NEVERMORE — The Obsidian Conspiracy (review)

NEVERMORE — The Obsidian Conspiracy album cover

Album · 2010 · Thrash Metal

3/5 · 2011-03-03
bonnek

After a long absence and a couple of solo projects, Nevermore returns with an album that should be very satisfactory to their fanbase. The reason being that the album doesn't deviate an inch from the trodden paths on the previous albums.

Despite its qualities, the familiar approach often disappoints me. In the opening track for instance, Warrel Dane fails to come up with vocal lines that he hasn't done countless times before. Also the guitar riffs and chord changes often have a familiar ring to them. Things improve on "Your Position Throne", not that it hold any surprises but the band has found that eerie tone back from their earliest albums, where the influence from Gothic bands such as Bauhaus was still a more important element to their sound than the power-thrash of the 3 last albums.

All goes very well till the track "Emptiness Unobstructed", which also reminds too much of older songs. "The Blue Marble" brings some welcome variation after the preceding onslaught of powerful riffing. It's a nice little ballad that abstains from anthemic metal ballad clichés. Clichés abound on "Without Morals" though, which is another Nevermore track we've heard too much. With "The Day You Built The Wall" the album gets back on track. "She Comes In Colors" and the closing title track especially are also satisfactory thrash epics.

"The Obsidian Conspiracy" is an album that won't disappoint the Nevermore fanbase, it's only nitpickers like myself that have gotten tired of the formulas that Nevermore returns to all too frequently. Overall, a safe but good album.

more than 2 years ago
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The Angry Scotsman wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Actually I am a pretty big Nevermore fan and was quite disappointed with the album. Im not really a nitpicker, it's honestly not that they have become formulaic...it's that they got rid of their classic sound on this album. It's all gone and has been replaced with a pretty run of the mill thrash type album. In my review I more or less blame the new producer and express my distaste for his band Soilwork ha!
Good review btw, even though I was a little confused by the not deviating from previous albums. The basic sound/style is the same but it sounded way different to me!

Vic wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Hm, I really liked this album. Perhaps not as much as Godless Endeavor but it still is a kick-ass album. A few weak moments I thought, but I also thought the same for Dead Heart, Dreaming Neon Black and Enemies of Reality, so not a surprise really. The first and last songs are totally awesome Nevermore, Loomis shines through... No complaints here!

Phonebook Eater wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Last night I saw them live.... and, since I have never listened to this album, I was kinda disappointed when they did these new songs... good concert though.

Negoba wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thanx, got Godless Endeavor, I'll let it sink in before getting another.

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Oh no don´t get this album!!!. "Godless" is a good introduction IMO and "Dead Heart in a Dead World". My own favorite is probably "The Politics of Ecstasy", but it´s not an easy album to get into.

Negoba wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I've never heard Nevermore, would this album and Godless Endeavor be reasonable if I were only getting two albums...since I haven't heard them do this before?

bartosso wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Yes, it's a great letdown, "This Godless..." was a fantastic piece of prog power metal, I expected they would be heading in this progressive direction.

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Oh... I behaved too in my review and fact is I still think a mediocre Nevermore release beats the hell out of most other metal albums but that doesn´t mean I´m not disappointed.

bonnek wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Agree, I have tried to remain friendly :-)

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I consider myself quite the fan of Nevermore and this album is a very big disappointment for me. I haven´t listened to the album one single time since I wrote my review several months back and I usually can´t wait to get back for more when Nevermore release a new album. Dark times ahead I´m afraid :-(. They better shape up with the next one.