeff ) never actually listened to Metallica, nor did it play as any influence to the sound of their music, even in Sanctuary  I can see how they might resemble Metallica's sound, in both Nevermore's debut and Sanctuary's albums though.
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5773 |
Written by [user id=12867] on 29.02.2008 at 19:58 Very interesting. I think I had heard that somewhere but must have forgot, but regardless, I'll just say it's almost too Metallica sounding then.
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| Storchillarn Posts: 163  |
Okay so... which album is the best to get into the band? Btw, I'm asking because I'm a fan of Communic and the vocalists are kind of similar, don't know about the music though. Anyway I was recommended to try some Nevermore but don't know where to start.
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Written by Storchillarn on 01.03.2008 at 18:13 I'd say Dead Heart, In A Dead World or This Godless Endeavor. The Politics Of Ecstacy is my favourite, but a bit more technical then the others. If you're into that, you'll dig that one though.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Storchillarn Posts: 163 |
Written by Lucas on 01.03.2008 at 18:18 Okey cool, thanks. I think I'll check out Dead Heart then. I have no problem with technical stuff but perhaps that stuff's harder to get into.
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| Clintagräm Shrinebuilder Posts: 5773 |
Written by Storchillarn on 01.03.2008 at 18:22 Yeah, 'Politics...' might be a little less accessible that their newer albums, but I'd point to the production a little more than songwriting. It's fucking brilliant, like all of Nevermore's material. Just listening to "The Seven Tongues of God." True, the album doesn't hold as many catchy songs, as far as I can remember, but it's Nevermore nonetheless, which means it's a definite must!
---- The force will be with you, always.
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| MadSlayer Posts: 11  |
i hate vocal type of nevermore but other enstrumants are played and recorded in a godlike degree, jeff loomis is a guitar god indeed
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted Written by Storchillarn on 01.03.2008 at 18:22 Definitely the one to start with  Personally, I'd go in this order: DHIADW, TPOE, In Memory EP, Enemies of Reality, Nevermore, TGE and then DNB. DNB is by far their least accessible, due to its vehemently melancholic nature, no real lift, but a wealth of creativity contained within each song (apart from the intro). Try and find the remastered copies of Nevermore, In Memory and TPOE if you're downloading and maybe buy them, like I did TGE might be fresh at first, but it becomes stagnant after the 4th or 5th listen, to be honest. I think I did overplay it a bit too much though... 
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