As you can probably tell from the album cover, Neon Nightmare is heavily inspired by the legendary Type O Negative, and this is not only evident from their cover art. Faded Dream is the band’s debut album, and although there are many speculations, as of yet, the project’s frontperson remains a secret. Signed to arguably one of the best labels these days, 20 Buck Spin, who has also signed bands like Worm, Hulder, and Khemmis – Neon Nightmare is already proving to be talented, passionate, and not easily forgettable.
After the album’s intro track “Higher Calling,” we get treated to “Lost Silver,” a song with a catchy melody that is dark and melancholic and very reminiscent of Type O Negative’s sound. Slow and emotive, this song is bound to make you feel something and is quite addictive. “Lost Silver” was previously released in August, and you can watch the music video here:
Track 3, “It’s All Over (For You)”, has heavy, doomy guitars and ethereal sounding vocals, and “LATW2TG,” which stands for “laughing all the way to the grave” is a bit more energetic and upbeat at times but keeps the slow and heavy sound of the rest of the record. “They Look Like Shadows” is another catchy and energetic one, and is the shortest track on the album, at a little over four and a half minutes. The 6th track, “She’s Drowning,” was previously released in September and you can also listen to it on YouTube:
“She’s Drowning” has a lovely opening bass riff that carries throughout the song and is slow and heavy in the most delicious way. The record’s final and longest track, “Promethean Gift,” is almost ten minutes long but you’d never know that from listening to it. The song pulls you in and makes you forget that the clock is ticking with its heavy riffs and exquisite vocals.
Although no band could ever come close to Type O Negative, Neon Nightmare’s sound might be able to scratch the un-scratchable itch of new TON music. With its slow and heavy riffs and Peter Steele-like vocals, Neon Nightmare is establishing itself within the world of Type O Negative-influenced bands as a quality tribute to the gothic/doom metal band. The songs are all long (not counting the intro track, of course), but they don’t feel long while you’re listening to them, and it’s easy to play this album on repeat. Although many fans prefer for bands to have a unique sound, as a fan of Type O Negative I really enjoyed this record and am looking forward to seeing what Neon Nightmare does next. Yes, it is clearly an imitation of the legendary band’s sound, but it is done well and the passion for TON is palpable and, in the end, imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery. I’d like to think that Peter would be proud.
Faded Dream releases November 1st, 2024 and can be pre-ordered here: https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/front/products/neon-nightmare-faded-dream-lp
Neon Nightmare’s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0lMcJVE9KZzlfnomZIC7HF
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