Customer Reviews

Dreaming Neon Black

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a music columnist, I have learned to look at things from an objective point of view, and I can honestly say that there isn't anything bad to say about this album and Nevermore in general. Dreaming Neon Black has the potential to be to the new millennium what Operation Mindcrime or Master of Puppets was to the 80s. Combining virtuoso musicianship, aggression, beauty, progression, and intelligence, Nevermore displays a maturity and integrity that puts them in the same league with musically articulate bands such as Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Queensryche, with twice the aggression. Dreaming Neon Black not only gets the adrenaline going, but moves the emotions as well. Fans of the band will be happy to know that new guitarist Tim Calvert (ex-Forbidden) has not altered the sound at all, and in fact adds to it with sweeping technicality and dense, strange chord structures that compliments Jeff Loomis's original style. Van Williams has cut back a little on the perpetual double-kicks, but his drumming is precise and imaginitive. He could give Mike Portnoy a run for his money. The vocals are more along the lines of 'In Memory' as opposed to the restraint displayed on 'Politics..', and that's part of the reason why this album works so well. Warrel Dane sings with power and emotion, in the tradition of Tate, Alder, and LaBrie, and is responsible for all of the lyrics,which are, to say the least, brilliant. This guy is no dummy. 'Dreaming..' is an altogether darker affair than their previous works, and at times combines Bauhuas-like influences with metallic stacatto-picking. It's a concept album about the mental decline of a character confronted with personal loss, but would work just as well if the themes had varied. There isn't one bad song on here, and some of the ones that stick in my mind are the title track, 'The Fault of the Flesh', 'The Lotus Eaters'(and if the chorus doesn't bring a tear to your eye, check your pulse),Poison Godmachine, and 'No More Will'. For fical fans comparing 'Dreaming..' with 'Politics..', trust me, it gets better with each listen. It doesn't seem to want to leave my CD player. Given the proper exposure, Nevermore could probably take off in a major way, but of course here in the U.S., they'll have to rely on word of mouth due to the industry's notion that Americans only buy rap and R&B, and that's too bad because'Dreaming'..is one of the best pieces of work to come down the pike in a long time. If this album is hard to find, for God's sakes order it. You'll thank yourself.

This album is my pick for best release of last year. I doubted that Nevermore could top their masterful achievement in "Politics of Ecstasy," but without a doubt they did it here.

Nevermore's genius lies in combining an extremely _heavy_ guitar style (this may be the heaviest non-death metal album ever made) with a degree of technicality that keeps every riff sounding fresh and new without losing the listener in a maze. The riffs are straightforward enough to engage mind and body completely but different and odd enough to sound quite different from anything else one can think of.

One mustn't ignore Warrel Dane's voice either. The man is rather a maniac, but his insane wail suits the music well.

Some listeners have noted a possible problem with the mastering on this disc. In going for the heaviest sound possible, they may have overloaded the frequencies a bit, so that on some speaker systems (and when put to tape) the CD can give off a throbbing sound not unlike the bass distortion that, unfortunately, most bands give off in a live setting. On a good stereo system this should not be a problem at all, and the problem may also vary across different manufactured discs.

Top songs here include: "The Death of Passion," "I Am the Dog," "The Fault of the Flesh," and "Poison Godmachine." When I say that these are the top songs on this album, they are also among the top metal songs of the year. The titles give some indication of the absolute insanity and chaos of this album.

In short, Nevermore is absolutely essential for ANY self-respecting metal fan (and I don't say that about many CDs), and should be the first stop for any non-metal fan curious about what classy, uncompromising metal is like nowadays.

As usual, my review was too long, and I had to cut it down...ask me for the whole thing if you want. Here is the gist of it.

As many know, this album focuses upon the loss of a loved one and one man's burning desires driving him to ultimate insanity and death. HOWEVER, this is NOT a concept album - not in the normal sense, anyway. Many do not know this, but it was based on a true story in Warrel Dane's life. About ten years prior to the album's release, Dane had been seeing a girl who one day upped and left, to join some kind of cult, and...that was all; he never saw or heard from her again. That was bad enough in and of itself, but fast forward to ten years later: Nevermore is working on a new album, maybe just getting the music ready, when Dane begins to have recurring dreams...dreams that his long-missing girlfriend is at the bottom of a lake, screaming his name. That image drove him to write the lyrics to DREAMING NEON BLACK, and create the ultimately dark theme that drives the album. The twelve songs on here focus upon one man's thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the loss of a loved one, and it is through the songs that one can determine that this loved one disappeared one day to some cult. As time wears on, however, the man is haunted by her, not necessarily as a ghost, but just by thinking about her. These songs explain his anger, his fear, his depression, all of which bloom from her haunting image - and he begins to go insane, blaming the loss on everything from organized religion to himself. So as I said, this is not a concept album with a single plot that has a beginning, middle, and end, but rather a sort of grand finale of the thoughts and reactions of a man driven to the point of eccentric madness.

