Nevermore

Measuring a band's true progression is not done by looking at record sales and commercial popularity, but rather by increased songwriting intelligence and the knack of maintaining a current fan base, while at the same time branching out into new musical territories and audiences. Seattle-based Nevermore have again outdone the highest of expectations, this time in bringing us their third full-length album, Dreaming Neon Black. Entering the Village Recorders facility in the death valley-like atmosphere of western Texas, and headed once again by the talents of production genius Neil Kernon (Queensryche, Judas Priest), Nevermore have without a doubt put together their finest piece of work thus far, and easily the first big metal release of 1999.

By now every avid metal fan should know that Nevermore arose from the ashes of the late-80's major label sensation Sanctuary, who released two monstrous albums and toured with the likes of Megadeth and Testament. Upon Sanctuary's disbandment founding vocalist Warrel Dane, bassist Jim Sheppard and then-recent guitarist Jeff Loomis began assembling their new arsenal, with skilled drummer Van Williams jumping on board before recording some 24-track demos with an enthusiastic Kernon behind the board. Immediately after hearing the material Century Media Records scooped up that band, and instead of waiting for them to record again, decided to release eight of the demo tracks in the form of the 1995 self-titled Nevermore debut. To make their stage performance even more powerful than the album, the band drafted another full-time member, second guitarist Pat O'Brien. Two large-scale tours ensued, first supporting Blind Guardian throughout Europe and then being hand-picked for Death's opening slot in the States by frontman Chuck Schuldiner. A Main Stage appearance in front of 100,000 people at 1995's Dynamo Open Air festival rounded out the band's touring schedule. The remainder of the year was spent writing new material for their second album, but they realized that a significant amount of time would elapse between the actual recording and the album's release, thus the band presented the In Memory EP in mid '96 featuring one new track, a take on the band's two favorite Bahaus songs, and three songs written previously but re-arranged and re-recorded in a suitably darker fashion. October of 1996 saw the rearing of Nevermore's second full length, The Politics Of Ecstasy, to a rather rabid fan base that had ensued in the short existence of the band. Immaculately produced again by Neil Kernon, The Politics... brought Nevermore to the next level with a more powerful songwriting approach and feel than the previous EP and debut. After their European co-headlining tour with Iced Earth in 1997, the band underwent a slight line-up change, replacing departed guitarist Pat O'Brien (currently in Cannibal Corpse) with long-time friend and ex-Forbidden axeman Tim Calvert. Since 1991, Nevermore had often spoke of Calvert getting into the band, and once Tim got news of an opening he immediately jumped into the current line-up. Thus, the band was able to complete a successful US tour with Flotsam and Jetsam soon after.

Steering only slightly away from the highly-technical musicianship they have been known for, Dreaming Neon Black takes you on a metal journey filled with an array of emotions, melodic hooks and heavy grooves, the unmistakable voice(s) of Dane, and of course the astonishing guitar work of Loomis and Calvert. Both the pounding rhythms from The Politics Of Ecstasy and the brooding melodic pieces from the In Memory EP have been tapped for Dreaming..., and the growth of this band from release to release is once again readily apparent. Nevermore's latest is sure to turn the heads of those who were skeptical in the past, and will surely please the palettes of long-time fans and followers. (Century Media Biography)

Nevermore straddles the line between power metal, traditional heavy metal, and the contemporary hard rock scene, eschewing the silly theatrics of the "power scene" in favor of a darker tone, while reaping the rewards of melody and the high-flying vocal range of singer Warrel Dane. The roots of the Seattle-based band can be traced back to Sanctuary, with whom Nevermore's Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard recorded two albums. Sanctuary was one of a small handful of late-'80s thrash metal bands to sign with a major label; they even enlisted Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine to produce their debut album. Label-imposed limbo caused the band to grind to a halt, with one member also exiting to pursue more "grunge"-oriented music. Three members of the final lineup of Sanctuary reemerged as Nevermore, inking a worldwide deal with Century Media Records and releasing a punishing eponymous debut album in 1995. The following year saw the band issue a well-received EP, In Memory, that boasted cover tunes as well as Sanctuary material, which pleased many fans.

The Politics of Ecstasy, their second proper album, was a dense, technical masterpiece that displayed the talents of guitarists Pat O'Brian and Jeff Loomis, and drummer Van Williams in particular. But it was with their next opus, the dark and conceptually driven Dreaming Neon Black, that Nevermore really caught the attention of heavy music fans and earned the respect of the heavy metal press. Voted Album of the Year by many publications, 1999's Dreaming Neon Black was a tour de force that highlighted Dane's soaring vocal range. It also included newcomer (and former guitarist for Forbidden) Tim Calvert, who replaced O'Brian when he split to join Cannibal Corpse. After successful tours with Iced Earth and Mercyful Fate, the band knew that they had a tough job ahead of them following up the well-received album. Now a four-piece after the exit of Calvert, Nevermore entered a Texas studio with producer Andy Sneap and crafted a new album that adeptly blended contemporary heavy sounds with traditional heavy metal. Dead Heart in a Dead World was released in 2000, and was supported on the road with a full U.S. tour with Swedish metal band In Flames and labelmates Shadows Fall. ~ Ryan J. Downey, All Music Guide