Search - Nevermore :: Year of Voyager

GREAT live release from a GREAT metal band!

I. MUNOZ | Montreal, PQ, Canada | 12/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was already time for us to get a live album from the best kept secret of modern metal. Nevermore have got some extra visibility thanks to their inclusion in the first Gigantour, and I think the guys will make this situation even better by releasing this double CD. This one will for sure please their ever growing fanbase.



Every Nevermore album is represented in the setlist. In the booklet it is written which song comes from which album. The artwork is superbly dark, loyal to the Nevermore artistic image. It's just a shame that it has this "unfocused print" look that's so common in Century Media releases. Besides that minor flaw, it's just perfect. They even included several pictures of their fans, which is kind of cool.



About the music itself now, you bet Nevermore kick some serious arse live. Their material is hard to play and they go through it very effectively. These guys rock up there with the bests and Warrell Dane's voice is in top shape.



But of course, the key thing here is the guitars. Jeff Loomis plays with a great sense of dynamics and also burns like no other. He keeps his solos very loyal to the studio versions, which is good. He's got some serious tone, speed to kill and a huge arsenal of chops. Absolutely one of the top shredders in the business!



Also, I guess there were very few or no overdubs, because I do hear a couple of mistakes here and there. In fact, sometimes the band just doesn't get in synch perfectly (for example, "Born" is anything but tight), but it feels realistic and it is by no means a showstopper. The LIVE feeling kicks you right between the eyes and this thing absolutely (and humanly) rocks!



So said, Andy Sneap did (to me) a perfect job on the production, yes. I specially liked how he placed the guitars in the mix. Loomis seems to be to the left side, while Chris Broderick (yep, the Jag Panzer shredder who is now with Megadeth -- more on that later) seems to be to the right. The overall sound is clear and powerful, and the production does justice to the amazing musicianship of the band.



On the negative side now, it is a tad funny the way Warrell Dane talks to the crowd. It's like if Nevermore were more famous or bigger than what they actually are. I don't care, but it feels weird when Warrell expects people to know the lyrics of their songs (the case with "Matricide") or when he repeatedly asks "Are you tired?", which just got me tired of him asking that question... I sincerely found his speech quite annoying.



And just to add some more negative comments about just cosmetic things, Chris Broderick is credited just as a "guest", and you only know he is in when you read the credits inside the booklet. 8-| Ok, I guess this has to do with the contract he has now with Megadeth, but I guess that's an important information anyway, isn't it?



Also, I would have liked some words dedicated to Steve Smyth somewhere. He was their second guitar player during the first Gigantour leg and he just got sick and had to quit the band. The guy co-wrote three songs in "This Godless Endeavor" and I'm sure he would have liked to be on that live album -- after all, Smyth *was* going to be on that album, as it was recorded during the "This Godless Endeavor" tour. But well, the album has neither a "thanks" nor a "dedicated to" section. Kind of unusual, I know... so I can just say I do miss the way Smyth looked and played together with Loomis on stage and I wished he was there too.



In any case, I definitively think this is a must for any metal fan -- and a no brainer for any fan of the band. This is a superb live album, one of the bests ever, and it does get five stars in spite of its very minor flaws, yes. So, go buy it ASAP, as well as the DVD (I can't wait to get it now!) and support one of the flagships of modern metal. Rock on, Nevermore!"