The Newest Noise for Your Listening Pleasure!| By Nicholas Senior
Nevalra
Columbia, Missouri
Conjure the Storm | June 7 | M-Theory Audio
RIYL: Jump scares. Expensive whiskey. A tornado of riffs
Pick up Conjure the Storm HERE!
It’s the unexpected that throws you for a loop, like a jump scare that comes out of nowhere rather than being telegraphed by a minute of loud orchestral clangs. The same can be said for the next great extreme metal band, who come not from the predictably fertile lands of Europe but from a relatively small Midwestern city. However, they aren’t just memorable because their arrival wasn’t preceded by months of fawning—it’s genuinely scary how incredibly balanced Nevalra’s blend of extreme metal styles is, even in the band’s infancy. Conjure the Storm is symphonic but not cheesy, blackened but more focused on atmosphere than apostasy, and stunningly melodic but with riffs that will rip your neck to shreds. Like a perfectly crafted horror film, it’s all about executing individual elements in cohesion. Vocalist and guitarist Scott Eames homes in on that singular focus to great success. “I appreciate you noticing the balance,” he says. “That is a very big part of what I wanted Nevalra to be. I am a huge fan of melody and also of ‘bludgeoning heavy.’ There was no way I was going to be happy with choosing one over the other.” That approach leads to a wonderfully effective bit of melodic extreme metal.
