2010年 Jun 15日 Tuesday, 19:54

Because Nevermore deserves at least one article, and if I'm not going to review The Obsidian Conspiracy, I might as well do a top 10. Here we go.

10.- The Psalm of Lydia (This Godless Endeavor)

A friend of mine once called this song a "4 minute solo", which is not far from the truth, actually. It starts off with a very simple heavy metal riff and it has a good chorus, but what really makes this song so good are the solos, especially the middle section, which is like a duel between Loomis and Smyth. I can't help but feel that it inspired Megadeth's 1,320', too. The instrumental sections are definitely similar.

9.- Deconstruction (Dreaming Neon Black)

This song is so ball-crushingly doomy that it would make Candlemass crap their pants. The spooky intro gives way to an avalanche of massive riffs that create a very oppressive and pessimistic atmosphere. Throw that together with two guitar solos (acoustic and electric) and you have perfection.

8.- The Heart Collector (Dead Heart in a Dead World)

One of the very few Nevermore songs that leave you with a positive feeling after listening to it. I tend to think that it's a love song, but the lyrics are kinda weird, and knowing Warrel, it might as well be about LSD or something. Whatever the case, this song kicks ass. The solo is insane, and in the final chorus, Warrel delivers one of his most powerful vocal performances ever.

7.- No More Will (Dreaming Neon Black)

Now this is a depressing song if I ever heard one. It is full of melancholic leads and thrashy riffs, but what really makes this song so beautiful are the vocal melodies and the lyrics: "I still feel you now, you are the falling rain, the voice that stills the pain, I am the lover gone insane. I must be strong, for love burns ever long…" Sends shivers down my spine every single time.

6.- Sentient 6 (This Godless Endeavor)

I swear Warrel has a thing for AI and badass robots destroying everything. This song has one of the best build-ups ever, starting off with a soft piano melody, then the drums kicking in, then the powerful chorus, followed by a masterful solo by Lord Loomis and finally the dark, furious part at the end. Worthy of mention are, once again, Warrel's lyrics and vocal performance, which are superb, especially in the chorus.

5.- Poison Godmachine (Dreaming Neon Black)

To really understand how skull-crushing this song is, it must be listened right after The Lotus Eaters. It goes from a bitter plea to God to tremendous and spiteful anger against the crap that the media pukes on us on a daily basis. It has thrashy riffs, massive bass work, and awesome falsettos, all of which makes this one of the best thrash songs ever.

4.- Enemies of Reality (Enemies of Reality)

Nevermore at their angriest, ever. The riffs are viciously complex and chugging, the drumming is intense, and Loomis makes good use of the seventh string to crush some skulls. It's not all anger though, as the chorus still has that touch of angst and bitterness that characterises Nevermore.

3.- Born (This Godless Endeavor)

I remember some guy once said than upon first listen, he thought he had been sent the wrong promo. It's understandable, because it's not often that you see Nevermore go death metal (kinda) but bloody hell is it a good way to start off the album. The riffs are excellent (as usual), but where this song really shines is in the chorus. It's easily the best moment in the entire discography of the band, and this is due to the fact that all the members are at their finest here. This is easy to overlook because Warrel takes the cake, but Loomis is also playing a rather complex riff, and the drum pattern is also great. This beautiful chorus, followed by the ripping solo, is one of my favourite moments in all music. It's awesome, seriously.

2.- Dreaming Neon Black (Dreaming Neon Black)

One of the greatest metal ballads of all time, the soft acoustic parts combined with the slow, heavy riffs in the chorus create an atmosphere that's melancholic and dreamy, and not necessarily depressing, except for the last two minutes, in which Warrel sounds more bitter than ever. The female vocals work nicely, adding to the dreamy feeling of the song. Listen to this while staring at the setting sun and it'll move you to tears (or at least very close).

1.- This Godless Endeavor (This Godless Endeavor)

You guessed it. How could this song not be number one? Sentient 6's excellent build-up sounds like Slipknot compared to this. When listening to this song, I feel as if I'm standing in the middle of a desolated city, looking up to the clouds as they open up revealing a torn sky or something. The acoustic intro, the riffs, the drumming, the vocals, the lyrics, everything about this song is perfection to an insane degree, and the final line "the sky has opened" is legendary.

Honourable mentions: The Seven Tongues of God, Next in Line, Evolution 169, The Fault of the Flesh, The Lotus Eaters, The Learning, Inside Four Walls, Insignificant, Believe in Nothing, Who Decides, Seed Awakening, Final Product, My Acid Words, And The Maiden Spoke, She Comes in Colors, The Obsidian Conspiracy.

(Updated the honourable mentions).