In the moment, when you’re making them, those compromises seem like progress, but once the relationship ends, a retrospective look at them reconstitutes them into obvious harbingers of the end, fleeting grasps at a happiness that cannot be attained given the factors at play. Most of us have probably had that late stage of a close friendship or romantic relationship where we resorted to frequent compromises in a desperate attempt to maintain harmony in the face of increasing discord. And yet, so often, these noble attempts at connections prove to be ill-fitting and thus short-lived. In our human relationships, we see it as a sign of goodwill, implying a certain strength of character while also adding strength to our connections with others. Originally written for my Kevy Metal weblogĬompromise is a funny thing. Recommended tracks: ‘Moonrise (Through Mirrors Of Death)’, ‘And The Maiden Spoke’, ‘The Obsidian Conspiracy’ It’s not quite going out with a bang, but I certainly prefer it to ‘Enemies Of Reality’, even in its remixed form. Sure, ‘The Obsidian Conspiracy’ is not Nevermore’s masterpiece, but it is much better than it is often given credit for. The ripping thrasher of a title track that closes the album is the most convincing, but the heartfelt semi-ballad ‘Emptiness Unobstructed’ and the way the melancholy of ‘Without Morals’ makes way for a defiant chorus are very much worth hearing as well. ‘The Blue Marble And The New Soul’ is a fantastic dark ballad that never quite develops as you expect it to and therefore holds the listeners’ attention.Įven when the songs are more traditionally Nevermore, if such a thing even exists, they manage to impress. Initially, it did not resonate with me that much, but it is a real grower. The preceding ‘The Day You Built The Wall’ also features prominent acoustic guitars and Dane’s goth-influenced majesty, only this time with a crushingly doomy chorus. ‘She Comes In Colors’ builds from a brooding acoustic start toward a dark Nevermore epic, albeit shorter than usual. ‘And The Maiden Spoke’ pits Loomis’ trademark pulsating riffs against atmospheric layers of lead guitar, while the shifting time feel of Van Williams’ drums constantly catches the listener off guard. Though its opening riff might be a bit too reminiscent of the one in ‘Narcosynthesis’, it is a powerfully pounding track with both Dane and guitarist Jeff Loomis churning out fantastic melodies in the chorus. And that already starts with ‘Moonrise (Through Mirrors Of Death)’. Fortunately, things only get better after that. ‘The Termination Proclamation’ is quite a cool track with a cleverly understated chorus, but is certainly the weakest of all album openers by the band, while ‘Your Poison Throne’ is a bit too obviously constructed to be the big, catchy track of the record. Its relatively weak start does not help the album make the impact it should either. All things considered, however, ‘The Obsidian Conspiracy’ sounds like no one else than Nevermore. There is an increased focus on Dane’s incredible vocals as well. The songs are notably shorter this time around, with the longest one just barely over the five and a half minute mark. His influence is definitely heard, as he clearly helped the band trim some of the fat off the compositions. One thing that may have thrown some fans off at the time of release is the production by former Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers, who worked with singer Warrel Dane on his solo debut ‘Praises To The War Machine’ two years prior. There are a few curveballs on ‘The Obsidian Conspiracy’ and those in particular leave a lasting impression. But while ‘The Obsidian Conspiracy’ doesn’t quite reaches the heights of ‘Dead Heart In A Dead World’ and ‘This Godless Endeavor’, the best songs on the album are highlights in Nevermore’s career. This may have something to do with their rather unceremonious split less than a year after its release, because of which the album was never properly promoted in some parts of the world. When Nevermore’s best albums are discussed, their swansong ‘The Obsidian Conspiracy’ almost never comes up.
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