Never More than Less

Conscioulsy naming a record The Album is a pretty bold statement.
Though Never More Than Less definitely are a politically socially-charged group, their latest album's namesake isn't because it's the be all and end all in angry, 'f*ck the system' metal.
''We were arguing over a few album names,'' vocalist Paul Di Giacomo told us. ''I finally got sick of it and said, 'I don't care – we'll just call it The Album.' ''
The Quebec city-based artcore band-wait... what's artcore?
Though the descriptor has been attached to the legendary Deftones, Di Giacomo says they've used because, just like their sound, the 'artcore' label doesn't fit, well, anywhere.
Nobody can pigeonhole Never More Than Less in any one category, as they walk the line between metal and punk, having been nominated for various awards in both categories.
''I hate descriptions... it was a name that popped up a few years ago that says 'we don't know what we are and we don't care.' ''
Though the band hails form La Belle Province, they're an english group.
Despite that, Di Giacomo says they do well in their hometown, adding they've even been invited to play as part of official St-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations.
''There are some people who are really harore french, and think that if you're from Quebec City, you have to be all french. If I was Signing in German those hardcore separatists would have no problem with it.''

THE FACTS:
NEVER MORE THAN LESS will be a Halloween (Oct 31... duh) sho with Les Paiens at Moncton's Manhattan at 9pm. 10$
- Here Music Volume II. Issue 43. October 28 – November 3 2010, Victoria Handysides

On the cusp of releasing their third record, Quebec city band Never More Than Less are headed to Metro Moncton for their first show in the city on sunday. Also playing the show will be Moncton jazz-fusion band Les Paiens and DPS, a francophone band originally hailing from Nova Scotia.
Stylistically, Never More Than Less could easily appeal to fans of heavy metal as much as they can appeal to punk and hardcore fans. This lack of musical categorization wiil be on full display of the group's next record, Never More Than Less The Album, slated for release digitally to online retailers such as iTunes on November 23. Fans looking to pick up physical copies of the record will unfortunately have to wait until january 25, of next year.
Asked why the group is going the route of having two separate releases, Never More Than Less lead vocalist Paul Di Giacomo says the idea actually was floated by Outside Music, the company who will be handling the distribution of their record within Canada.
''We originally wanted to have the record out to coincide with a European tour that we are doing toward the end of November and start of December, but Outside cautioned us against releasing something leading up to the holidays,'' Di Giacomo says. ''Typically, record labels will save some of their biggest releases of the year and then release them in the time leading up to Christmas. So to be sure that we had as much promotion as we could, the suggested releasing the record digitally next month and release the physical CD next year when the likelihood of getting promotion would be greater.''
With their new record, Di Giacomo says the band is looking foward to capitalizing on the groundwork laid by their 2008 record Relentless and expand upon it exponentially.
''There is no question that Relentless helped open some doors for us but with our new album, we decided that we really wanted to focus on writing the best songs possible,'' he says. ''All of the tracks on our upcoming record are very song-oriented where on our last record, the songs were far more technical and as a result of that, it is as if we forgot to focus on just writing good songs. I really do fell that (the new record) is our best effort yet.''
Di Giacomo is eagerly anticipating his group's Moncton concert debut and is also looking foward to the aforementioned European tour that will see them play approximately eight shows throughout France. He says the group is playing a mix of smaller shows that they will headline but are also being given the opportunity to support french band Mass Hysteria in venues that hold 1,500 to 2,000 people.
To smaple the track The Ape Known As God from the upcoming Never More Than Less record, head over to www.nevermorethanless.com.

- Times & Transcript October 29th 2010, Ken Kelly / Times & Transcript staff

Turned out pretty good, this latest CD by Never More than Less entitled The Album. A third release, the fallow-up to Relentless, with scorching tracks that prove the four-piece gained a great amount of experience in the last few years throughout their ever-growing tour schedule. As soon as the first song kicks in, The Ape Known as God, the tainted industrial sound is obvious, but the band lead by singer Paul Di Giacomo don’t take long to mix things up and show just how they can be versatile. Swinging between punk and metal-core, the formula is always catchy and... heavy. To top things off, Never More than Less brought Moustapha “Mouss” Kelai (Mass Hysteria) into the studio with them to sing on the blistering track Légende Personnelle. - Voir, written by Antoine Léveillée February 10th 2011

For this third and all-around more coherent album, Never More than Less had obviously stacked up on an impressive amount of catchy hooks. Fast, intense, violent, The Album has each member shining to their full potential. They used to be hard to label, but now this group from Quebec City no longer needs to be, they are good, say no more!

SONGS ON REPEAT: Passionate Nothing, Légende Personnelle, The Ape Known as God

- Summum Magazine, written by Mathieu Tanguay February 2011 Issue

Right from the start, while they were jumping from one local battle of the bands to another, one could sense that the guys from Never More than Less had the drive and the talent to make their mark. We just had to sit back and see if the band could muster up enough energy and means to succeed. The Album confirms it. On this third opus, the four-piece are at their artistic prime, cross-breeding genres with ease. Metal-core and alternative rock are spiced with touches of industrial and rap on tracks where the rhythm changes and heavy contrasts never shadow out the melodies. Lead singer Paul Di Giacomo convincingly plays the versatility card, going from soft lullabies to gut-wrenching screams; same for Louis Martineau, who doesn’t hesitate to strum the acoustic guitar to balance out with the electric. As for the rhythm section, it is rock solid and dynamic. Not surprising that Never More than Less could be honoured by the presence of an esteemed guest vocalist by the name of Mouss (Mass Hysteria). A great piece of work. - Journal Le Soleil, written by Nicolas Houde January 29th 2011

Released just barely before summer came around, Relentless, by the Quebec hardcore metal band Never More than Less, has landed in my CD player. The band, Paul Di Giacomo (vocals), Patrick Labbé (drums and vocals), Louis Martineau (guitar) and David Ouellet (bass), has come up with a solid second album, surprising and very interesting. A little bomb that detonates in one’s brain for 38 minutes.

Never More than Less goes straight to the point with short songs that overlap into each other several times. It’s dynamically dished out with energy, fury and power. The production of Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy, The Agonist) is a sonic punch in the face. The vocal duels between Di Giacomo and drummer Patrick Labbé are relevant. Only the songs that don’t live up to the rest are Ashes of Paradise, that sounds too much like System of a Down, and Worth Your Time.

It’s an excellent CD for those who want to listen to some good local metal. It does require re-listening.



- Média Matin Québec, written by Yves Leclerc July 22nd 2008