Nevermore, it’s fair to say, are something of a metal institution. Always pushing the envelope in terms of sound and a band who’ve always impressed on the presentation front as well, they fought it out with their grunge contemporaries in Seattle at a time when metal was practically a dirty word, and have outlasted almost all of them, releasing six albums over their lifespan and undertaking countless tours with some of metal’s biggest names. Back now with The Obsidian Conspiracy, a lengthy, lavishly packaged epic that is destined to impress on all fronts, it seems that Nevermore will again capture the attention of metal fans across the globe.
Opening with a track which, even to a seasoned metal-head, feels like a punch to the face, Nevermore have clearly lost none of their power in the five years since their last album (2005’s The godless endeavour) and with famed mixer Andy Sneap at the helm it should be of little surprise that the band come leaping out of the speakers from the off. ‘The termination proclamation’ is a fantastic opener – a chugging, technical masterpiece that instantly captivates. Brutally heavy, yet possessed of a groove that is entirely irresistible, Warren Dane’s vocals truly shine here as he never sounds overpowered by the sonic firestorm that the rest of the band unleash around him. ‘Your poison throne’ opens with a chant of “rise, rise, rise” that will see fists pumping from the mosh pit and voices raised in unison. It’s one of those rare tracks that sets the blood pumping and you just know that when heard live it will tear the crowd to shreds. ‘Moonrise’ is next – a vicious, pounding, monster of a track that houses a fantastic solo and a darting riff that simply rolls forward like a Panzer attack grinding the competition into dust. Equally, Warren’s vocals on this track are an inspiration – melodic, yet tinged with menace, he puts so much energy into his role that you can’t help but be drawn in. ‘And the maiden spoke’ is a haunting number, with a echoing introduction that gives way to the formidable assault of the rhythm section before the vocals kick in and Van Williams’ drums become ever more complex.
Having been so impressed by the opening tracks of the album we now reach the part of a record when some bands start to flag, having placed all their best material at the fore. Here, however, nevermore throw a sonic curveball in the form of a power ballad that would sit well with the classics of the genre (think Queensryche’s epic ‘silent lucidity’ but with a crushingly heavy chorus). It’s a bold move, and it pays off because it gives the listener a break from the sheer weight of the tracks found elsewhere. ‘The blue marble and the new soul’ is a scene setting number – even lighter in tone than ‘emptiness unobstructed’ but set in a minor key that adds an unnerving depth to the track. ‘Without morals’ reverts to heavy material by unleashing a riff that would dent steel; following on from the previous two tracks its effect is nigh on devastating and Warren’s voice just seems to get stronger as the album progresses. ‘The day you built the wall’ is a highlight, an atmospheric, melodic masterpiece that contains many of Nevermore’s strongest elements from the strangely jarring time signature to Warren’s spine-tingling vocal to the soaring lead part in the bridge that is not a million miles away from the best moments of Dream Theater. ‘She comes in colours’ is a beautiful track, complete with harmonised guitars and a stunning acoustic sound before the title track closes things in epic, vicious style.
The obsidian conspiracy offers something for everyone. From epic power ballads and exemplary musicianship to full on metal tracks and scorching lead runs, this will satisfy the most demanding of fans. That it is on Century Media, and is therefore released in a variety of exciting formats is simply icing on a perfect cake: you can choose from a simple CD release, a deluxe CD version which comes housed in a sturdy box with bonus CD and art cards or the amazing vinyl version which comes with a 7” with bonus tracks and is housed in a gatefold sleeve which is up to CM’s usual high standards (see reviews of Paradise Lost and High on fire for more on this). In short this is an essential purchase for metal fans and should set the standard for progressive metal for some time to come.
