Nevermore

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Nevermore
Nevermore Summerbreeze2007 04.jpg
Nevermore in 2007. L-R: Jeff Loomis, Warrel Dane, Tim Johnston, and Chris Broderick.
Background information
Origin Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Years active1991–2011
Labels Century Media
Past members

Nevermore was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011 due to personal issues among the members. [1] Vocalist Warrel Dane died in December 2017, ending hopes for a reunion.

Contents

History

Early years (1992–1993)

Nevermore emerged in the early 1990s when the band Sanctuary was pressured by its record label to alter its musical style, transitioning from heavy metal to grunge, which was achieving mainstream success at the time, largely due to bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam (both, incidentally, also from Seattle). Two members of Sanctuary—vocalist Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard—disagreed with this shift and subsequently formed their own project: Nevermore.

Nevermore, In Memory and The Politics of Ecstasy (1994–1996)

By the end of 1994, the band had solidified its lineup with the addition of drummer Van Williams and former Sanctuary touring guitarist Jeff Loomis. In 1995, Nevermore released its debut album through Century Media Records. This album garnered significant attention and critical acclaim, with its release followed by a European tour alongside Blind Guardian and a North American tour with Death.

Prior to the release of the EP In Memory , second guitarist Pat O'Brien joined the band and contributed to the recording of their subsequent album The Politics of Ecstasy , both released in 1996. O'Brien later left Nevermore to join Cannibal Corpse, and Curran Murphy from Shatter Messiah was brought in as a touring guitarist until Tim Calvert (formerly of Forbidden) officially joined the band.

Dreaming Neon Black and Dead Heart in a Dead World (1999–2001)

After a three-year hiatus without releases, Nevermore returned in 1999 with the album Dreaming Neon Black . The album's lyrics, inspired in part by Warrel Dane's experiences following the disappearance of his longtime girlfriend, depict the gradual descent of a man into madness after the loss of the only woman he ever loved. The tracks on this album exhibit a range of styles, from slow and melodic to aggressive and progressive.

A lengthy tour followed, during which Nevermore shared the stage with bands such as Mercyful Fate, Arch Enemy, Iced Earth, and Opeth. After the tour concluded, in 2000, guitarist Tim Calvert announced his departure from the band due to his marriage. Rather than seek a replacement, the band opted to continue as a quartet, enlisting session guitarists for live performances, including Curran Murphy (who later played with Annihilator) and Chris Broderick of Jag Panzer and Megadeth. Nevermore then proceeded to record Dead Heart in a Dead World , followed by tours with several bands, most notably with In Flames and Shadows Fall in late 2000 and Savatage in 2001.

Enemies of Reality and This Godless Endeavor (2003–2007)

Nevermore Summerbreeze2007 06.jpg
Nevermore Summerbreeze2007 05.jpg
Nevermore at Summerbreeze Festival 2007

The band's fifth album, Enemies of Reality , remained in production for over a year and was released in 2003. This album faced significant criticism regarding its production quality and was subsequently re-released in 2005 after being remixed by Andy Sneap. During their tour, the band was joined by second lead guitarist Steve Smyth, formerly of Vicious Rumors and Testament; Smyth was eventually added to the lineup on a permanent basis.

A sixth album, This Godless Endeavor , was released in July 2005. Following this, Nevermore toured on Dave Mustaine's Gigantour during the summer of 2005. In 2006, they also toured with Disturbed and served as direct support for In Flames on the second leg of its North American tour.

However, 2006 brought some misfortune for Nevermore. Bassist Jim Sheppard underwent a procedure for Crohn's disease, a condition he had been battling for over 15 years, while guitarist Steve Smyth was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and required a kidney transplant. [2] Additionally, Warrel Dane had previously developed type 2 diabetes, which forced the band to cancel their show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on May 13, 2006, due to an unspecified illness affecting Dane.

Solo work and The Year of the Voyager (2006–2008)

On September 12, 2006, Nevermore was scheduled to record its first full-length DVD live at the Zeche club in Bochum, Germany. This event was to be captured by seven cameras, and the live recording was set to be produced by Andy Sneap. However, according to Nevermore's official website, Warrel Dane fell ill with an infection on the day of the show, necessitating a visit to a hospital in Dortmund, Germany. Doctors insisted that he remain in the hospital, leading to the cancellation of the show that evening. Apologetic to their fans, Nevermore arranged with the local venue to perform the show on October 11, 2006. The double DVD set would also include a Nevermore documentary, along with all of the band's promotional videos and recordings from their 11-year career. The DVD was released on October 20, 2008, and is entitled The Year of the Voyager .

On August 30, 2007, it was announced that Steve Smyth would no longer be a member of the band, citing personal and business reasons for his departure. [3] He stated that he would also be touring with Danish metal band Hatesphere as they supported Behemoth and later Dimmu Borgir, in addition to working on the release of *The Esseness Project*, an all-instrumental progressive rock album. Meanwhile, Dane and Loomis entered the studio to record solo albums; Dane recorded Praises to the War Machine and Loomis recorded Zero Order Phase , both released in 2008. Later that year, the band released their first-ever live concert CD/DVD titled The Year of the Voyager , which is notable for being the only release to feature veteran touring guitarist Chris Broderick, who later departed to join Megadeth.

