Dreaming Neon Black

Last updated

Dreaming Neon Black
Dreaming neon black album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 26, 1999
Recorded1998
StudioVillage Productions (Tornillo, Texas)
Genre Progressive metal, speed metal, heavy metal [1]
Length66:05
Label Century Media
Producer Neil Kernon
Nevermore chronology
The Politics of Ecstasy
(1996)
Dreaming Neon Black
(1999)
Dead Heart in a Dead World
(2000)
Alternative covers
Nevermore DNB.jpg
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Rock Hard Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Dreaming Neon Black is the third studio album released by American heavy metal band Nevermore, and was released through Century Media in 1999. Unlike its predecessor, The Politics of Ecstasy , Dreaming Neon Black contains many slower, emotional songs.

Contents

Dreaming Neon Black is a concept album; according to Nevermore's lead singer, Warrel Dane, "it's a very simple story about a man who slowly goes insane after losing a woman that he was very close to. Progressive levels of insanity are expressed in the songs, he goes through phases of denial and self-blame, blaming God, then denouncing God. The ending is a little...tragic, a little depressing. Shakesperian. Everybody dies, it's all happy." [4]

The story is based on a personal experience of Dane's. One of his former girlfriends, Patricia Candace Walsh, [5] ceased contact with him when she joined a religious group and was never heard from again, [6] and he began having nightmares of her crying out to him as she drowned.[ citation needed ] In actuality, Walsh and her husband Douglas Zyskowski were murdered by serial killer Robert Ben Rhoades in January 1990 while hitchhiking to a religious workshop in Georgia, [7] although Dane was initially unaware of this.

The spoken word samples from the intro "Ophidian" and its 10-second reprise at the end of "Forever" are from the Clive Barker movie Lord of Illusions .

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Warrel Dane; all music is composed by Nevermore

No.TitleLength
1."Ophidian" (instrumental)0:46
2."Beyond Within"5:11
3."The Death of Passion"4:10
4."I Am the Dog"4:13
5."Dreaming Neon Black"6:26
6."Deconstruction"6:39
7."The Fault of the Flesh"4:54
8."The Lotus Eaters"4:25
9."Poison Godmachine"4:33
10."All Play Dead"4:58
11."Cenotaph"4:39
12."No More Will"5:45
13."Forever"9:20

Note: The song Forever has a run time of 2:35, followed by six minutes and 35 seconds of silence. This silence is followed a 10-second section from the opening track Ophidian.

Credits

Nevermore
Additional personnel
Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanctuary (band)</span> American thrash/power metal band

Sanctuary is an American thrash/power metal band, formed in 1985 in Seattle, Washington. They were broken up from 1992 to 2010. The band consists of Lenny Rutledge (guitar), Joseph Michael (vocals), George Hernandez (bass), and Dave Budbill (drums). The lead vocalist position was held by Warrel Dane until his death in 2017. They have released four studio albums and one live EP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrel Dane</span> American singer (1961–2017)

Warrel Dane was an American musician who was the lead singer for the heavy metal bands Sanctuary and Nevermore. He was a natural baritone; though he was known for his high-pitched vocals with Serpent's Knight and on the first two Sanctuary albums, later in his career, Dane became more notable for his distinctively deep, dramatic voice.

<i>Enemies of Reality</i> 2003 studio album by Nevermore

Enemies of Reality is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Nevermore, released in 2003 by Century Media. Due to the mixed reception of the album's production by Kelly Gray, it was remixed and remastered by Andy Sneap in 2005.

<i>Dead Heart in a Dead World</i> 2000 studio album by Nevermore

Dead Heart in a Dead World is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Nevermore, released in October 2000. In a style comparable to a darker, heavier Queensrÿche, its songs range topics such as criticism of drug possession penalties to rejection of religion. The album also features a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's hit, "The Sound of Silence". It is also notable for being Nevermore's first record utilizing seven-string guitars.

<i>Refuge Denied</i> 1988 studio album by Sanctuary

Refuge Denied is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Sanctuary, released in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Loomis</span> American guitarist (born 1971)

Jeff Loomis is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore during its existence from 1991 to 2011, as well as brief tenures in its precursor, Sanctuary. In 2014, he joined Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, and in 2021 he joined Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz as well. As a solo artist he has released two albums and one EP.

<i>This Godless Endeavor</i> 2005 studio album by Nevermore

This Godless Endeavor is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Nevermore, released on July 26, 2005. The album was produced by Andy Sneap and is distributed by Century Media Records.

<i>The Politics of Ecstasy</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Nevermore

The Politics of Ecstasy is the second full-length studio album by heavy metal band Nevermore, released in 1996. The album is named after Timothy Leary's book of the same name. The first chapter of the book is titled "The Seven Tongues of God", which is the title of the first song on the album. There is a spoken word sample in the track "Next in Line" from the Adrian Lyne movie Jacob's Ladder.

<i>In Memory</i> 1996 EP by Nevermore

In Memory is Nevermore's only EP. It was recorded in April and May 1996 and released on July 23, 1996. It features a Bauhaus medley. It was re-issued in 2006 with 5 bonus tracks, which are all demos of songs from the next full-length album, The Politics of Ecstasy.