Okay, end of spiel, and onto album. From the intro track, "Ophidian," we hear a weird flurry of sounds, including a spooky voice saying something about "...darkness...we've been waiting for you." There are strange noises, including a faintly discernable panting of someone breathing from a respirator, and the beep of a cardiac machine as someone's breath slows down, stops...and a steady "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep..." spills out before the ultra-powerful track "Beyond Within" kicks in. This track is especially noteworthy for its acoustic-layered bridge, just before a dazzling solo from Jeff Loomis. Warrel Dane's vocals are at their top-notch level of intense fury on "Beyond Within," as well as on "The Death of Passion," "I Am the Dog," and the great "Deconstruction." Speaking of "I Am the Dog," the solos in this song simply RIP.

Warrel Dane's shining moments of pure emotion are on the power ballads "Dreaming Neon Black" and "The Lotus Eaters." The latter song is so emotional, especially in the choruses when Dane bellows out in a terrific croon, "Please God...why can't you hear us?" One of my favorite bass moments is in the first and last parts of the bridge to "The Death of Passion" - one listen to Sheppard's thrumming and you are blown away. Just about any track is a fantastic showcase for drummer Van Williams, who is insanely intense and complex, yet with a great sense of colorful diversity. Speaking of which, one of my favorite performances from Williams is on my absolute favorites of the heavier tracks: "The Fault of the Flesh." His double-bass and snare is simply chaotic; as well just listen to that main guitar riff and try to get it out of your head!

As many have before, I must make a wholly separate paragraph for the title track. Starting off with a wonderful acoustic verse, a sudden punch of heaviness - yet not breaking the mood of the song, but rather increasing it - bursts up to heighten the emotion. Guest vocalist Christine Rhoades lends her beautiful, gentle vocals to this song, and her duet with Dane is simply fantastic. Her echoing wail in the bridge is very evocative of a ghostly image, especially of someone far beneath the still waters of a lake... Very well-done song, and quite possibly one of the best songs ever.

The final part of this album I must rant about is the linear notes. Beautifully eerie artwork by the great album artist Travis Smith, depicting various images of a woman (often in her wedding gown) in various locations just heightens the emotional story here. Also, the little snippets of narratives between songs explains the story even further. I never really talk about album artwork, but here it is a must, as it is done not only very well, but to complement the album's fantastic sound.

So there it is...DREAMING NEON BLACK, one of the best albums I've ever heard, from a band that very well may become one of my favorites in time. Endless emotion, and brooding heaviness, make this album simply PERFECT. A five-star rating is just not enough to do this album justice; go out with an open mind and heart, and listen to this album, and you will agree with me.

It took me almost a year to get my hands on it, and all I can say is "I don't believe it." As the CD finished playing and the last chords of 'Forever' slowly died out, I sat in a stunned silence. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Absolute perfection. I have reviewed other CDs and given them five stars cuz I thought they were really good, but Nevermore's 'Dreaming Neon Black' is THE album every metal band should be judged by. No exaggeration. The first track is a collection of sounds that quickly lay out the story, then 'Beyond Within' hits like a ton of bricks. Searing metal riffing and awesome semi-clean vocals make up the song which moves into 'The Death of Passion' with the haunting lyrics "Welcome to the fall...of one man's sanity." 'The Death of Passion' is another slab of molten metal with an awesome melodic chorus. Now it's time for 'I Am the Dog', a truly great song that makes you want to get up and punch someone. Now we get to the title track. This is the compilation of everything that is good in the metal world. Acoustic, laid back verse suddenly gives way to probably the best chorus on the CD. Very Type O Negative sounding, with killer female vocals backing. This song alone is a reason for getting the CD. Enter 'Deconstruction' which offers a similar structure to 'Dreaming...'. After two back to back songs with moderately slow verses, the all out thrash hits with 'The Fault of the Flesh'. Then 'The Lotus Eaters' hits, probably what would be considered the album's 'ballad'. Great vocals from Warrel Dane on this one. Now it's time for Nevermore's crowning achievment, the all out fury of 'Poison Godmachine'. Rather then me tell you about it, get over to centurymedia.com and download the MP3, you won't be disappointed. Just when you think it can't get any better, 'All Play Dead' hits with it's tremendous chorus, and all you can think is "Man, no one should be this good." 'Cenotaph' starts playing, with its trippy verse and you're kinda sad cuz the album is almost over. Up next, 'No More Will'. Great acoustic intro, great song. Finally, the closer 'Forever'. The only song which isn't 'heavy' except in its meaning and lyrics. Great close to the album. There is not a thing on this album that should have been done differently or changed. That's what I mean by absolute perfection. It will be interesting to see what this awesome band does for a follow up, considering no one can get better than perfect. Well, I guess if anyone can do it, it's Nevermore. Don't believe me or think I'm exaggerating? Pick up the CD and see for yourself. Then one day I'll probably be reading YOUR five star review on this site.

