NEVERBORN!
MADNESS - MY FRIEND. 2005.
Well I guess the title of the album pretty much says it all. The music is just that Madness Madness Madness.
After having had a decent listen to NeverBorns Madness my Friend. I have found it virtualy impossible to name any specific submetal genre for Neverborn. As the band don't exactly stick to a certain genre of music.
But if I was to sum up exactly what the music sounds like I guess it would be TechDeath metal,Nu-Metal,Pantera, early Metallica, Meshuggah and a bit of techno Dance music all thrown into a blender and mixed beyond recognition.
The lyrics are pretty straight forward,honest,very very hatefilled and real. While musically it is complete pardox of a tight erratic heavy rhythm. While the melodys border on utter chaos, with multiple vocal passages from Jez and Sam. As well as frantic keyboards that seem hell bent on drilling into your skull and turning Your mind into mash.
There are some calmer moments in a few songs. But that doesn't last as the aggression soon kicks in again.
Vocals: Midori Caccitore Vocals were pretty gruff and brutal has has since been replaced by Big Mak not long after the album was recorded and has really proved himself to be a hard as nails on Vox. Full off anger and rage. As well as being a bit twisted. He is the perfect if not the only Frontman for Neverborn. The vocals of Midori Caccitore and Jez mix together to create a solid vocal passage. But other times the Vocals contrast to creat the audio chaos and disorinetation.
Keyboards: A very crucial ingrediant in the Neverborn sound. The Jez's Keyboards range from melodic Piano arrangments to electro techno synth and everything in between. This hels to create the diverse and erratic style of Neverborn.
Guitars: Micks solid riffing and timing changes add steel and texture to Neverborn. There isn't so much guitar soloing as it is more riff orientated. Like Fear Factory. The solos are general melodic and technical but without the cheese.
Bass and Drums: Josh and Ben who I know is a great drummer. Create the solid and tight Rhythm section of Neverborn. Musicaly they are the musical anchor of holding everything together.
"whos laughing now" sounds kind of like Mr Bungle with Panteras "Don't fuck with this" Riff stapled to it. The title track has an interesting techno synth intro that gets hacked up by a chunky guitar riff. Burned to Ash is probly the most popular track with it's almost anthem like chorus. Most of the songs are about bitterness,betrayal,anger and the losing of ones soul.
Again not an easy band to describe and catagorise. But brilliant all the same. All in all Neverborn are a twisted, aggressive, chaotic powerfull and unique. NeverBorn is kind of like a seriously pissed off Giant Squid on Acid.
Review by Nosaj.