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Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy review



Reviewer:
10

664 users:
8.08
Band: Nevermore
Album: The Obsidian Conspiracy
Release date: May 2010


01. The Termination Proclamation
02. Your Poison Throne
03. Moonrise (Through Mirrors Of Death)
04. And The Maiden Spoke
05. Emptiness Unobstructed
06. The Blue Marble And The New Soul
07. Without Morals
08. The Day You Built The Wall
09. She Comes In Colors
10. The Obsidian Conspiracy
11. Crystal Ship [The Doors cover]
12. Temptation [The Tea Party cover]

How does a band top a masterpiece? For example, they change a lot. South of Heaven after Reign in Blood felt shockingly slow and heavy. Or they try to copy their best release, with mixed results: see Enslaved's Ruun or Testament's New Order. Another way to tackle the post-masterpiece syndrome is what Nevermore did - and let me tell you in advance that they did it beautifully - you take what you did best and eliminate the elements that weren't perfect. Assuming that it's done by a band as talented as Nevermore, the final product must be at least outstanding. Or even brilliant, and I'm happy to announce to you dear readers, that brilliant is what The Obsidian Conspiracy is.

If I were to try to categorise Nevermore's music, I'd be stumped. It's thrash, all right, but it's seriously progressive as well, with tons of impressive technicality to boot, and even, excuse the blasphemy, traces or infectiously catchy power metal in some choruses. Whatever the genre, Nevermore are a very mature ensemble of skilled musicians, who know how to discipline themselves in order to make songs that are at the same time epic and concise. Not a single song lasts over 6 minutes, yet their grandeur is sometimes breathtaking. Check "Moonrise (Through Mirrors Of Death)" to see what I mean. The riffs in verses build up a wall of energy, reinforced by thundering bass drums, only to be flattened and obliterated by the wonderful chorus that rests on very melodic guitars and fat, groovy drumming. If this isn't brilliant, I don't know what fucking is. Moving on to "And the Maiden Spoke" - the drumming is complex and so unconventional, that you can forget about tapping your foot to the rhythm. You'll be too busy admiring Warrel Dane's singing anyway. From high-pitched to low, almost grunted, that's Nevermore's most prized possession at his best. Dane proves again that he is among the best metal singers out there.

I won't go through every song in detail, because this review would be longer than a roll of toilet paper that you use up when you have the shits. So I'll limit myself to naming just a handful more. "The Blue Marble and the New Soul" is a very stylish ballad embellished by a very emotional solo - a perfect breather in the middle of this feast of riffing and technicality. "The Day You Built the Wall" has layered vocals and heavy, ominous atmosphere - it's almost theatrical. But the best is saved for the last. I daresay that "She Comes in Colors" and "The Obsidian Conspiracy" are Nevermore's best tracks ever. The former is slow, atmospheric and sinister, the latter is a hurricane of riffing, solos and masterful drumming. And when you start thinking that it can't possibly get better, wonderful chorus proves you wrong.

I've no idea why Nevermore needed 5 years to release this brilliant album, but I sure as hell hope they won't have me waiting another 5 for their next. This is easily a top 5 album for this year, and something tells me that it'll remain very high till the end of December. I mentioned the number five three times in this paragraph. Three times 5 is 15. Minus 5 for a long wait, and you get a 10, no more no less. Very few deserve it this year.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 9





Written on 15.08.2010 by Writes overly honest and totally subjective reviews when fancy strikes him. Which is not often. Which is probably good, all things considered.

Guest review by
strade
Rating:
5.2
What do a five year wait, a couple solo albums, trying to live up to a masterpiece, conflicting artistic direction, and totally mangling a sound that needed little improvement all have in common? They're all reasons why Nevermore's last release before deteriorating as a band, The Obsidian Conspiracy, underwhelms. Severely. In 2010, five years after the raw and hate-fueled masterpiece This Godless Endeavor was unleashed upon our unprepared society, Nevermore released this nonsensical escapade, and I could hardly believe I was listening to the same band; and no, as you might have already guessed, I don't mean that in a positive way.

