Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy

I've restarted this "review" now 4 times because I just can't figure out how or what to say other than "Wow".

This album is an absolute SCORCHER. The instrumentals are viscious, haunting, beautiful, and forebodingly threatening. A mix of sledgehammer crushing and of pinpricking maniacal shivers.

Warrel Dane (and the vocals in general) are true to form: the clean harmonies have that chantlike, eerie quality. In the moments of rage and anger they have his telltale quality of both screaming in your face yet being still restrained enough to sound like someone roiling over with such emotion that you can almost imagine molten blood dripping from the corners of his mouth.

Man... that sounds like cheesy pulp fiction there, but ... WOW. Everything I had hoped it would be and then some. Between this and Overkill's Ironbound I feel as if those who would ever claim that "heavy metal is dead" just need to play those two discs and then succinctly shut their mouths and keep quiet.

Cool first post!

I guess this is the first Nevermore album you've listened to? Because it's such a weak album compared to their previous work.

Actually, no, it's not. I have all of their albums. I would be remiss if I didn't claim to be a bit of a fanboy when it comes to their music. I still have said CD in constant rotation in my daily playlist and enjoy the hell out of it.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion (Even if you (in a fragment sentence) try and proclaim yours as fact) -- and I disagree with yours. ::shrug::

I liked the album maybe it is not breaking new Nevermore ground but that is ok

This album smokes and for me its right there behind Dead Heart in a Dead World. The melodies are just so haunting and take me back to Dead Heart. Jeff Loomis also lays down some amazing solos... 8.5/10 for me,,,,

Yeah, I agree with MetalRob and Rostov, as far as Nevermore goes it's a pretty good album. It's the extension of dead heart that I have been waiting for for years. At first when I listened I was like meh, but I got way into it the second listen it got me into Nevermore mode and reminded why I love these guys.

Although I will admit there are a couple weak songs on this album but, whatever that's music.

I've lived with this one for awhile now.

This is the first album of new material from Nevermore that didn't top the previous release in my opinon. They've always seem to turn it up a notch with each new album. This one didn't seem to break any new ground or ratchet up the intensity of past releases. But it's still a quality Nevermore album.

Even if the guys are treading water, it's still a great frickin' album.