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Nevermore | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1991–2011 |
Labels | Century Media |
Past members |
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Nevermore was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011, due to personal issues between the band members. [1] Vocalist Warrel Dane died in December 2017, ending hopes of a reunion.
Nevermore started in the beginning of the 1990s, when the band Sanctuary was pressured by its recording label to change its musical style, switching from heavy metal to grunge, which was obtaining mainstream success at the time due to bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam (both, incidentally, also from Seattle). Two members of the band – vocalist Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard — did not agree with the change, and thus proceeded to create a project of their own: Nevermore.
By the end of 1994, the band assumed a stable lineup, which saw the additions of drummer Van Williams and former Sanctuary touring guitarist Jeff Loomis. In 1995, Nevermore released its debut album through Century Media Records. This album received much attention and specialized review, as its release was followed by a European tour with Blind Guardian and a North American tour with Death.
Second guitarist Pat O'Brien joined the band prior to the release of the EP In Memory and also took part in the recording of the subsequent album The Politics of Ecstasy , both from 1996. O'Brien left Nevermore to play in Cannibal Corpse and Curran Murphy from Shatter Messiah was enlisted as a touring guitarist for the band until Tim Calvert (who played for the band Forbidden) was able to join the band.
Three years without releases followed, but in 1999, the album Dreaming Neon Black was released. The album's lyrics, based partly on the events Warrell Dane underwent after the disappearance of his longtime girlfriend, narrate the story of a man's slow decline into madness, subsequent to the death of the only woman he ever loved. The tracks of this album are varied in style, ranging from slow and melodic to aggressive and progressive.
A long tour followed with Nevermore sharing stages with bands such as Mercyful Fate, Arch Enemy, Iced Earth, and Opeth. After the end of the tour, in 2000, guitarist Tim Calvert announced his departure from the band, subsequent to his marriage. Instead of finding a replacement, the band decided to continue as a quartet, hiring session guitarists for live appearances, such as Curran Murphy (who went on to play in Annihilator) and Chris Broderick of Jag Panzer and Megadeth. Nevermore proceeded to record Dead Heart in a Dead World, which was followed by tours with several bands, most notably with In Flames and Shadows Fall in late 2000 and Savatage in 2001.
The band's fifth album, Enemies of Reality , remained in production for over a year, and was released in 2003. This album faced much criticism for its production and was re-released in 2005, after being remixed by Andy Sneap. On tour, the band was joined by second lead guitarist Steve Smyth, formerly of Vicious Rumors and Testament; Smyth was eventually added to the line-up on a permanent basis.
A sixth album, This Godless Endeavor , was released in July 2005. Nevermore then toured on Dave Mustaine's Gigantour during the summer of 2005. In 2006, they toured with Disturbed and also as direct support to In Flames on the second leg of its North American tour.
2006 held a bit of bad luck for Nevermore, as bassist Jim Sheppard underwent a procedure for Crohn's disease, which he has suffered from for over 15 years, and guitarist Steve Smyth was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and had to get a kidney transplant. [2] Warrel Dane had previously developed type 2 diabetes, and the band was forced to cancel their show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on May 13, 2006, due to an unspecified illness afflicting Dane.
On September 12, 2006, Nevermore was supposed to record its first full-length DVD live at the Zeche club in Bochum, Germany. This event was to be captured by 7 cameras and the live recording was to be produced by Andy Sneap. However, according to Nevermore's official website, on the day of the show, Warrel Dane fell ill with an infection, eventually resulting in the necessity of seeing a doctor at a hospital in Dortmund, Germany. Doctors insisted that he be kept at the hospital and the show was canceled that evening. Apologetic to their fans, Nevermore agreed with the local venue to perform the show on October 11, 2006. The double DVD set would also include a Nevermore documentary, all of the band's promo videos and past 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 the departure. [3] He stated that he would also be touring with Danish metal band Hatesphere as they supported Behemoth and later Dimmu Borgir, and would also be working on the release of The Esseness Project, an all-instrumental progressive rock album. Dane and Loomis entered the studio, each to record a solo album. 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 , the only release to feature veteran touring guitarist Chris Broderick, who departed to join Megadeth.
In an interview with Komodo Rock published in July, Jeff Loomis said that "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 were one of the first bands to be confirmed for Wacken Open Air 2009, where they performed alongside many bands including Motörhead, DragonForce, and HammerFall. Nevermore entered the studio in August with producer and Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers to record their long-awaited 7th album The Obsidian Conspiracy. The recording was completed in October 2009 and was released 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 in Fall with openers Warbringer, Hatesphere, and Blackguard.
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] In addition, 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 his main focus was on Sanctuary. [12] Dane also mentioned that it would be difficult to continue Nevermore without Jeff Loomis. [13] Both Loomis [14] and Dane talked about the possibility of a reunion, the latter citing that the band split amicably. [15] Dane went on to say in a later interview, that while he wanted to do another Nevermore record, he would not do it without Loomis. [16]
On December 13, 2017, Dane died of a heart attack in São Paulo, Brazil, at the age of 56, putting an end to any possibilities of a Nevermore reunion. [17] Former guitarist Tim Calvert died on April 30, 2018, of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 52. [18]
Nevermore's main sound is difficult to categorize, containing various styles such as progressive metal, thrash metal, [19] power metal, [20] and classic heavy metal. [20] and They also have used death metal traits such as low-tuned and fast-paced riffing. The press have used several other genres to describe Nevermore's sound, including groove metal. In an interview on The Hard Report, singer Warrel Dane casually remarked "...power metal, or whatever Metal this is." However, in an interview at Metalmania in 2006, Dane did not explicitly disagree with the many genres the band has been put in over the years, but he stated "I don't think we're power metal."[ citation needed ]
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Sanctuary is an American heavy 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.
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.
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.
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.
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. He left Arch Enemy in 2023. As a solo artist he has released two albums and one EP.
Steve Smyth is an American musician who is currently the guitarist for metal band One Machine. He has previously played guitar with many metal bands including Vicious Rumors, Testament, Nevermore and Forbidden.
Van Williams is an American drummer, best known as the former drummer of Nevermore. Van Williams hails from New York where he began his music career in various bands, later relocating to Seattle, Washington in 1993. After auditioning for the band Nevermore they were soon signed onto Century Media Records. He used to play drums for Ashes of Ares and Armageddon, and as of 2024, he currently drums for Ghost Ship Octavius, musical project Pure Sweet Hell, and Alcatrazz.
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.
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.
In Memory is an EP by American heavy metal band Nevermore. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Zero Order Phase is the debut solo album by former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis. It was released on September 30, 2008 through Century Media Records. The album was produced by Neil Kernon and features guest appearances by guitarists Ron Jarzombek, Pat O'Brien, and the jazz bassist Michael Manring. An instrumental album, Zero Order Phase was recorded in March 2008 at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington. In addition to Loomis on guitar, keyboards and bass, the album features ex-Nevermore member Mark Arrington on drums.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Inception is a compilation album by American heavy metal band Sanctuary, released on February 24, 2017, through Century Media Records. A prequel to the band's 1988 debut studio 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.