Review Summary: I feel so hollow
The premise of Nevermore’s third full-length is bizarre even by prog concept album standards. Its narrative is inspired by a girlfriend of Warrel Dane’s who ceased contact with him after joining a religious group a decade prior and the nightmares he later had of her drowning. The truth is arguably even more harrowing as she and her husband were discovered to have been victims of a serial killer, but the album’s focus is on a man in the throes of grief-induced madness.
True to that framing, Dreaming Neon Black is easily the bleakest Nevermore album. You’ll still find plenty of their signature technical prowess at play, but the dour execution seems to tap into their gothic side more than usual between the brooding pace and heavy atmospheric emphasis. The vocal dexterity is rooted less in Dane’s typical acrobatics and more in fluctuating emotions, lamenting a lost love and distraught beseeching an indifferent god like some kind of prog metal Dracula on songs like “The Lotus Eaters” and “No More Will.”
This approach sees an early peak with the title track. While the structure is that of a typical power ballad, the verses’ echoing strums and somberly wandering vocals present a desolate vibe balanced by a chorus whose lower bellows and crashing chords do well to emulate enveloping waves. The inclusion of guest vocalist Christine Rhodes during the bridge ala Pamela Moore as Sister Mary in Operation: Mindcrime is also a nice touch; part of me wonders if she could’ve been incorporated a bit more.
But while this album never reaches The Politics of Ecstasy’s pissed off levels, there’s still some angry songs to work with. The opening trifecta is especially potent as “Beyond Within” and “I Am The Dog” burst with driving tempos and biting choruses while “The Death of Passion” features an array of disorienting vocals against an especially grinding riff set. “Deconstruction” is another major staple with its ominously restrained opening verse giving way to bitter chugs and some of the most cynical lyrics.
However, having twelve tracks and a prelude to work with means that the album’s slow burn nature can work against it at times. A degree of disorientation is no doubt intentional with the theme, but it can be a lot after a while between the dry production and occasionally interchangeable songs. There’s nothing bad on display but a couple tracks like “All Play Dead” and “Cenotaph” probably could’ve been cut without losing much impact.
Dreaming Neon Black may not get mentioned much in the conversation of best metal concept albums, but it ultimately comes out to be one of Nevermore’s strongest outings. While the morose delivery is something of a stylistic curveball, it ends up giving their signature personality even more depth while also offering plenty of excellent tracks. There may be a couple albums that I’d recommend to a newer listener before this one, but it may be one of the most focused efforts of Nevermore’s early era.
