When listening to Neverdie, and their release Phase 2: Revolution, it’s hard to not notice the inexperience and relative amateur tendencies of the group. The production is straight up bad and otherwise good musicianship lacks cohesion. In fact, when I first began listening, I was ready to rip apart Phase 2, but despite the relative lack of cohesion and bad production, this EP is actually bizarrely good!

I say bizarre, because all my good sense says I should hate this band mainly for the above mentioned reasons. For an act attempting to put out an album, Neverdie should be way more crisp and precise, however, the sheer quality of the songwriting and individual talents of every one in the band cannot be ignored. Seriously, save for the intro track, every song on here is like a cross between mid-career Sentenced and Massachusetts based melo death act Beyond the Embrace. Neverdie’s promotional package compares them to Killswitch Engage, All That Remains and Trivium, which I found to be quite odd considering Neverdie have the potential to be much better than both All That Remains and Trivium, and really aren’t heading in the same direction as KSE sound wise. I can understand using these bands for promotional fodder, but let’s move beyond the generic comparisons, because Neverdie deserve more.

I don’t know if Neverdie know who Sentenced are, but the melancholic atmosphere they generate is good, combined with the refreshingly non-confrontational clean vocals of Matt Murray (who, again with my Sentenced reference, sounds like a higher register of Ville Laihiala, as well as former Beyond the Embrace vocalist Shawn Gallagher). The last track on this album, “Prevalent Souls” is a slow, acoustic number and is definitely a stand out track demonstrating the diversity this band possesses. So many groups of similar style, including the less creative Trivium and All That Remains pander to the standard death metal verse, clean melodic chorus followed by another death metal verse, but Neverdie are clearly out for something more.

I have a feeling Neverdie, as a band, haven’t yet discovered their true potential. They strike me as guys who are inspired by more mainstream acts, but the heart and talent of the unit is so large as to accomodate so much more diversity and complexity. Why stop at what everyone else aspires to be, when you could become a band that others seek inspiration through? Phase 2: Revolution is a starting point, and once Neverdie find a suitable label, all that needs to be done is to allow for the creativity to flow, and a powerhouse will be awaiting around the corner.

GOOD

Top Tracks: Prevalent Souls, Carnal Rage

Similar Artists: Beyond the Embrace, Sentenced

1. Transcendancy
2. My Army
3. Carnal Rage
4. Surefire
5. Prevalent Souls

Matt Murray – Vocals
Josh Leclair – Guitar
Justin Hebert – Drums
Mitch Richard – Bass Guitar
Mat Cormier – Guitar

Self Released

http://www.myspace.com/neverdiemetal

Review by CODY