# So, I caught Nevermore...



## eaeolian (Nov 7, 2005)

...with Into Eternity and Opeth on Saturday night. N'more were kick-ass, Loomis had the Hellraiser with the Floyd and Smyth had his Warlock and Ignitor. It was cool to see Smyth with them - I thought he was the perfect fit when they announced it, and he really is.

(Before anyone asks, yes, they actually used the Kranks. I had a long talk with Steve about it, and I understand why they're using them...)

Set list (may not be in the right order, I was drinking.  )

Born
My Acid Words
Never Purify
Bittersweet Feast
The River Dragon has Come
Beyond Within
This Godless Endeavor
Final Product
Enemies of Reality 

They were filming for a DVD, so they seemed to be extra amped-up - they were certainly "on" - and "Beyond Within" just blew the house down. Into Eternity played a great set although they had serious sound issues early on, and they never quite got them ironed out - basically, the house guy didn't realize that all four guys up front sang. The new singer's amazing, too.

Opeth were excellent, but they couldn't maintain the energy level that Nevermore tossed out there, so they seemed a bit flat at first. Having backing vocals makes a huge difference in the live show for these guys, though, and the set was solid and fairly well chosen, with an obvious slant towards the new stuff...

I had a blast hanging and chatting with the N'more/IE guys, too - especially watching IE's bassist Troy school Loomis at Galaga. Troy apparently had no life when he was younger.


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## Regor (Nov 7, 2005)

I just caught them last night in Cleveland. UNFORTUNATELY due to Ohio's STUPID FUCKING CONSTRUCTION DETOUR SIGNS (or lack thereof), we missed the correct detour route a couple of times (yes a couple of times) on the way down and missed most of IE's set. I caught 4 of their songs, but the new singer SUCKED. I'm hoping he was just having an off night, but his 'harmonies' were in the wrong keys and WAY off! why doesn't he just sing them the way the other guy did, instead of singing in a horribly lame falsetto. Very dissappointed to hear them.

As for Nevermore, they rocked, but their Krank amps sounded like balls. Wayy too muddy. Ever hear a band and go "That sounds like them"? Well, last night I went "That doesn't sound like Nevermore". He should go back to PODs.

Anyways, they played great. (Never Purify was after Bittersweet Feast tho) Altho the crowd in Cleveland were lame as hell. Everyone just kinda stood there. Warrel had to provoke the crowd by saying there was a DVD taping to get them to do anything, but as that song ended, they'd stop moshing or raising the horns or everything really. Detroit crowds are way more metal.

BUT, there were WAY hotter metal chicks in Cleveland than in Detroit. Hmm...


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## The Dark Wolf (Nov 7, 2005)

Regor said:


> UNFORTUNATELY due to Ohio's STUPID FUCKING CONSTRUCTION DETOUR SIGNS (or lack thereof),


Ya like those? I'm quite enamored of them, me'self 

Ohio has 2 seasons- 1.) sweltering death (elsewhere termed 'summer'), and 2.) road construction.


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## Drew (Nov 7, 2005)

Am I the only one who's more into Opeth than Nevermore? I feel so un-metal, lol.


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## Drache713 (Nov 7, 2005)

Drew said:


> Am I the only one who's more into Opeth than Nevermore? I feel so un-metal, lol.


Nah Drew, I'm with you. Don't get me wrong, Nevermore kicks ass. But I think Opeth has much more variety and depth. My $.02.


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## Shannon (Nov 7, 2005)

Drew said:


> Am I the only one who's more into Opeth than Nevermore? I feel so un-metal, lol.



Well, I am a fan of EVERYTHING Opeth. Between the 2 bands, Opeth will win hands-down every time. They can do no wrong in my book. I love everything about them. I like Nevermore, but I just finally started digging them this year when they released "This Godless Endeavor." I've been buying up their back catalog, but I only like "the 7-string era" CDs.

There's nothing wrong with preferring one band over the other. You can't really compare the 2 bands anyway. Opeth is a progressive death metal band that plays epic tunes in excess of 10 minute-plus while featuring folky acoustic leanings & 70s-style progrock vibe. Nevermore is a metal band blending elements of traditional & nu-metal guitars with power metal vocals.


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## The Dark Wolf (Nov 8, 2005)

Drew said:


> Am I the only one who's more into Opeth than Nevermore? I feel so un-metal, lol.


For me it's like M&M's... sometimes ya feel like a nut, sometimes ya don't (or is that Almond Joy and Mounds? Eh... I digress)

Somedays I like the intricacy and depth of Opeth. Somedays I like the power and precision of Nevermore. I think I like both bands roughly equallly, but some days I like one more than the other.


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## a_daft_punk (Nov 8, 2005)

Drew said:


> Am I the only one who's more into Opeth than Nevermore? I feel so un-metal, lol.



Nah I love Opeth more too  Nevermore kick ass but I've only heard the new album.

Joe


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## eaeolian (Nov 8, 2005)

Shannon said:


> Well, I am a fan of EVERYTHING Opeth. Between the 2 bands, Opeth will win hands-down every time. They can do no wrong in my book. I love everything about them. I like Nevermore, but I just finally started digging them this year when they released "This Godless Endeavor." I've been buying up their back catalog, but I only like "the 7-string era" CDs.
> 
> There's nothing wrong with preferring one band over the other. You can't really compare the 2 bands anyway. Opeth is a progressive death metal band that plays epic tunes in excess of 10 minute-plus while featuring folky acoustic leanings & 70s-style progrock vibe. Nevermore is a metal band blending elements of traditional & nu-metal guitars with power metal vocals.



