follow up to reviews

[brotheris]

Hello fellow doomers

I visit ND site couple of times in a year and even less read something here. I couldn't believe that someone noticed my punny review.
Let me explain a bit: I've never thought that Novembers Doom is mdb, anathema, whatever rip off, you just can't be a rip off, because imho your sound is unique and changes from album to album. I'll confess that you are one of The Best bands I've ever found and listened, I like ALL your records, I even like ALL your songs (more or less). I hope this doesn't make me fanatical.
That part of my site is just a layground for future and (sadly) reviews in lithuanian language. There are guys creating metal site for lithuanian metalheads. I've written extensive The Knowing review in lithuanian and was a bit mentaly tired.
By mentioning Anathema, I was having in mind their musical path and newer emo rock stuff. I just don't want to see a great doom band wasted.
Keep up the good work and don't listen to people who compare you to opeth/anathema/mdb/etc. Hope to take interview after our site will see the light of the day ;-)
English isn't my native language, so sometimes I write a bit different than I think, it sounds for me ok, because I know what I was thinking.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

Thanks for the rebuttal to our rebuttal of your review! Yes, sometimes it can be difficult for us to fully get the jist of a review when the english isn't always easy to understand. When we "review the reviews" on here, we're just sort of having a bit of fun and sometimes we get a bit defensive about things, such as the constant comparisons to other bands. We'd be lying to say that those bands didnt have influence on us over the years, but what irks us is when people basically reduce us to just a "copy" of those bands and insinuate that we are merely jumping on their wagon. In some cases, we have been around longer than the bands that we are accused of copying, but being from the U.S., we tend to get alot of people presuming that we're just copying our european brethren. In any case, bottom line is that as long as people give our music a fair listen and take the time to give our cds a thorough review, be it good or bad, then we're content. I cant tell you how many times I have been guilty of hearing a cd and, for example, hearing blast beats and keyboards and instantly thinking "Heh, Dimmu wannabes", but then when I actually sat down and listened to the music more, I realised that, while there are similar elements present, in truth the disc sounded almost nothing like Dimmu.......I think this is what happens to us alot of times. People see the band name and artwork, hear clean melodic parts mixed with heavy parts, a few dissonant and minor chords here and there, and think "Opeth clones" or "they worship Anathema" or something like that. Both of those bands have influenced us in different ways, but we dont model ourselves after them nor do we strive to copy anything they've done. So anyhow, we don't mind people using those bands as examples when trying to describe to others what Novembers Doom sound like or what kind of scene we'll appeal to, but the rip-off thing is uncalled for.
And hell, we're just happy that people in Lithuania can actually find our cds and listen to them in the first place!!

 

[LuminousAether]

The only ND album I think sounds at all like MDB / Anathema is Amid Its Hallowed Mirth in that it has a slightly similar sound to Serenades era Anathema. Also, there's one song on To Welcome the Fade that reminds me of Opeth. The rest doesn't sound like any of those other bands at all.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

Agreed!! I do understand how people can find a similarity in sound between the first cd ("Amid...") and early MDB and Anathema, absolutely. I think the band was on the same path as those bands and drawing from the same well, so to speak......when people accuse ND of being a copycat of those bands is when they are wrong, because ND began writing the songs for "Amid..." in 1991, well before MDB and Anathema had hardly any albums out....most people dont realise that Paul was trading demos and corresponding with those bands back then, and unfortunately a proper ND release didnt come out until a few years after the other bands had already put out their albums, so henceforth ND were deemed as being come-lately copyists by reviewers and fans who basically didn't bother to do their homework....anyhow, being compared to great bands like MDB and Anathema isnt an insult, thats for sure! Just a shame that some people dont realise the true history of this band.
And I think that hints of Opeth-isms can be found on more than one song on "TWTF", I will readily admit. But just because there's bits of that here and there doesn't make us Opeth clones, as a few have tried to claim. I can hear loads of Porcupine Tree, Rush and other influences in Opeth's songs these days, but I certainly don't feel that they are "clones" or rip offs in any way whatsoever.
Cheers to you LuminousAether for making a good point. Glad someone does it 'round here LOL

 

[FrostGiant]

I can hear loads of Porcupine Tree, Rush and other influences in Opeth's songs these days

I noticed some Porcupine Tree influence as well and I personally think that's been a good thing.

But it really seems that there are people out there who need relate one band to the other. Whenever I talk about a band my buds don't know the first question is, 'who do they sound like' and not 'what do they sound like'. But I guess that's just there way. :Spin:

 

[LuminousAether]

Well, when I describe a band to people, I usually do it in terms of other bands just to give a starting point. It's much easier than describing the sound, especially for someone as lazy as me.