The Obsidian Conspiracy and future (2010)

In an interview with Komodo Rock published in July, Jeff Loomis stated, "I actually have six or seven songs already for the new Nevermore record. I'm about half way there, and we're going to be going into the studio probably some time in the early fall." [4] Nevermore was one of the first bands confirmed for Wacken Open Air 2009, where they performed alongside numerous bands, including Motörhead, DragonForce, and HammerFall. In August, Nevermore entered the studio with producer and Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers to record their long-awaited seventh album, The Obsidian Conspiracy. The recording was completed in October 2009 and was released on June 8, 2010, in America, and May 31, 2010, in the EU. [5] [6] [7] [8] On June 1, 2010, Nevermore announced a North American tour for the fall, with openers Warbringer, Hatesphere, and Blackguard.

Hiatus, possible reunion and deaths (2011–2018)

On April 11, 2011, Nevermore canceled their scheduled North American tour with Symphony X. [9] Later, on April 21, 2011, longtime and founding members Jeff Loomis and Van Williams announced their departure from Nevermore, citing personal and musical differences. [10] Additionally, on May 3, 2011, it was announced that Nevermore had canceled their entire Australian tour. [11] However, in July 2011, Warrel Dane announced that Nevermore had not broken up, and that his main focus was on Sanctuary. [12] Dane also mentioned that it would be challenging to continue Nevermore without Jeff Loomis. [13] Both Loomis [14] and Dane discussed the possibility of a reunion, with Dane noting that the band split amicably. [15] Dane later stated in an interview that while he desired to produce another Nevermore record, he would not do so without Loomis. [16]

On December 13, 2017, Dane died from a heart attack in São Paulo, Brazil, at the age of 56, ending any possibilities for a Nevermore reunion. [17] Former guitarist Tim Calvert died on April 30, 2018, from complications related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 52. [18]

Musical style

Nevermore's primary sound is challenging to categorize, encompassing a range of styles such as progressive metal, thrash metal, [19] power metal, [20] and classic heavy metal. [20] They have also incorporated death metal elements, characterized by low-tuned and fast-paced riffing. The press has described Nevermore's sound using several other genres, including groove metal. In an interview with The Hard Report, singer Warrel Dane casually remarked, "...power metal, or whatever Metal this is." However, during an interview at Metalmania in 2006, Dane did not explicitly dispute the various genres attributed to the band over the years, stating, "I don't think we're power metal."[ citation needed ]

Band members

Timeline

Nevermore

Discography

Studio albums

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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.

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

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

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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>Zero Order Phase</i> 2008 studio album by Jeff Loomis

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

The Year of the Voyager is a double DVD/CD by American heavy metal band 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.

<i>Manifesto of Nevermore</i> 2009 greatest hits album by Nevermore

Manifesto of Nevermore is a greatest hits compilation by American heavy metal band Nevermore. It contains tracks from the first six Nevermore albums as well as their In Memory EP in reverse chronological order except one song taken from their double DVD/CD live album The Year of the Voyager released in 2008 as the last track on the compilation. It was released in Europe and the UK on March 2, 2009.

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References

  1. ↑ "Jeff Loomis Gives His Side of the NEVERMORE Breakup – Metal Injection". Metalinjection.net. September 22, 2011. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  2. ↑ "The Official Nevermore website :: This Godless Endeavor". Nevermore.tv. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Guitarist STEVE SMYTH Parts Ways With NEVERMORE". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Komodo Rock Talks To Jeff Loomis". Komodorock.com. July 31, 2008. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  5. ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – NEVERMORE: New Album Title Revealed". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  6. ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – NEVERMORE To Enter Studio In August". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  7. ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – NEVERMORE Completes Recording New Album". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  8. ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – NEVERMORE To Release 'The Obsidian Conspiracy' In June". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  9. ↑ "NEVERMORE Cancels North American Tour Dates". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  10. ↑ Fisher, Jason (April 21, 2011). "Jeff Loomis and Van Williams Leave NEVERMORE". The Gauntlet. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Nevermore cancel Australian tour dates". Bombshellzine.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Singer Warrel Dane Says Nevermore 'Is Not Dead', Focuses On Sanctuary". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  13. ↑ "NEVERMORE Singer: I Found Out Via BLABBERMOUTH.NET That Guitarist And Drummer Quit Band". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  14. ↑ "JEFF LOOMIS Doesn't Rule Out NEVERMORE Reunion". Roadrunnerrecords.com. September 6, 2012. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  15. ↑ "WARREL DANE: 'NEVERMORE Is Not Dead'". Blabbermouth.net. April 12, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  16. ↑ "WARREL DANE Wouldn't Make New NEVERMORE Album Without JEFF LOOMIS". Blabbermouth.net. June 10, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  17. ↑ "NEVERMORE And SANCTUARY Singer WARREL DANE Dies Of Heart Attack In Brazil". Blabbermouth.net. December 13, 2017. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Former Nevermore And Forbidden Guitarist Tim Calvert Dies At 52". Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  19. ↑ Begrand, Adrien. "Nevermore: This Godless Endeavor – PopMatters". popmatters.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  20. 1 2 Downey, Ryan. "Nevermore". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
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