I first became familiar with Nevermore by listening to their mp3 on mp3.com of Beyond Within. As a result I purchased their latest album, Dead Heart in a Dead World. But soon I found myself craving more...

This album is definitely better than the great DHiaDW. The songs are a bit more progressive and sometimes downright emotional. Warrel Dane's voice is awesome as usual.

(1) Ophidian - Intro song. Kinda creepy.

(2) Beyond Within - Awesome vocals and a great solo. Probably the most straight-forward metal on the album.

(3) The Death of Passion - Some very progressive chops here. Warrel's awesome vocals are present as usual.

(4) I Am The Dog - I love the lead guitar work in this song! It has a very bizarre, different feel to it.

(5) Dreaming Neon Black - One of a few tracks that are very slow and show off Dane's vocal abilities. Good for when you want to hear some good metal singing.

(6) Deconstruction - Starts off very slow and melodic, and grinds into a very dark riff. Not the best on the album.

(7) The Fault of the Flesh - The lyrics make me cringe, but the music is good. Also not one of the best on the album.

(8) The Lotus Eaters - The slowest song of the album. Very emotional and intense. Very good.

(9) Poison Godmachine - Yeah baby! Thrashy progressive chops, Warrel Dane's awesome voice in full force, and a decent solo to boot.

(10) All Play Dead - Interesting song. Somewhat slow and melodic. Features some of Warrel Dane's more demented vocals.

(11) Cenotaph - Slow with Warrel Dane singing. Not much more to say.

(12) No More Will - Starts off with some interesting folk guitar, then blasts into emotional rhythm guitar. Sounds sappy at first, but then it jumps into some heavy riffage. Good song.

(13) Forever - More of a closer than a complete song. Very nice melodic vocals from Warrel Dane.

Basically, if you're looking for progressive metal that still retains the heavy riffage and dark overtones metal is known for, this is where to look.

Its rare for a band these days to display such a keen sense of originality without ever resorting to being just plainly odd. Nevermore's style has been likened to bands such as Dream Theater and Queensryche mostly because they all fall under the "progressive metal" label. Yet this is quite a stretch as to say Nevermore sounds remotely like either of those two (excellent might I add) bands is a confusing statement to say the least. The truth is that Nevermore have a sound that I would be comfortable in saying is almost entirely unique, both in vocals, style of playing and the overall sound they produce. The frosting on the cake for this is that Nevermore as a band are one who have not yet managed to release anything not of an amazingly high quality. This, their third full-length, is my personal favorite album from them so far and easily one of my favorite albums of all time. It maintains dark goth-like overtones but then combines them with shredding riffs and a true sense of intensity and power. While there seems to be a undercurrent of a story going through the entire album about a man's fall in depression over the loss of a friend you'd be hard pressed to follow that initially as simply hearing the quality of what this album contains will keep you amazed and content for quite some time. If you like progressive metal this album is something you need, but any metalhead should have no problem finding enjoyment in listening to this, a truly astounding record.

The trend of flanels, pity me lyrics and fuzzed out guitars better known as the grunge scene may have come to pass but one Seattle based band scoffs at the thought they they come from the same city as the pop phenom. Rather, Nevermore continuing the Seattle tradition of progressive writing established over a decade ago by city brethern, Queensryche. Embarking on their third full length musical voyage entitled Dreaming Black Neon, Nevermore build on every progressive element they experimented with in their previous musical outings. Thick, complex guitar harmonies evolve out of driven rhythm lines as time and key signatures melt away beneath the layers of songwriting while multiple vocal personalities shine forth throughout the near hour long endevour. Although the quintet breaks very little new personal ground compared to their previous outings, the shear musicality of the group over the years has improved ot the point of internal excellence. Not only does the band interact well within it's own induvidual parts, they also work together as a whole to paint aural pictures. Shifting graciously between moods and elaborating on lyrical content with harmonic structure Nevermore explore their genre to an extreme. The elaborate writing style of Nevermore's past is continued throughout Dreaming... effectively demonstrates the full range of Warren Dane's vocals, allowing him to scream like a siren, howl like a wolf and bellow in the depts of a fog to convey a vast array of emotions. The palet of colours in his voice becomes even more intreguing as he often creates his own earie harmony parts. Overall however, there is a simplistic nature to Dreaming... unlike all of thier previous musical adventures. Balancing on the razors edge between the progressive and power metal scenes, Nevermore continue to experiment within both genres, attempting to push their brand of melodic thrash to a new level. Although it appears as if they may have missed the mark at times and overshot at on others during Dreaming... the final product acheives an ear pleasing result. Listening wide awake to Nevermore this time around will leave you dreaming in a vast array of musical shades and open new doors for you in the thrash and progressive music scene. Thats is of course unless the spance of your listening does not include shades of neon black.