I'd say Nevermore's more like traditional and modern death metal combined with power metal vox, but that's just a quibble - otherwise, I think you're dead on. In the live arena, Nevermore just had more "spark", at least on Saturday. Opeth was very good, they just didn't make you WANT TO JUMP UP AND START BREAKING THINGS!!! AAAEERRERERRRR!!!

(Sorry, lost it there for a second...)


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## eaeolian (Nov 8, 2005)

Regor said:


> As for Nevermore, they rocked, but their Krank amps sounded like balls. Wayy too muddy. Ever hear a band and go "That sounds like them"? Well, last night I went "That doesn't sound like Nevermore". He should go back to PODs.



That's funny - I actually thought they sounded pretty good in VA. I was surprised, 'cause I expected the Kranks to sound terrible, and they didn't.

Opeth's Laneys, on the other hand, left something to be desired. They didn't have the "richness" that I like out of an amp that's running that much mid - they were very dry and sterile.

IE got some meh rhythm tones, but some awesome lead tones out of their JSXs - and the cleans were quite good, too.


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## Drew (Nov 8, 2005)

I gotta agree on the Kranks - it wasn't the sort of tone I'd ever dial up, but they sounded good for what they were when I caught them, like a modern Marshall on the edge of meltdown. Opeth's tone, meanwhile, sounded anemic when Mikal would hit a chord or something between songs, but sounded great with the whole band going. 

And when you consider I'm getting into this stuff from a prog background, the fact I prefer Opeth makes perfect sense. Sure, they're a bit pedantic at times, but I love that.


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## Regor (Nov 8, 2005)

eaeolian said:


> I'd say Nevermore's more like traditional and modern death metal combined with power metal vox,



WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THIS???

What about Warrel Dane's voice is power metal?? What kinda power metal are you guys listening too? Just cuz he doesn't growl doesn't make him power metal. Shit, he's only done the 'Judas Priest' type of high pitched screaming singing on one song on DHiaDW. I don't see it.

Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, those are power metal vocals. Nevermore, not so much.


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## eaeolian (Nov 8, 2005)

Regor said:


> WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THIS???
> What about Warrel Dane's voice is power metal?? What kinda power metal are you guys listening too? Just cuz he doesn't growl doesn't make him power metal. Shit, he's only done the 'Judas Priest' type of high pitched screaming singing on one song on DHiaDW. I don't see it.



Simple: Warrel's approach - using harmonies, layering, and half or quarter-time vocals against the faster rhythms - is more in the vein of "power metal"-style vocalists than, say, death vox. He's innovative in his approach to tonality, but Nevermore is, to me, a power metal band in the truest sense of the term - melodicism without being a bunch of wusses in eyeliner.

High-pitched screaming does not "power metal" make - now, if I'd said "Eurocheese", it would be different...


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## Metal Ken (Nov 8, 2005)

Warrel doesnt sound like any power metal i ever heard. ;p 
Except maybe Persuader.


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## Shannon (Nov 8, 2005)

eaeolian said:


> Simple: Warrel's approach - using harmonies, layering, and half or quarter-time vocals against the faster rhythms - is more in the vein of "power metal"-style vocalists than, say, death vox. He's innovative in his approach to tonality, but Nevermore is, to me, a power metal band in the truest sense of the term - melodicism without being a bunch of wusses in eyeliner.
> 
> High-pitched screaming does not "power metal" make - now, if I'd said "Eurocheese", it would be different...



Sorry, but I agree with THAT guy. ^^^^


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## 7slinger (Nov 8, 2005)

I spent $65 at Worst Buy on 5 Opeth cd's 2 days ago and have been plowing through them ever since. 

I have to agree with whoever said "sometimes you feel like a nut..." because I don't think I could ever choose which one I like better; it totally depends on my mood. 

Nevermore is a fantastic band, everything about them is top shelf. Opeth, the same.
But they definitely are different. I like Warrel's lyric writing better than the Opeth stuff, but at times I prefer the vocal delivery that Opeth brings. 

The guitars? Man, what can you say...rhythms, leads, tones, arrangements, I can't remember a single part that I thought "eh, that could have been better." 

...really wishing I could have caught this show


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## DSS3 (Nov 9, 2005)

Regor said:


> WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THIS???
> 
> What about Warrel Dane's voice is power metal?? What kinda power metal are you guys listening too? Just cuz he doesn't growl doesn't make him power metal. Shit, he's only done the 'Judas Priest' type of high pitched screaming singing on one song on DHiaDW. I don't see it.
> 
> Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, those are power metal vocals. Nevermore, not so much.



Obviously this man hasn't heard Sanctuary.


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## Regor (Nov 10, 2005)

No, actually I haven't. Know where I can get my hands on some??


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## DSS3 (Nov 10, 2005)

Amazon, eBay, etc, etc.


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## Metal Ken (Nov 11, 2005)

Regor said:


> No, actually I haven't. Know where I can get my hands on some??



You got AIM? I'll hook you up.


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## eleven59 (Nov 12, 2005)

I'm a much bigger Opeth fan, but I do have my Nevermore moments. Wish I could have seen one of these shows.


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## Metal Ken (Nov 12, 2005)

Im seeing this show tonight (11/12)


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