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Rating:
Fields of the Nephilim are among the most credible torchbearers of the British goth-rock scene of the eighties. Formed in 1984, their debut "Dawnrazor" dates back to 1987: this "The Nephilim," marked 1988, is their stunning sophomore effort, and together with the noteworthy "Elizium" (from 1990), it constitutes one of the most significant testimonies the band has left us to date.
Compared to the wave of "dark" bands that burst, flourished, and in some cases withered away between the seventies and eighties, they present a fundamental difference: their dark rediscovers rock, the most genuine and untainted, while the punk and wave influences are drastically reduced. Their music does not seem to have known the post-punk revolution, the sparse and minimal sounds, the raw nihilism born and matured in the London suburbs, but it reveals itself steeped in a "cursedness," a "shamanism," a "swaggering" typical of rock, and in particular, typical of American rock culture. A tradition rooted in the epic nature of country, in the ruggedness of the most overwhelming rock'n'roll, in the despair of the accursed blues of the blacks, in the decadent visions of a Jim Morrison, in the spaghetti-western echoes of a Sergio Leone (an influence recognizable even in the post-apocalyptic cowboy look that the five musicians decide to adopt).
The dark of the Fields of the Nephilim has the flavor of the desert, and telling us about it are the guitars of Paul Wright and Peter Yates, the formidable bass of Tony Pettitt, the dynamic and abundant tempo-changing drumming of Don Wright. And naturally, the raw voice of Carl McCoy, a romantic hero, a restless soul, one who has very little to do with the fervors of an Ian Curtis or a Robert Smith, or with the neuroses of a Rozz Williams: McCoy is a titan of stone, a Herculean statue, imposing, yet torn by deep fractures. And on the verge of crumbling.
"The Nephilim," more than a masterpiece, should be considered as one of the pivotal moments of the eighties dark culture. Already from the self-celebrating title and the cover that sparsely depicts the album title, the band's iron will to leave a mark, impose its name, and brand the inflated music market of the time is evident. "The Nephilim" is the manifesto of the Fields of the Nephilim and deserves to stand proudly in the showcase of every respected dark enthusiast, alongside classics like "Closer," "Pornography," "First and Last and Always," "In the Flat Fields," and "Only Theatre of Pain."
In the first part, the tracks flow powerful, rhythmic, immersed in a warm, visceral, energetic sound: epic arpeggios and a solid rhythmic backbone are the impetuous wind carrying the pains and night visions of the charismatic McCoy, a true leader. Just think of the relentless "Endemoniada," which after a frenzied start, reveals itself as a true impactful opener, strong with powerful guitars and overshadowed by McCoy's cavernous howl that imposes itself on our ears right from the start with sighs and demonic cries. They are followed by more subdued moments ("The Watchman"), furious rock’n’roll assaults ("Phobia"), and tracks that shamelessly wink at the top charts ("Moonchild," the catchy single that takes us back to the debut album's atmospheres).
Much more interesting, in my opinion, is the final glimpse of the album. A bleak "Celebrate" (nothing more than a sparse bass arpeggio haunted by McCoy's alcoholic lament) acts as the watershed between the first section (decidedly more rock and easy-listening) and a second phase dense with gothic and theatrical atmospheres. "Love Under Will" is a dark, subdued, dreamlike ballad: Pettitt's throbbing bass, the arpeggio emanating desolation and solitude, the angelic choirs accompanying McCoy's possessed singing, depict places of perdition, of eternal damnation, places dusty as a western film set, chillingly sacred as the inside of a gothic cathedral aging in the desert.
The Gregorian chants closing the piece lead us directly to the gates of Hell: the massive "Last Exit for the Lost," an ultra-classic of the band. McCoy is a shaman summoning specters; his is a bleeding requiem destined for an audience of the damned. "Last Exit for the Lost" is the "The End" of the Fields of the Nephilim. Moving, in the finale, is the rhythmic acceleration that dissolves the hypnotic and lysergic moods of the piece, transforming it into a compelling apocalyptic ride: in these last, epic, tragic minutes, in the declamatory crescendo of the mad singer, in the power of the guitars growing rough and enveloping, lies all the class of the Fields of the Nephilim, McCoy's visionary talent, the band's ability to recreate tense and dramatic atmospheres.
"The Nephilim" is not a flawless album: not all tracks are memorable, and overall it may not please for its roughness, for the brashness seeping from every note, for its anti-aesthetic and deliberately (virile) excessive, over-the-top nature. Besides, there are albums that deserve five stars because they're "beautiful," perfect, and without smudges, and there are albums, however, that deserve five stars because, although not "beautiful," perfect, and without smudges, they mean something. "The Nephilim," without a doubt, belongs to this second category.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Endemoniada (07:15)
So let it feel... Unreal
When I fall asleep at the wheel
Think about this... If looks could kill
Such a thrill... The way I feel
Now I'm falling asleep at the wheel
And I'm dreaming of the kill
We dream of familiar places here
We dream of familiar faces
Do you want a display
Just stand in my way
If you want a display
Your love in that way... Now get out
Think about this...
Well I've seen... With old eyes
And every time I turn around another dies
Think about this... If looks could kill
Vision's Black, I go to war sometimes
When I'm walking on my own
We dream of familiar places
Vision's black, I go to war sometimes
When I'm walking on my own
We dream of familiar places
And I'm dreaming
We dream of familiar things here (My heart beats, my heart beats)
We dream of familiar places
And I'm dreaming...
We dream of familiar things here (My heart beats, my heart beats)
We dream of familiar places Stop!
