In Defense of Nevermore...

[General Zod]

I've seen NEVERMORE three times to this point. Always great, except this past Halloween in Philly with OPETH. Warrel Dane a wicked cold and he drank two full piping hot cups of tea during a thirty minute set.

Yep. I was at that show, and you're dead on. He seemed to be nearly 100% a few nights later in NYC.

Zod

 

[Demonspell]

<<I actually like the song "Born", it just doesn't work well as an opener for me for some reason. Its like sex without any foreplay. I feel like she's strapping on a dildo and attacking me from behind without warning. Had the band even did a 15 second intro track to add some tension, that'd have been much cooler.>>

LOL...I like extended and/or ominous intros as much as anybody, but they've been overused to the point where it can be a major relief when an album begins kicking your ass with the first note, as Nevermore does on Born and Narcosynthesis.

 

[AMBR]

Saw them on this tour in NJ, front row, dead center, and they f**king slayed.

I'd agree that this would be a bad choice for an opener at PP, but not at all because of sound quality issues. I think this isn't a song that's going to win people over, due to its sheer brutality. Additionally, I would recommend to people who are new to Nevermore, to either skip this track and doubleback to it, or at least make sure you approach it with lyric sheet in hand. It is clearly their most brutal song, and not representative of their catalog. That said, it does has one of the greatest, most melodic choruses of all time.

Zod

You were? I must have been standing right next to you. I had photo pass (not that it was needed for their set) and was in front of the seats dead center. I thought they absolutely kicked ass. Maybe the sound was better up front?

I have to agree totally about the opener. That song turned me off them in the beginning. Took me awhile to learn to appreciate any of it. Much prefer others in their catalog.

 

[urinalcakemix]

Im pretty sure Warrel wears a hat when hes singing to keep his hair out of his mouth. With hair that long, I can see it.

When I saw them on Gigantour, the mix was a bit iffy, as to be expected by an opening band, in a venue that featured Clay Aiken 2 nights before.

However, I think Nevermore will slay, I can't wait to see them again at Prog Power.

 

[corvinus]

Get off your high horse already... they are just suggestions and this is no different than what we talk about in other posts.

How you read that this was a list of "demands" is beyond me. Besides, I was defending the band and reassuring those that were disappointed in their Gigantour performance need not worry.

If the post offends you, simplydon't reply. And if it really offended anyone other than a Nevermore fanboy, it'd have been deleted already.

Dude, you are asking him not to play certain songs, not to *gasp* wear a fucking hat!! come one dude.

 

[booB]

I´m positive that they will destroy Earthlink and leave everbody going :"WooooW"......

... except for all the prog rock weenies, who are going to run, screaming and holding their sensitive ears...

 

[General Zod]

You were? I must have been standing right next to you. I had photo pass (not that it was needed for their set) and was in front of the seats dead center.

Yep, Dark One bought two of those Gold Badge thingies, thinking he would sell them. Turned out they were non-transferrable.

Zod

 

[General Zod]

... except for all the prog rock weenies, who are going to run, screaming and holding their sensitive ears...

Maybe Glenn can get the good folks at Earthlink to pipe the soft, reassuring sounds of Porcupine Tree into the hallways, so that they don't have to be exposed to real Metal.

Zod

 

[aztattooedsean]

I think it is freaking funny how both sides(prog and power) pipe stereotypes out towards each other. I find you both amusing even leading to little school like giggles petruding from my tattooedself.


I think Nevermore rock and I think bands like Pain of Salvation or the soothing music from Porcupine tree are the ultimate. I guess I don't get to play in all the prog vs power trash talking games.

 

[lady_space]

I don't know if it's a mark of how much I love Warrell's voice or how long I've been listening to him (prolly both), but it had honestly never occurred to me that other people might actually *dislike* his singing until I read somebody say that here a few days ago. It was a little shock. guess I'm a bigger fangirl than I realized.

As for 'off' nights, I didn't think Warrell sounded _bad_ here, Paul... but I was close to the front where the sound wasn't so great, and, as already admitted, I adore the man's voice. Where were you standing?

