Artist: Nevermore
Label: Century Media
Release Date: 1996
Rating: 5 Skulls
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Title: The Politics of Ecstasy Artist: Nevermore Label: Century Media Release Date: 1996
Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Reviewed by Solomon:
Is it safe to say Nevermore is one of the great metal bands of the Nineties? Where bassist Jim Sheppard and vocalist Warrel Dane's previous band Sanctuary left off, Nevermore picked up the torch once again with a self-titled effort in 1995. The debut record established the band's sound which is a unique combination of old and new. Nevermore's music is "progressive" to the extent it involves intricate arrangements and colorful rhythmic and textural changes, but the band members certainly are not Dream Theater clones. "Power metal" is also misleading, bringing to mind the upbeat, hyper-fast versions of Europe found in, well, Europe. Nope, this is different. "Modern thrash" is a decent term to use, since Politics would have probably fallen into the speed metal camp if it had been released ten years earlier. Whatever you want to call them, Nevermore ends up sounding a lot like Nevermore.The band may change their approach a bit with each album, but the sound remains fairly consistent. Dane, a dominating if not always celebrated voice in metal, graces the album with a powerful yet melodic sound that takes its roots from Eighties screamers like Dickinson, Halford, and Tate. Jim Sheppard and Van Williams (drums) hold down the fort with tight, precision bombast. Guitarist Jeff Loomis is one of metal's great unsung heroes, showing a masterful command of the instrument, particularly in his lead work. One listen to the exotic solo section in "42147" (1:05) will testify to that.
Politics is a highlight in the Nevermore catalogue. Opener "The Seven Tongues of God" introduces the tight, razor-sharp syncopation of the rhythm section which becomes the album's defining characteristic. The guitar riffs found on Politics are catchy and aggressive. The album's first half presents one winning track after another. "Next In Line" has a cool discordant guitar part, and the chugga-chugga volley in "This Sacrament" has no equal. "Passenger" drops the violence down several notches, but the plodding, gothic pace of the song and the haunting guitar lines bring a welcome change of pace. The title track is sort of the band's "Hey, look at us" moment, going for an extended instrumental break (2:55) that is showy in nature but not overdone. "Lost" also has a memorable, jutting rhythm part in the lead section (2:14). "The Learning" is the album's crowning achievement. Clocking in at almost ten minutes, this tune has the most elaborate arrangement on the record. In true "metal ballad" form, "The Learning" starts with a clean voice/guitar intro that segues into a harder section that features a great syncopated rhythm (3:23). The lyric just as the distortion fades in always sticks in my mind: "The learning now begins, my form assuming grace." The progressive, Queensryche-inspired atmosphere created towards the end of the song is worth the wait (8:27).
In all, Politics is mandatory listening for anyone wishing to chronicle the development of metal in the Nineties. Nevermore has taken elements of the past and beefed them up to make a definitive mark on modern metal.
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