In the '80s metal hey day the city of
Seattle was put on the map mainly for the successes of Queensryche and Metal Church, and
to a lesser degree for such underground names as Forced Entry, TKO and the startling
SANCTUARY (who released two outstanding albums on Epic Records while achieving cult
status). As we all know a different wind began to blow in Seattle at the beginning of the
'90s, so that even a few of the SANCTUARY members thought they had to follow the new
grunge sound, and to keep it short - you've never heard of them again. However, vocalist
Warrel Dane, guitarist Jeff Loomis and bassist Jim Sheppard decided to continue their
vision for a creative and multi-faceted metal sound, and so NEVERMORE were born. Three
full albums and an EP later, the band have pleased the ear of thousands of metal fans and
at the same time have solidified their place in the realm of modern metal's elite
hierarchy. NEVERMORE's latest creation, Dead Heart In A Dead World, further explores their
original ways of melding melody and rhythmic brutality, while retaining the band's
integrity throughout.
The first nucleus of NEVERMORE was completed when drummer Van Williams joined the band in
1994, and soon after internationally-reputed producer Neil Kernon (Judas Priest,
Queensryche, Dokken) believed in the potential of the band enough to record their debut
album at his own risk. NEVERMORE signed to Century Media Records who released the
self-titled debut in 1995, and the band managed to raise a good amount of interest
immediately within the scene (helped in large by their touring activities in Europe with
Blind Guardian and the U.S. with Death). The follow-up In Memory EP and the second album
The Politics Of Ecstasy portrayed NEVERMORE on a quest for their own unmistakable sound,
as the band experimented with influences from various styles and impressed many with a
high degree of technical finesse that seemed to actually add to the catchiness of their
songs. After The Politics Of Ecstasy the band split with their guitarist Pat O'Brien (now
in Cannibal Corpse) and after some long contemplation found former Forbidden member and
long-time friend Tim Calvert to fill the vacant spot. With this line-up they recorded
their 1999 masterpiece Dreaming Neon Black, which displayed the perfect balance between
all the distinctive components of the NEVERMORE sound. There were complex mini-dramas,
super-tight thrashing ditties and quiet, emotional passages opposed to angry noise
eruptions. NEVERMORE managed to create an album equipped with numerous non-metal
trademarks, although still metal enough that even the die-hard purists couldn't stop
listening to the magic contained therein. Seemingly endless, but successful tours followed
the release, as the band rifled through the States four times (with the likes of Mercyful
Fate, Iced Earth and Arch Enemy), visited Europe again and even stopped in Australia for
several headlining shows. The bold endeavor proved to be a bit much for guitarist Tim
Calvert who decided to leave the band in early 2000, and rather than viewing the change as
a setback or seek a replacement the rest of the band accepted this fate as part of their
continuous evolution.
As a four-piece NEVERMORE did not hesitate to scribe new ground, and once again returned
to Village Productions just outside of El Paso, Texas to begin the recording of their
fourth full album, Dead Heart In A Dead World. The year 2000 not only shows the band with
a different line-up but also a new figure at the production helm, Andy Sneap (Machine
Head, Testament, Earth Crisis, Stuck Mojo). As with the suspension of any long-term
relationship, NEVERMORE were a bit nervous and at the same time anxious about a
Kernon-less release, but as soon as the tapes were rolling the chemistry began to flow the
band knew they had made the right choice. Dead Heart In A Dead World is a bold and natural
album for Nevermore, and is the culmination of many years of fevered creativity and
never-ending collaboration of these veterans. Any fears of the band's sound being less
full with the four-piece line-up are not only instantly abated, but also highly surpassed.
The technical heaviness of NEVERMORE is readily apparent, and even in the album's more
catchy material lies the band's undeniable trademarks, including Mr. Dane's unique,
gripping vocals and bizarre lyrics, Loomis' and Sheppard's complex and fluent guitar
arrangements and the bombastic rhythmic backbone of Williams. The dead world that the band
portray on their new album is far more scathing and arid than the Texan plot it was
recorded at, a disturbing place that could only be forged in the heart and imagination of
the enigmatic NEVERMORE |