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published 16.03.2012 | Comments (23)


Comments

Comments: 70   Visited by: 506 users
15.08.2010 - 18:42
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Yeah this album is definitely a 10. That is it's a 10 if the score is out of 13. You'd have to be kinda naive to think this tops TGE in any way. Sorry, it just doesn't.

7/10 from me: too much filler, too much mid-paced meandering, not enough of what made Nevermore so great: epic solo's, blistering pace and technicality, emotional songwriting etc.
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15.08.2010 - 18:45
Daniell
_爱情_
Written by Guest on 15.08.2010 at 18:42

Yeah this album is definitely a 10. That is it's a 10 if the score is out of 13. You'd have to be kinda naive to think this tops TGE in any way. Sorry, it just doesn't.


Excuse me while I disagree mr I-know-all.
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15.08.2010 - 18:46
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Daniell on 15.08.2010 at 18:45

Written by Guest on 15.08.2010 at 18:42

Yeah this album is definitely a 10. That is it's a 10 if the score is out of 13. You'd have to be kinda naive to think this tops TGE in any way. Sorry, it just doesn't.


Excuse me while I disagree mr I-know-all.

You're excused.
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15.08.2010 - 18:49
Rating: 8
BloodTears
ANA-thema
This is an interesting review. Someone who actually thinks this album is Nevermore's masterpiece is surprising but you back it up well.

While I was impressed with this album right from the get-go, it just wasn't as brilliant & perfect as some of my favourites such as DHIADW and TGE. And that's part of the reason why it was an 8 for me. The other reason is that I would've liked to see more exploration on the songs, I guess it's my progressive twin talking here, but some songs felt like they had potential to go other places. Maybe I just need to accept the fact that it wasn't long songs this time, it was what they wanted to do but hey...

I do praise them for still being highly creative and capable of delivering the goods.

My favourite song on the album is "The Day You Built The Wall", closely followed by the infectious "Your Poison Throne".
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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15.08.2010 - 18:51
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
A 10? For me this is an 8, it gets nowhere the sheer majesty of This Godless Endeavour and Dead Heart In A Dead World.
It is a well-executed and enjoyable album, but uite forgettable as well. One I won't trun back to in a couple of weeks tims.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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15.08.2010 - 18:55
Daniell
_爱情_
I'll be probably the only person in the world who thinks that this one is better than This Godless Endeavor
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15.08.2010 - 18:58
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Daniell on 15.08.2010 at 18:55

I'll be probably the only person in the world who thinks that this one is better than This Godless Endeavor


Probably hahaha.

Well TGE wasn't as good as I initially thought though. I grew tired of it quickly and have never gone back to it. So who knows, maybe this one will surpass TGE eventually for me.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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15.08.2010 - 19:10
Daniell
_爱情_
TGE is very very good, but it tends to drag a bit, sometimes songs are just a bit longish (or feel that way). The last title track is the best example. I still think it was an excellent album, but it had flaws. TOC is free of those flaws.
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15.08.2010 - 20:09
╠╣
Account deleted
I like the review, I can't say this album is better than TGE... I really have respect for both albums, TGE has some strong songs and some 'weaker' songs and that is the same with TOC.
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15.08.2010 - 21:14
Rating: 8
*!*

Well, i think you cant compare this album to TGE, because each album is brilliant in its own way they didnt want to repeat themselves in this one, and you gotta respect that, but i think that they've mixed lots of elements from previous albums in this one with some of warrel's solo project.

its a new strong album that represents a darker side of nevermore much like the old ones 'DNB & POE', its brilliant sure but perfect...wouldnt say so. 'Btw i think that TGE isnt perfect as well it had its faults too'
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15.08.2010 - 21:30
wrathchild

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 15.08.2010 at 18:51

A 10? For me this is an 8, it gets nowhere the sheer majesty of This Godless Endeavour and Dead Heart In A Dead World.
It is a well-executed and enjoyable album, but uite forgettable as well. One I won't trun back to in a couple of weeks tims.


