Its weird. I think nevermore has always evolved but kept to their sound. However one of the mail things I didnt like about the new disc is that it was to much of the same type they did before just more accessible in style (opening track being the best example of that).
I agree about the first track. don't like it. It sounds too 'formula-ish' and it gave me a huge deja-vu of "have I heard this song before? Didn't they write this one already?"
In an album of 10 songs (minus the covers) I always start it on track 2...
With that being said, I agree with you that Nevermore has always evolved and always kept their sound and unique style. Like I said in my previous post:
Nevermore delivers. They really deliver. And not many bands can do that, still.
I am not expecting Nevermore to reinvent 'metal' with every album they release, but for they sure reinvent themselves; again and again.
Agreed. It just seems so uninspired.
I don't want to get into another Andy Sneap rant, but my real problem is how few chances they took on this one, my common AS criticism.
But I'm not talking about the production this time, I'm talking from a songwriting, and sound building standpoint. There's no meat on the record. There's nothing that remotely catches my ear; I've heard it all before. The lyrics are weak (come on WD...), the riffs aren't exciting, and the song writing is complacent and predictable. I thought this was 'metal'... where's the danger?! Is Nevermore really still trying for radio hits at this stage in the game?
Suffice it to say, unless one day I grow some morbid curiousity, I have no interest in picking this disc back up.
You know, I don't agree with you Brooks.
Give it a few more listens, spend some time with the new album. I thought so too at first, but the more I played it, the more it grew on me in an epic way.
I think they did take chances with the music, take:
The Blue Marble and the New Soul for example... or
The Day You Built the Wall - you don't see the new grounds they hit with those two tracks?
It kind of remind me of Dark Tranquility and their album Projector that got such harsh reviews for being too 'Depeche Mode-ish' but for me it was such a great new grounds the band reached. Not many bands can do that in a good way, and I think Nevermore definitely did.
I can see your point with the fact that the music is predictable, but predictable or not, it's KILLER. I don't care if it sounds predictable when it comes to a band I love so much and respect musically. The music has meat and bones, and whether or not it's a Filet Mignon kind of meat, we can argue about, but it has meat none the less.
All bands develop a certain style and sound 'predictable' at some point.
You think Kreator didn't sound predictable after their second album?
What about Immortal? Or Orphaned Land? Every band has a certain predictability to their music, but if done right, musically and artistically, it still kicks major ass.
IMO