As for what he wears, I couldn't give a shit less unless it's so goofy it distracts me, like Gamma Ray and their leather vests. :b

Tattooedsean, I'm with you... I love PoS, like PT, and I'm stoked to see Nevermore. I guess I can't categorize well enough to get in on those debates.

 

[Creeps]

If Born is so brutal as an opener then bring it!

Remember when Into Eternity posted that they were going to tone down their set and everyone balked at that idea? Everyone here said bring us an Into Eternity show, their response speaks for itself.

 

[Greykiller]

I'm reading a lot of posts here discussing how lame their Gigantour performance was. And it was indeed lame.

However, I have seen Nevermore 3 times. And while, I'd rather have Nevermore replace Mercenary's slot and put a band like Rhapsody in the headliner spot, I have no problem with the way things turned out.

The last time I saw them was with Opeth at the House of Blues in Chicago. Their sound was PERFECT, far better sound then any band I heard out of Prog Power. Nevermore only played 4 or 5 songs, but all were with studio quality sound. I've never seen Nevermore play longer than a 5 song set, so a 15 song set should definately hit the spot... the band just has to be cognisant of the fact that many at this venue will have already seen the band and will be wanting something a little extra.

Perhaps this post would be better on a Nevermore forum, but anybody with any power of influence on Nevermore's performance may want to read my suggestions.

1.) Do not open with the song "Born"; it does not sound good live and I've heard them open with it far too many times... surprise us for God Sake

2.) Warrel must lose the lame stocking cap. He takes it off when he's not singing (and headbangs) and puts it on when he opens his mouth, as if it gives him magic singing powers.

3.) Purposefully DISCLUDE songs the band has played on recent tours and replace them with other classics. Nevermore have many strong albums; so this wouldn't be a problem.

4.) Research into whatever the House of Blues in Chicago does to get their excellence out of their sound boards. I've been to many shows, and for some reason, that venue gets it right. While the Prog Power soundmen get it better than most venues, there are clearly better out there. And Nevermore with muddy inaudible sound (the kind where you can't make out guitar solos or riffs or any vocal lines) would ruin their performance terribly.

The Michael

(I only own about 100 prog albums and maybe 100 metal albums so I am comparitively ignorant.)

People can talk about the great techs at HOB all they want. Maybe they need to get the techs into the studio to clean up Warrel's voice. I have listened to the last three Nevermore albums--if he sounds this weak with a whole studio backing him, what will he sound like live? Don't get me wrong, Tom Englund does not have the best set of pipes on the planet but at least his voice has soul.

I am looking at the Nevermore lyrics and I am digging them, but I have a bad feeling about Warrels voice...maybe they will prove me wrong. We shall see.

 

[corvinus]

(I only own about 100 prog albums and maybe 100 metal albums so I am comparitively ignorant.)

People can talk about the great techs at HOB all they want. Maybe they need to get the techs into the studio to clean up Warrel's voice. I have listened to the last three Nevermore albums--if he sounds this weak with a whole studio backing him, what will he sound like live? Don't get me wrong, Tom Englund does not have the best set of pipes on the planet but at least his voice has soul.

I am looking at the Nevermore lyrics and I am digging them, but I have a bad feeling about Warrels voice...maybe they will prove me wrong. We shall see.

Warrel Dane's voice weak?? Who are you comparing him to? The singer from Steelheart? geez. Just because he sings like a guy and doesnt subject his testicles to the same punishment most PM or Prog singers do, doesnt mean his voice is weak.

And soul? Have you even heard "The Heart Collector"?

 

[booB]

I think it is freaking funny how both sides(prog and power) pipe stereotypes out towards each other. I find you both amusing even leading to little school like giggles petruding from my tattooedself.

lol... it must be twice as funny when people like me, who are members of neither the "prog" or the "power" side, make fun of both the wimpy prog-weenies and the sword-wielding, orc-slaying power nerds?

If I had to pick a side, I'd be a member of the doom/death/thrash side.