Agreed. Though TGE being my first experience with Nevermore, my opinion could be biased.
I like this new album but all the songs sound more standard (less original).
----
La belleza no reside en lo que puedas crear, sino en lo que eres capaz de transmitir
Beauty resides not in what you're able to create, but in what you're able to communicate


Txus, Mägo De Oz
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16.08.2010 - 00:44
Susan
Smeghead
Great review. I've never been a huge Nevermore fan but I'd really like to hear this album now. Like BloodTears said, you back up your arguments nicely.
----
"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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16.08.2010 - 09:36
Aleister Kinski

There are some melodical elements in all the songs of this album that i just cant stand. great riffs and drums as always.
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16.08.2010 - 09:39
Daniell
_爱情_
Excluding grindcore and brutal death metal, melody in metal is a good thing, isn't it?
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16.08.2010 - 13:17
Rating: 8
Dark Blood
The Avenger
Interesting points of view here. I will not argue about it, everyone has his own opinion in music. Let me just say this: this is a very good album indeed, no doubt about it. But in my personal musical taste some songs tend to take off the edge a bit, and the fact that there are no long songs, its kind of a turn off for me (I'm a progressive fan... A Future Uncertain and TGE are 2 of the best Nevermore songs for me).

But you wrote a nice review there. It's good to see some different opinions, instead of everyone agreeing that TGE is the best album all the time. Congrats.
----
It is humanity who must pay homage to the greatness of the Universe... not the Universe to the human narcissism.
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16.08.2010 - 15:37
Rating: 9
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
So... 10? and not only the rating but also the arguments. 1)IMO "she comes in colors" is an awfull "nevermore song". and along with The Blue Marble And The New Soul these two are the worst songs of the album-much worse from every song on TGE. 2)the fact that this album has 2 awfull songs means that surely it is not a 10. even not a 9. imo it is one more SAFE album. "more" cause many bands are doing it especialy the last 2 years. 3) NO SONG, i repeat NNNOOO Song is better than the best song of TGE. some can say that the best was "Born", other can say that it was "Final Product" or "Sentient 6". even "Bittersweet Feast" is much better than any song of this album.

IMO this album has 5-6 songs with great moments. Without Morals, Emptiness Obstructured (a very mainstream song though) and The Obsidian Conspiracy are some of them. but no song (and also it's lyrics) can compare with the greatness of the songs that Nevermore used to create. sorry but i disagree strongly not only with the rating but even with the review.
----
Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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16.08.2010 - 16:04
Daniell
_爱情_
It's fair enough. I find it amazing that there are so many opinions about this album. Also, many people mention many songs as their favourites. That says a lot about the quality of Nevermore's music.
And it makes for much more interesting comments. How boring it would be if everyone agreed about the album
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16.08.2010 - 20:34
Got Mayhem?

Ill go out on a limb here and say that if daniell enjoyed this album so much that he believes it to be a 10/10 album, then good for him. After all, every album sounds different to every person so...

I think this is more of a 7.5 to me, maybe an 8 on a good day.
----
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16.08.2010 - 21:08
Daniell
_爱情_
It's a 9 on a bad day for me
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16.08.2010 - 21:58
Rating: 9
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Written by Daniell on 16.08.2010 at 16:04

It's fair enough. I find it amazing that there are so many opinions about this album. Also, many people mention many songs as their favourites. That says a lot about the quality of Nevermore's music.
And it makes for much more interesting comments. How boring it would be if everyone agreed about the album

yeah but in my case i didnt say only that "my fav songs are:...." but i said that it has some "awfull" songs. and imo those 2 i've mentioned are very very bad "nevermore songs".
also i didnt see many different opinions. i said harsh words cause the reviewer (you, in this case) said "great words". generally i believe that it is a nice album (7-8) and i like it. but i really believe that it has some VERY weak moments. and imo TGE didnt have moments as weak as these.
----
Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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16.08.2010 - 22:12
Darkside Momo
Retired
Good review... But no, not ten for me. Not at all.
Yes it's a good album, yes the songwriting is ggod, concise, but that last part is a bit of a problem, I miss the pure epicness of somes like The Learning or This Godless Endeavor... The Obsidian Conspiracy (the song) does have this epic feel, but you just don't have the tims to be swept by it that it's already finished...
And maybe it's just me, but I prefer Warrel's singing on This Goldless Endeavor, he does give everything he has on this one...

