Nevermourn – The Rite Of Truth
Hailing from Connecticut, Nevermourn is a band performing and refining much of this album live for quite some time. They’re theatrical, cinematic, and energetic. They have a presence that is both heard and seen, creating an ever-expanding stage show. One can only hope they continue to add to the theatrics and incorporate more visual content to accompany the music. I’m sure everything will evolve as they grow and become who they are meant to be.
https://nevermournofficial.bandcamp.com/
Band Members:
- Rach Lux Karma– Vocals
- Roxy– Guitars
- Bili Manik– Keyboards/Percussion
- Lucas Dellaporte– Bass
- Jordie Kimball– Drums
June 2, 2023
Tracklist:
- Prologue – Opening The Circle
- Sun Ringer
- Hanging By A Thread
- Plastic Veins
- Trial Of Bloodshed
- Interlude – Casting The Spell
- Release The Demons
- Epilogue – Closing The Circle
The album opens with Ominous sounds, crows, ethereal synths, rain and thunder, and eerie chants. This is “Prologue – Opening The Circle,” which sets the story in motion. The kick from bizarre to brutal is instant, and “Sun Ringer” immediately puts you on edge. Roxy and Jordie are mad AF, and you hear it in the fury of their playing. Lucas hammers out the bottom end, setting the stage for Rach to growl over the instruments. The first scream is heavy, dark, and deep.
There is some interesting guitar work. The leads and fills are well placed, adding touches of color to the darkness. The solo is a discordant piece that is almost painful to hear. The tones are disharmonious and nowhere near what you would expect to hear in such a heavy song. This is why they fit. I feel like I should be cringing, but instead, I’m hooked. That is followed by a bass lead shifting to the last section of the song.
Changing directions, “Hanging By a Thread” starts with spoken word, inviting you to the ritual. The vocals vary from spoken to clean to guttural. Bili finally takes his step to the front and propels the song with a simplistic four-note phrase in some places that underscore the difference within this song. You have the ethereal beauty of those notes and the power of Jordie’s massive double bass, Rach’s growls in some areas, and a match with clean vocals and a subdued drum pattern in others.
This is dangerously close to Progressive Metal, which fits perfectly in this style. The time signature changes, tempo shift, and tonal variance create much of the chaos this album is meant to inspire. The guitar solo here is melodic and well-paced over the bass, eventually matched by the keyboards with a new phrase for Bili. Beautifully done twists and turns that work despite them being “non-standard.”
“Plastic Veins” has more spoken word to open coupled with gentle keyboard tones, followed by similar guitar work. The drums rush in and promise a shift to be frenetic that does not happen. Instead, we get a heavy riff and a lighter rhythm that is an excellent nest for the cleaner vocals. The guitar tuning and phrasing in the first solo section remind me of The Rolling Stones, specifically “Paint It Black.” It is not the same, just has a familiar vibe…
Early in the song, we get a fast drum fill that promises a heaviness that doesn’t happen. Later, we get a piano fill indicating the song is winding down, but it goes brutal. These false indicators fit into the scheme of the story, mirroring some of the mental struggles the mind goes through to justify and rationalize the darker thoughts we hear inside our collective heads.
The next track opens with melancholy and sadness but quickly gets heavy. Lyrically, “Trial Of Bloodshed” is set in a court with conscience being called to the stand first. Once this happens, the drums and guitar come chugging in, and the bass brings everything to fruition, driving the tempo through a few changes. Again, we get the discordant keys playing through the heaviness of the riff, offsetting the tone and creating a palpable tension. Bili and Lucas are polar opposites, one holding the line, the other crossing it.
“Interlude – Casting The Spell” is one and a half minutes of eerie, symphonic respite. This allows you to catch your breath before “Releasing The Demon.” One of the more melodic of the heavy songs, the keyboards go more Don Airey in the early days of Ozzy’s solo career, underpinning the whole song with a darkness that adds to darkness, making the song feel heavy and weighty. This song has its’ own presence. The harsh vocals round out the sound and complete the song beautifully. The bridge to the guitar solo is another bit of Progressive playing that shows a natural penchant for creative writing.
“Epilogue – Closing The Circle” ends the story with an invitation to join them. The journey through the darkest parts of the mind is now complete. There is no regret, as they say to Nevermourn the past or what could have been, closing the album as it opened, with a clock striking.
This is a well-executed album with a compelling story. It’s also one that must be heard several times. There are a lot of nuances to the music, with the instruments playing off each other in creative and haunting ways. Each instrument and musician are something special in their own right. Jordie’s double bass work is astounding. Watching her feet work is a joy to behold. Roxy is a fantastic guitarist that is fun to watch live. Lucas holds a tight line on tempo, easily controlling it, knowing exactly when and how to shift it. Bili interacts with the music in ways that are both shocking and soothing. Rach is a force of nature, ranging through chaos vocally.
Together, they’ve written a story and put it to music, allowing you to hear and feel the chaos of internal struggle and turmoil. Everything clicks into place as the story advances, telling the tale with delicacy, brutality, heaviness, and gentle caress. The album will make you think and wonder where you land on the spectrum of inner chaos. You won’t finish the album unscathed.
MZ Ratings:
- Musicianship
- Guitars – 9
- Rhythms – 9
- Vocals – 9
- Songwriting – 9
- Production – 8
- Overall – 8.80
