Monday 5 January 2009

Nevermore - Nevermore (1995)


Despite a large cult following, Nevermore have never really attracted the fan base or praise they deserve, maybe it's down to their balls to the wall metal attack which emerged as metal became drowned by the puerile grunge slop, but as cool metallers Sanctuary faded, warbler Warrel Dane assembled this bunch of merry men to rip holes in the ozone. Nevermore reek of that Candlemass wonder, and yet they aren't in any way, shape or form doom metal. Nevermore can rattle out enough precision and speed to at times challenge Slayer and Megadeth, but they aren't anywhere near thrash metal, and their brand of heavy rock cuts deeper than any Judas Priest record, and yet Nevermore aren't strictly for the leather-clad headbangers, but who cares...just enjoy this band and their career, for it's one of solid union, that embraces all Gothic and metallion. If it's dark ballads you want, look no further than 'The Sanity Assassin', or if you prefer your metal complex, harsh and with icy glare, then 'Sea Of Possibilities' will take you to a place once inhabited by so many technical acts who've befuddled in their quest for alienation. In Warrel Dane we have one of metal's finest voices, a preacher of sermon, his sombre banter one to gather and fuse the harshest of storms. Musically, well...it's multi-layered, big sounding, beefy and yet pure riff laden metal, at times as cold as the pure driven snow, and always as black as the crow which perches on the stark trees, Nevermore have big black leather wings, and don't seem to care who is listening, because you'll still hear it anyway.


7.5/10

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