Written by Deadmeat on 16.08.2010 at 15:37

1)IMO "she comes in colors" is an awfull "nevermore song". and along with The Blue Marble And The New Soul these two are the worst songs of the album-much worse from every song on TGE.

I disagree with you on that one, "She Comes In Colors" is clearly one of the best of TOC
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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16.08.2010 - 22:26
Rating: 9
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Written by Darkside Momo on 16.08.2010 at 22:12

Good review... But no, not ten for me. Not at all.
Yes it's a good album, yes the songwriting is ggod, concise, but that last part is a bit of a problem, I miss the pure epicness of somes like The Learning or This Godless Endeavor... The Obsidian Conspiracy (the song) does have this epic feel, but you just don't have the tims to be swept by it that it's already finished...
And maybe it's just me, but I prefer Warrel's singing on This Goldless Endeavor, he does give everything he has on this one...

Written by Deadmeat on 16.08.2010 at 15:37

1)IMO "she comes in colors" is an awfull "nevermore song". and along with The Blue Marble And The New Soul these two are the worst songs of the album-much worse from every song on TGE.

I disagree with you on that one, "She Comes In Colors" is clearly one of the best of TOC

i heard it again and maybe i was a bit harsh by saying that it is awfull (for the other song i'm not at all harsh) but i dont believe that it is great either. do you believe for example that it is better from believe in nothing or sentient 6???
----
Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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16.08.2010 - 22:37
Angelic Storm
Melodious
I found this album to be a bit of a disappointment, although that is only because the previous album was so great. In the albums' best moments, like the thundering riffage of "Moonrise" or the captivating "Emptiness Unobstructed", it is Nevermore at their best. Its not quite as consistent as TGE, but it does contain some great songs. xD
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16.08.2010 - 22:37
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Deadmeat on 16.08.2010 at 22:26

i heard it again and maybe i was a bit harsh by saying that it is awfull (for the other song i'm not at all harsh) but i dont believe that it is great either. do you believe for example that it is better from believe in nothing or sentient 6???

I don't really like to compare song to song, but... Yeah, I guess Sentient 6 is on the whole a better
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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17.08.2010 - 03:58
Rating: 9
trendkill-

Id give it an 8 at most. but thats me
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17.08.2010 - 04:06
Rating: 6
iMorphball

Disagree, this album has a lot, and I mean A LOT of boring moments.
6 from me.
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19.08.2010 - 11:23
Thought.
A Dying God
So, i liked it too, but, don't love it yet. My favorite is still Dead Heart. Godless was also awesome!
----
There is no God but the one that dies with me. I have no life but the one I take with me to the grave. We come into this world alone. And we will die on our own. I live. I die. Ain Elohim.
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22.08.2010 - 15:28
Rating: 9
Raziel X

Lol I laughed when somebody mentioned "very mainstream" in describing a Nevermore song... while I agree they had stuff before and they have stuff now on the new one that might be more accessible to general public, I wouldnt use those two words for Nevermore, believe me or not, but most of general public would get headaches listening to Nevermore, anybody who is not used to massive amounts of bass... Nevermore are among the heaviest bands outside death metal and such, with immense amounts of downtuning and bassy sounds... I can totally see a kid that thinks they are tough cos they listen to Metallica and then being blown away by the sheer power of Nevermore
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24.08.2010 - 12:15
ponderer

Good review. At first I was pretty skeptical about this cd and didn't care for some of the songs but within the 3rd listening I found myself playing the entire thing over and over. It's been a month or so now of listening to it every single day and I've come to the conclusion that TOC is a beast. Of course it doesn't have some of the longer epics or technical majesty of TGE or DHIADW but TOC stands on its own. This cd is easily a 10 in my book.
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22.09.2010 - 18:54
Maxx666
Meshuggahian
A 8 from me....a nicely written review, but as everyone said this is clearly no where near to The Godless Endeaveour, at least i think so. But Nevermore executed it well, instead of releasing a total shit...kudos to them.
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