02 The Watchman (05:31)
The Watchman
Innocence is hurting
a world speaks out of tune
Promise calls, promise falls
what are we to do, with a clouded view
You follow me through
Sadly the tides are changing
my world slips out of you
Your body falls. My body calls
what are we to do, with a clouded view
You follow me through
My lifes turning pages
I see a promised day
Watchmen never age here
They just sleep in vain
Drowning people stare here
they dont care to call, so I rebury the pages
Kthulhu calls
You'll see, you'll see her
when she starts to form
You'll see, you'll see her
when she starts to call
In the name of Jesus Christ
wont you fear my name
I've been around since Moses
your preacher never came
You'll see, you'll see her
when she starts to form
You'll see, you'll see her
when she starts to call
Follow me
You sleep, you sleep
follow me
Its just another day
remember I am calling for you
just another day
remember she's calling for you
just another day
Kthulhu, I am calling for you
just another day
An empire has fallen from view
You sleep
You sleep
Follow me
you sleep - you sleep
You cannot follow me
03 Phobia (03:38)
He drains all of my lifeforce
A body like a unicorn
Its a phobia
In this crowded room
The people just stare
Silver sun entering space,
I want to just pass around
It's now in my face
All my days am I human or worse
All my days, I'm turning over
All my days, I'm turning over
There's a land
The dead has captured
It's no less beautiful
It's a phobia
In this crowded room
The people just stare
Send my soul to lay in a patch of ground {... to bleed apart your ground}
Send my soul to lay in a patch of ground
Send my soul to lay in a patch of ground
All my days, I'm turning over
The last time around here we go
I should be in Heaven but I don't glow
All my days am I human or worse
All my days, I'm turning over
Send my soul to lay in a patch of ground
Send my soul to lay in a patch of ground
Send my soul to lay in a patch of ground
04 Moonchild (05:40)
Moonchild...
Well it's a righteous dream
But out of mind, yeah
A righteous dream
But out of mind, yeah
Tend the horses
Let 'em crawl
Put 'em in their cages
That's righteous for the soul
Open your eyes
And despite what's deep
Longevity
Well, that's righteous for the weak
Moonchild
Lower me down, lower me down
Moonchild
Lower me down down down down down down
Well it's a righteous day
But out of mind, yeah
And I give your last rite
Oh, it's a righteous day
Never return, I will wait no more
Take no prisoners in the promised war
You'll die for this
Die for this
Take them
Moonchild
Lower me down, lower me down
Moonchild
Lower me down
Moonchild
Lower me down,
Moonchild
Lower me down down down down down down
Moonchild
Here come the silver pieces
Can't you see
You're losing me
Moonchild
Lower me down, lower me down
Moonchild
Lower me down
Moonchild
Lower me down,
Moonchild
Lower me down down down down down down
Moonchild
Lower me down,
Moonchild
Lower me down down down down down down
Revisit to an empty hall
You can't see I've been burned before
Well they tear you down and they'll bear your shame
Longevity hear my pain
Moonchild (lower me down)
And I'm waiting, and I'm raging,
And I'm waiting, and I'm raging,
And a white moon falls, a black moon calls,
Waiting to defy the One
Moonchild (lower me down)
Longevity, longevity,
I melt down where I burned before
Longevity, longevity,
I melt down where I burned before
And I know where you lay
I melt down where I burned before
And I know where you lay (down, down, down)
Okay
Moonchild
05 Chord of Souls (05:08)
the preacher says to all his men
I hear godly laughter
can it be the end
well I'm on fire when he's so cold
I hear godly laughter
let it be the end
let it be the end
well I hate your conscience
let's skip this world
I hate your gods people who breed on earth
over to the other side
I'm caught stepping out
come over to the other side
save your brothers now
let it be the end
eyes eyes eyes eyes
honest men these worthy men
in all my dreams
I hear godly laughter unleash your souls the faceless knows
I'm disclosed it's not a god I'm after
let it be the end
let it be the end
let it be the end
believers chord of souls
let it be the end
let it be the end
let it be the end between us chord of souls
eyes eyes eyes eyes
and I hate your country
and I hate your world
I hate your Gods people who breed on earth
over to the other side
I'm caught stepping out
over to the other side
I'm gonna recreate a religious experience
to tear my fucking heart out
the end believers
let it be the end
the end between us
lord of souls
the end believers
let it be the end
let it be the end between us chord of souls
let it end
let it end
let it end
eyes eyes eyes eyes no
06 Shiva (04:50)
Walk this is welcome to heaven
Believe welcome to 666
Breathe come closer 1 2 3 4
Walk open your eyes now darling
Let the weapon rise my darling
come closer
The sweet smell of giving
09 Last Exit for the Lost (09:47)
Would you pay life's pleasures to see me
Does it hurt for I want you to remain
I run your hair through in another decade
Sumerland holds me in sumerian haze
Pain in places where the lovers mourn
Arranging the play things up and down the hall
Forever remain for every day
My honour remains
Forever remain
Between the spaces along the wall
Appearing faces that disappear at dawn
We're getting closer I can see the door
Closer and closer Kthulhu calls
Forever remain
Forever remain
You'll seek it it'll take a while
You'll seek this if it's a thousand miles
Take what fate brings eternal and desire
I'll change those faces then I take their smile
We're getting close to you I can see the door
Closer and closer or is it there at all
Forever remain
Forever remain
This could be my last regress
Last exit for the lost
This could be my last regress
Last exit for the lost
This could be my last regress
Precious for the lost
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