Well to me more rock oriented/less distorted and downtuned guitars with these kind of groovy and start stop patterns work out better. When it comes down to genres of metal, which most of the distorted stuff still is, I just find it annoying. Many of the riffs are meant to be heavy and just come across as Pantera tuned to A or B, basically modern Gothenburg rhythms. I would've really preferred solid 4/4 beats or pretty much anything to those sometimes cringeworthy guitar patterns. For instance, I've got no beef with the clean and acoustic guitars. They're fine.
But the fact is that many people who happen to like Nevermore also likes these modern guitars. That's probably why I come across as the whiner in this thread while everyone else pretty much cums over the album
And I have to say it again.. some of the vocal work is pretty much perfect, especially choruses in "Messenger" and "When We Prey". Nevermore class.
I love to elaborate in endless music discussions so it's just fun.
Excellent. Feel free to elaborate as much as you like. Your honest and insightful opinions are appreciated. This sort of information is akin to the kind of opinion poll stuff the corporate pig marketing firms pay big bucks to attain.
Seriously though, you don't come across as a whiner (imo). I neglected to mention earlier that I'm not a musician so you may lose me on the A - B, or 4/4 stuff. However, as a listener I do enjoy honest discussions about how other people perceive music and how genre lines are drawn.
In the instrument/equipment scenario alluded to earlier, I wasn't sure if it was a case where some cult group of rock purists existed believing that rock guitar should only be played on an old, properly tuned Fender or Gibson through an old tube amp - or some such. Whereas metal purists would prefer a downtuned, distorted Jackson or Ibanez. Based on your input I'm gathering that it's more of an instrument setting thing as well as a playing style thing. Am I on the right path to understanding this?
Regarding playing style, you mention 'groovy' and 'start and stop patterns'. Before you mentioned this I wasn't sure if it meant that wanky solos vs the chugga chugga rhythm style should be more prominent, or vice versa. Or if 2 (or more) guitarist vs single guitarists situations had any effect on the equation. I enjoy both wank and chugga rhythms. Some people seem to hate wank. I don't. I love it, especially reeealllly good wank, whether it's performed by a really great single player (Hendrix, Gilmour, Lifeson, Petrucci, Fruit of the Loomis, etc.), or good dual wankfests ala Priest, Maiden, Trouble, Gothenburg bands, etc.
I can also appreciate and enjoy certain chugga chugga-based playing, e.g., Fear Factory. What's truly eargasmic is a combo of both. That's where I suppose having 2 or more guitarists is beneficial for live situations. However, some of the single players who can pull off both have reached godlike status in my personal echelon of preferred guitar musicianship.
But enough about guitars, this is the vocalist's solo album thread. I trust your opinion when you say it's pretty much perfect. I haven't been disappointed so far, on recordings anyway. There've been a couple distant past instances of less than stellar live performances, but extenuating circumstances may have been the cause. Still, from a wide range of experiences I think it's safe to say that one of Mr. Dane's off days is better than some vocalists' good days.