 

[SoNofBitcH]

... except for all the prog rock weenies, who are going to run, screaming and holding their sensitive ears...

my ears are not sensitive, and im not a prog rock weeny. but you do have one thing right. i'll be running and screaming back to my hotel. in fear of godawful whiney vocals

 

[TheWhisper]

I'm a prog-weenie and I'll be right up front for Nevermore...if someone will promise to hold my hand, so I won't be skeerd.

 

[Greykiller]

Warrel Dane's voice weak?? Who are you comparing him to? The singer from Steelheart? geez. Just because he sings like a guy and doesnt subject his testicles to the same punishment most PM or Prog singers do, doesnt mean his voice is weak.

And soul? Have you even heard "The Heart Collector"?

The Heart Collector has not graced my stereo yet.

Are you saying that his voice sounds better, and the mix is not right on the albums? I can accept that. Are you saying that his voice is just as good as most of the bands that play at PP and my opinion is off? That may be true...but I have no prejudice about the band one way or the other. I like the music. I like the lyrics. I am looking forward to seeing them. I also happen to like somone who has some range and projection when they sing. No, not Steelheart. But gee this guy sounds like the Lou Reed of prog...

I am not sure what is going on with the opinions on Nevermore. It is ok to be a fanboy, but you have to nod towards reality man.

Is Warrel's voice better than the cookie monster vox you get with other bands? Yes. But I am having a hard time figuring out who sounded worse in the last three shows.

 

[booB]

I'll say this to the Warrel Dane naysayers:

Warrel sings exactly how he means to -- at least on disc, if not 100% of the time live -- he's spot-on, as far as the notes and style he intends to sing. Whether or not you enjoy the singing is your own issue, not his.

 

[Pellaz]

Having toured with Nevermore I´ve seen them live app. 20 times....and those were headliner gigs (1h+). And I must say they slayed every f***ing night and I´m positive that they will destroy Earthlink and leave everbody going :"WooooW"......
See you all in September.....
Mike
Drums/Mercenary

Cool, thanks for weighing in, Mike! Gonna be a long wait until September!

As for 'off' nights, I didn't think Warrell sounded _bad_ here, Paul... but I was close to the front where the sound wasn't so great, and, as already admitted, I adore the man's voice. Where were you standing?

Keep in mind, I was referring to the show where Nevermore headlined and Opeth were right before them, at the Masquerade. For their set I wasn't right in front, but generally toward the back of the crowd (not too far from the soundboard). After I realized Warrel's voice was consistently off, I wandered outside and hung out with Jim Raggi, who was sitting on the stone wall out front and passing out copies of LotFP. There was a steady stream of people -- Nevermore fans, wearing Nevermore t-shirts, among them -- leaving the venue during NM's set, shaking their heads and commenting, sometimes loudly, about the lousy quality of Warrel's voice that night. Later, Jim Sheppard mentioned in my car that the entire tour had seen a lot of people leaving after Opeth's set -- it was their first ever US tour, after all -- but "none as brutal as Atlanta."

HOWEVER..... Every other show I've seen from them has been good to excellent (the tour with Dimmu, and recently with Opeth headlining, among them). Even Gigantour, where they didn't suffer from a lack of musical quality so much as an early time-slot and a lousy, "suck-the-life-out-of-the-crowd" seating arrangement.

Tattooedsean, I'm with you... I love PoS, like PT, and I'm stoked to see Nevermore. I guess I can't categorize well enough to get in on those debates.

Me either. I've got pretty wide tolerances on my musical tastes. Opeth to Ozric Tentacles; Dimmu Borgir to Dead Can Dance; Cryptopsy to the Cruxshadows.....

 

[General Zod]

Warrel sings exactly how he means to -- at least on disc, if not 100% of the time live -- he's spot-on, as far as the notes and style he intends to sing. Whether or not you enjoy the singing is your own issue, not his.

Perfectly worded. I think people too often tend to confuse their own personal tastes and quality. There's lots of quality stuff out there that simply does not appeal to me, for one reason or another. That's cool. Different strokes for different folks.

Zod