NEVERMORE coming to Austin, Nov 14th @ The Back Room

[dag]

Bio
Seattle's NEVERMORE welcome you to "This Godless Endeavor", a
grand overture where musical tapestries are fascinatingly complex while
entirely accessible. The band's sixth full-length marks another peak
in NEVERMORE's rapid ascend in the Metal scene and falls into line
with its highly acclaimed predecessors. The first of which being the
self-titled debut album released in 1995, one year after the official
foundation of the band by former SANCTUARY members Warrel Dane
(vocals), Jeff Loomis (guitar) and Jim Sheppard (bass). By adding
drummer Van Williams the nucleus of NEVERMORE was born. Though at that
time the world all-to-willingly embraced the Grunge-movement, the band
dared to continue their vision for a creative and multi-faceted Metal
sound. The internationally reputed producer Neil Kernon (Queensryche,
Judas Priest, Flotsam & Jetsam, Yes, Rolling Stones, Journey) believed
in the potential of NEVERMORE and recorded their impressive debut at
his own risk. It did not take too long until the quartet was signed to
Century Media Records and due to the fans' pleasant memories of
SANCTUARY, and NEVERMORE's touring activities (Europe with Blind
Guardian, US with Death) they could raise a good amount of interest
throughout the Metal scene and found a lot of thankful purchasers.
The follow-up "In Memory" EP (1996) and the second album "The
Politics Of Ecstasy" (1996) displayed NEVERMORE on their quest for
their very own, unmistakable sound. The band experimented with a whole
lot of influences from various styles and impressed with a great degree
of highly-technical finesse that never endangered the catchiness of the
songs. Still, NEVERMORE never wrote songs that easily stuck in your
head, even though they're nowhere near as complicated as an Ikea
construction manual, resulting in listeners giving their albums four or
five runs before the variety of each song becomes obvious.
After "The Politics Of Ecstasy" the band parted ways with their
second guitarist Pat O'Brien (now in Cannibal Corpse) and it took
them almost a year until they found former Forbidden-member Tim Calvert
to fill the vacant spot. With this line-up they recorded the masterly
"Dreaming Neon Black" (1999) which showed the perfect balance
between all the different components of the NEVERMORE sound. There were
small, complex mini-dramas as well as super-tight thrashers and quiet,
emotional tunes opposed to angry noise eruptions. NEVERMORE managed to
create an album equipped with numerous non-metal trademarks which sound
appealing to the usually very sensitively reacting true metal
community. Or maybe it was still metal enough that it could not even
upset the die-hard purists? Anyway, it is a matter of fact that the
career of our five heroes just went straight up. Seemingly endless, but
still extremely successful tours followed the release, the US was
toured not less than four times, Europe was frequently visited (with
LeFay - now Morgana Lefay again -, Sacred Steel, Nocturnal Rites) and
they even stopped in Australia for a number of shows. After all,
guitarist Tim Calvert decided to leave the band in early 2000 to focus
on non-musical activities. The remaining band members decided to carry
on as a four-piece and did not hesitate to start recording their fourth
album "Dead Heart In A Dead World (2000)". For the first time not
Neil Kernon but Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Testament, Skinlab, Napalm
Death, Stuck Mojo) worked the knobs and moved especially Loomis
"skin-flaying" guitar play to the production's forefront. Again
tireless world touring followed and turned songs like
"Narcosynthesis" and "Inside Four Walls" into anthemic fan
favorites. German Rock Hard magazine stated fittingly: "This is the
masterpiece of one of the most talented bands in present time".
2003's Enemies Of Reality received similar praise: "must have album
of the year" said Outburn Magazine, Guitar One called NEVERMORE's
newest songs "opuses that often reach dark symphonic peaks". With
performing at Europe's largest rock festivals including the infamous
Dynamo, the prestigious Wacken Open Air and sharing stage with
metal's elite including Arch Enemy, Children Of Bodom, Dimmu Borgir,
Iced Earth, King Diamond and Opeth throughout their recording career
NEVERMORE could manifest the high position they deservedly occupy
within the metal scene.
Now, in 2005, "This Godless Endeavor" is the title of the band's
latest work to date and was recorded at England's Backstage Studios,
once again with Andy Sneap (who not only produced "Dead Heart In A
Dead World" but also just recently re-worked "Enemies Of
Reality"). "This Godless Endeavor" captures "the most ripping
guitar work we've recorded", says vocalist Warrel Dane. Marking his
NEVERMORE recording debut, guitarist Steve Smyth
(ex-Testament/Dragonlord) joins core members Dane, Jeff Loomis, Jim
Sheppard and Van Williams. Hugh Syme (Rush, Megadeth) provided stark
album artwork, which according to Dane, "incorporates our ongoing
theme of everyone wearing a mask." Appearing on the mainstage of
Megadeth's Gigantour throughout the summer as well as moving over to
Europe for a string of summer festivals and a full club-tour by
September, NEVERMORE ask you to venture out, to experience the
unfathomable, to join them on This Godless Endeavor. An album
determined to become a future classic of the metal movement...