<i>Nevermore</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Nevermore

Nevermore is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Nevermore, released on February 14, 1995 by Century Media Records. It was singer Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard's first release after disbanding their previous band, Sanctuary, in 1992. Having recruited drummer Van Williams and former Sanctuary touring guitarist Jeff Loomis, they formed the band Nevermore and began anew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Sheppard</span> American musician (born 1963)

James Patrick Sheppard is an American musician. He was the bassist and founding member of the progressive metal band, Nevermore, and its predecessor, Sanctuary. He and singer Warrel Dane are certified chefs, and formerly owned an Italian restaurant in Seattle. In 2020 James married Brazilian Priscila Sheppard.

<i>Into the Mirror Black</i> 1990 studio album by Sanctuary

Into the Mirror Black is the second studio album by the band Sanctuary, released on February 27, 1990. It was their last album before their 18-year breakup from 1992 to 2010.

Timothy K. Calvert was an American metal guitarist. He was known for his dark, moody style of songwriting created through his frequent usage of dissonant passages and diminished chords. He was associated with the bands Forbidden and Nevermore.

<i>Praises to the War Machine</i> 2008 studio album by Warrel Dane

Praises to the War Machine is the debut solo release/album by heavy metal vocalist Warrel Dane from Nevermore, released on April 25, 2008. The album was produced by Peter Wichers, who was tapped by Dane to work on the album while Wichers was still a member of Soilwork. After leaving that band in 2007, Wichers co-wrote the album with Dane and played on eight of its tracks. Soilwork drummer Dirk Verbeuren and former Himsa guitarist Matt Wicklund also played on the album. Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis and James Murphy make guest appearances. Chris Broderick was supposed to contribute a solo to the track "Obey" but was unable to, due to other obligations. Praises to the War Machine includes two cover songs, The Sisters of Mercy's "Lucretia My Reflection" and "Patterns" by Paul Simon. Dane had previously covered a Simon song on Nevermore's album Dead Heart in a Dead World.

<i>The Year of the Voyager</i> 2008 video by Nevermore

The Year of the Voyager is a double DVD/CD released by Nevermore. It was released in Europe on October 20, 2008 and in North America on November 25, 2008 via Century Media. The set covers the This Godless Endeavor touring cycle, starting with live footage from the U.S. Gigantour 2005, the Metal Mania festival 2006 in Poland, the Wacken Open Air festival in 2006 in Germany and the main DVD show recorded at the Zeche in Bochum, Germany. Bonus material includes two songs from Century Media USA 10th Anniversary Party 2001, all promo videos and an interview with singer Warrel Dane which was recorded at the Roax Film Studios in Berlin in the spring of 2008.

<i>The Obsidian Conspiracy</i> 2010 studio album by Nevermore

The Obsidian Conspiracy is the seventh and final studio album by American heavy metal band Nevermore. It was released on June 8, 2010 in North America by Century Media and at the end of May in Europe. The band's previous album, This Godless Endeavor, was released in 2005, making the five-year gap the longest between two consecutive Nevermore albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nevermore</span> American heavy metal band

Nevermore was an American progressive metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011, due to personal issues between the band members. In April 2015, lead singer Warrel Dane confirmed that Nevermore had not disbanded, and there was a possibility for them to continue in the next two years with another album. However, Dane died in December 2017, ending hopes of a reunion.

<i>The Year the Sun Died</i> 2014 studio album by Sanctuary

The Year the Sun Died is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Sanctuary, released on October 6, 2014, in Europe, and eight days later in North America. It is Sanctuary's first studio album in 24 years, since 1990's Into the Mirror Black, and their only release with former Forced Entry guitarist Brad Hull, making it the band's first studio album without guitarist Sean Blosl, as well as their final release with bassist Jim Sheppard. The Year the Sun Died is also the first Sanctuary album released on Century Media Records, making it their first album not to be released on Epic Records, and the final one with original material to feature vocalist Warrel Dane before his death in December 2017.

<i>Inception</i> (Sanctuary album) 2017 compilation album by Sanctuary

Inception is a compilation album by American heavy metal band Sanctuary, released on February 24, 2017, through Century Media. A prequel to the band's 1988 debut album Refuge Denied, the album contains remixed and remastered lost studio recordings from 1986. This is Sanctuary's final release with vocalist Warrel Dane, who died of a heart attack on December 13, 2017.

<i>Forever Warriors, Forever United</i> 2018 studio album by Doro

Forever Warriors Forever United is the thirteenth studio album by the German female heavy metal singer Doro, released on August 17, 2018 through Nuclear Blast Records. This is Doro's first double album, released separately as split albums, as well as a double package. The album is dedicated to Lemmy Kilmister. The first single "All For Metal" contains several guest vocalists such as Chuck Billy, Jeff Waters, Johan Hegg, Mille Petrozza, and Sabaton. "If I Can't Have You, No One Will", which has a duet with Amon Amarth bellower Johan Hegg, was released as the 2nd Single. The third and fourth singles were "Lift Me Up" and "It Cuts So Deep" respectfully. Five music videos were produced in promotion for the record's release: "All for Metal", "It Cuts So Deep", "If I Can Not Have – No One Will", "Freunde Furs Leben" and "It Cuts So Deep".

References

  1. Metal Crypt Review
  2. Dreaming Neon Black at AllMusic
  3. Schäfer, Wolfgang. "Rock Hard". issue 140. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  4. Metal Injection
  5. "IMPACT - Interview with Warrel Dane (Sanctuary, Nevermore)". September 19, 2016. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021 via YouTube.
  6. "Nevermore Interview, Part I - Infernal Dominion Magazine". www.angelfire.com.
  7. "Trucker Admits to More Murders". ABC News. March 30, 2012.