Moody, powerful, dreamy, pretty, and crushing in turns, Nevermore extends their form to its ambient maximum on Dreaming Neon Black.

Sadly, it's a five star work marred by a distorted bottom end. The production causes my speakers to flap, making unwelcome muffled noises, which distracts from the sublime musicianship and inspired composition.

Anyone who appreciates the grandeur of Mastodon or Isis will find unrivalled peace and happiness in Dreaming Neon Black.

I remember buying this disc in January 1999 and it was the first big opus of the year and I immediately knew that it was going to make my Album of the Year list and become an indispensable record to my collection. 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 instantly recognisable and unmistakeable vocal deliveries of Warrel Dane, and of course the astonishing guitar work of Jeff Loomis and Tim Calvert.

There is a slight line-up change on DNB, guitarist Pat O'Brien left the band in order to fulfill his dreams of playing in Cannibal Corpse and was replaced with long-time friend and ex-Forbidden guitarist Tim Calvert whose performance is outstanding. Needless to say Calvert breathes new life into the band and his thrash-rooted articulation combined with Jeff Loomis' ultra-diverse style embraces a wide range of soundscapes. Calvert's influence is also eminent in the songcraft writing-wise, especially in the songs "Beyond Within", "Deconstruction" and "Cenotaph". Any Forbidden fan should easily hear Calvert in these tunes.

Jeff Loomis is out of this world. I can't believe how anyone so diverse, talented and gifted is so underrated by the metal community. Loomis' musical background ranges from classical to jazz to death metal and he's one of the most technically advanced guitarists around. However what makes him and Nevermore so special is without question his songwriting abilities. Loomis has always been the main driving force behind Nevermore and together with Dane's one of a kind vocal melodies and intriguing concept story they have released a timeless classic.

The album was produced by Neil Kernon who is currently among my favourite producers. His work with Queensryche, Judas Pries and Spiral Architect is stunning, but I believe Dreaming Neon Black is the peak of his entire career. I've hardly heard another perfectly produced album as Dreaming in my life. Sonically everything is so meticulously arranged; the pounding rhythm from 1996's The Politics of Ecstasy and the brooding melodic pieces from its preceding EP In Memory have both been tapped for Dreaming. Warrel Dane's vocals are morse centred yet a million times more heartfelt. The closing song "Forever" is his testament to emotion in its purest form.

As stated previously in other reviews, Dreaming is a concept album written by Dane. It is about an old girlfriend of his whom he hasn't seen for over 10 years and suddenly he begins having these recurring nightmares about her. He sees her drowning in a pool calling out his name (also portrayed on the album cover by Travis Smith) and this goes on for quite some time. It gets to the point where Dane can't take it anymore so he decides to write this album. He has stated that once he got it out of his system, he stopped having these dreams and was feeling considerably better. Whether this is true or not is beside the point in my opinion. I would still think it's very intriguing if this was just a made-up concept since the Nevermore guys do a great job getting their messages across both musically and lyrically. This is far from an album about the loss of a loved one, there is merciless criticism on the media, politics and drugs used to brainwash people to have them on their sides.

Until Dreaming came out, the growth of Nevermore from release to release was readily apparent. I highly recommend everyone should check out their pre-Dreaming catalog if you haven't already. So many of their fans consider Dead Heart their finest moment but I personally like TPOE and even the self-titled debut slightly better. I on the other stand by what I said and claim Dreaming Neon Black their ultimate masterpiece and this disc will surely please the palettes of long-time fans and followers. Nothing else can touch it on pure raw emotion and no one can emulate the unique approach to songwriting. It's one of those rare albums that refuses to get old and stale, and only reveals its inner depths when you give it your full concentration.

The problem with an album like this is that is so blows away everything the band has ever done that they cannot repeat it. Just like Mel Gibson will never top Braveheart. This album is the epitome of hard thrashmetal. The riffs are dark and brooding... some people won't get it, and it definitely isn't for everyone, but if you are a real metal fan, this album absolutely will tear up your world.

Checkout the bonus track called All the Cowards Hide from import versions, that song is every bit as awesome as any other song on the album.