Nevermore - Dreaming Neon Black

Not much of a departure here for Nevermore, even with Tim Calvert (ex-Forbidden) replacing the "Cannibal"ized Pat O'Brien on guitar duties. Somewhat of an average of the last two full-lengths, Dreaming Neon Black captures the mood of the S/T with the technicality of "Politics", yet falling a little flat in between the two. I'm not sure if Nevermore is shooting for a broader fan base, but with this, their most accessible release to date, they may have hit the mark. That's saying a lot actually, because the guitarwork here is as technical as it gets, matched by the off-the-wall percussive permutations of Van Williams. Lyrically, more poetic infusions from Dane, this time breaking one storyline into individual songsC delivered in the usual syle, yet harkening back more to the Sanctuary days then recent years. So with all the positives, I find it strange that while I really get into the album while listening, I take almost nothing away, which makes me wonder just how long it'll stay in rotation. I also may be a little harsher than I should, since I expect so much from this great band, and this album is definitely up to par, but I was hoping for them to jump it up a notch. Once again produced by Neil Kernan, which may be a con within a plus, as his overall production, while outstanding as compared to other groups, tends to make each Nevermore Release sound similar to others. Actually, the overall sound reminds me of the In Memory E.P., with less of an emotional attack.