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October 12, 2008 |
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01. Born (The Retribution Of Spiritual Sickness)
02. Final Product
03. My Acid Words
04. Bittersweet Feast
05. Sentient 6
06. Medicated Nation
07. The Holocaust Of Thought
08. Sell My Heart For Stones
09. The Psalm Of Lydia
10. A Future Uncertain
11. This Godless Endeavor
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The career of NEVERMORE is an impressive one. Born from the remnants of SANCTUARY, the Seattle-based act emerged in 1995 with a monumental self-titled debut, followed by an equally monumental catalog of technically-sound masterpieces that have collectively fed metal's mouth with an abundance of flavorful, uncompromising metal anthems for over a decade. These include the "In Memory" EP (1996), "The Politics Of Ecstasy" (1996), "Dreaming Neon Black" (1999), "Dead Heart In A Dead World" (2000), and "Enemies Of Reality" (2003). I think the one thing that has kept NEVERMORE so strongly intact throughout the years is consistency. First and foremost, they've maintained the same core lineup since day one (minus a few short-lived stints with guitarists Pat O'Brien (CANNIBAL CORPSE) and Tim Calvert (ex-FORBIDDEN); secondly, they've been with the same label (Century Media) all the way through; thirdly, they've remained true to their music and never allowed themselves to be overrun by external influences.
I should also mention the fact that the band's steady level of progression in this thing we call the music business - expressed freely through their music regardless of trends and/or political correctness - has carried them to the place where they are at right now. And this can all be attributed to that solid consistency I mentioned. The bottom line is that, if you focus on one thing and work hard to make it successful, it's going to pay off. It always does.
When "Enemies Of Reality" was released in 2003, the band's future with Century Media was uncertain. They had a limited budget to produce the album primarily because it was not known at that point if NEVERMORE would resign with CM or not. This was one of the major reasons why the original recording of that album was not of the highest quality (not the case though with the newly remastered version). However, things have changed since then - a lot. The release of "This Godless Endeavor" signifies an even greater resurgence of progression within the NEVERMORE circle. Not only have the band resigned with Century Media, they've also recruited a new permanent member into the ranks. Steve Smyth (ex-TESTAMENT/DRAGONLORD), who has previously joined NEVERMORE on stage on some past tours, is now the band's second axeman, and if you ask me, they couldn't have picked a better man for the job. It only took one live performance (back on December 1, 2003) for me to determine that Smyth was the perfect fit.
So after five years, NEVERMORE is now officially a five-piece again: Warrel Dane - vocals, Jeff Loomis - guitars/keyboards, Jim Sheppard - bass, Steve Smyth - guitars, Van Williams - drums. Their efforts, combined once again with the masterful skills of producer extraordinaire Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, OPETH), whom Jeff Loomis calls the sixth member of NEVERMORE, have forged quite arguably the most innovative, sophisticated, and stylistically diverse metal album ever created. A bold, far-fetched statement? Not if you know what talent is and what good music sounds like. To be able to create material of this caliber, it requires a great deal of skill (both musically and lyrically), creative minds, determination, and commitment - all of which these guys have. There are a lot of talented bands out there, but as in any business, the competition is ever-increasing at a very rapid rate, so in order to stay ahead of the game, you need to do something that nobody else is doing.
NEVERMORE are one of the bands at the top of the list in that department. "This Godless Endeavor" is just one more example why NEVERMORE are far more superior than many of the metal bands out there today, and the fruits of their labor shine through here once again.
Stylistically speaking, this is typical NEVERMORE - only better. But what's going on in the background (on a lyrical level) is extremely complex. The subject matter deals with a number of topics - namely the many different religions in the world and how they can influence people in both positive and negative ways, as well as life and the system (government and whatnot) we live in. With one swift snare drum stroke, the skin-raising "Born (The Retribution Of Spiritual Sickness)" kicks-off the album with a pummeling roar, filled with ripping guitar work, chain-driving drumming, and a wide range of vocal passages, shifting back and forth from demonic growls to mid-tempo chants to stunning melodic hymn-like choruses. The disc's first single, "Final Product", has much of the same characteristics, added with a very haunting atmosphere and a near one-minute guitar solo that marks this as a sure standout track.
"My Acid Words" has somewhat the same feel as "Inside Four Walls" from "Dead Heart In A Dead World", while titles like "Medicated Nation" and "The Psalm Of Lydia" have some fresh new-sounding elements while still staying true to that same strict NEVERMORE rule. Lots of blistering punishment to the senses going on here people. Then there's "Bittersweet Feast" (one of my favorites). Aside from its solid framework, it features one of the most paralyzing guitar solos I've ever heard. Loomis can handle the guitar like no other and I have yet to see someone else do exactly what he does and as GOOD as he does.
"This Godless Endeavor" also features a number of songs that begin with light intros then unexpectedly build into fast and powerful crushers. Examples would be "Sentient 6", with its haunting piano intro and soothing vocals (Dane sounds strikingly like Geoff Tate in the beginning) that pave the way for a deafening chorus and stunning leads, "Sell My Heart For Stones" opening with the calm of cymbals before marching into the crunching guitar-driven storm, "A Future Uncertain" and the fast nine-minute epic title track, where the band unleash their best in one unbelievable display of musical superiority. This is truly amazing stuff to say the least.
As it stands, only one word can be used to describe this album: MAGNIFICENT! What NEVERMORE have achieved here is truly staggering. "This Godless Endeavor" is an extraordinary album and is (in my opinion) a highly favorable candidate for "Album Of The Year". When you see what the majority of the music business currently has to offer, it's a real blessing to be able to witness such God-given talent being put to good use. What puzzles me is why more people don't recognize quality music like this. But I suppose we all have the power to choose freely, right? Now, if I may conclude by offering you some advice: if you buy only ONE more metal album this year, make sure it's "This Godless Endeavor".
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