Customer Reviews

The Nephilim

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As the album begins, it seems as though The Nephilim picks up where Dawnrazor left off, with consecutive tracks of potent Gothic guitar rock. Endemoniada, The Watchman and Moonchild are all excellent as Goth singles.

However as the album progresses the true genius of FotN begins to emerge. The minimal, soulful Celebrate represents the best performance Carl McCoy had given up to that point. The effort becomes even more inspired as the album wraps with Love Under Will and Last Exit for the Lost. There may not be 2 other songs in the entire history of the genre that are more epic than these; this is what Goth was meant to be - beautiful, mysterious, manic, edgy, apocalyptic and truly grand.

The suggestion that FotN was derivative of other Goth bands must end with these 3 final tracks as none were ever so massive in scope and feel before, and none since (other than what Nephilim themselves accomplish later on Elizium).

"Nephilim" is one of those rare albums that will forever change you. From the haunting strains of Celebrate to the discordant brilliance of Last Exit For the Lost there are no momnets that will not engage you in a dream like duality of mind and body.

ps...for those of you out there that think FOTN sound like sisters of mercy I suggest you listen again...or at the very least listen...

Fields of the Nephilim were one of my favourite bands in the late 1980s/early 1990s, along with the later 1996 incarnation NEFILIM. Listening to this band now, wow, what a refreshing change from the underage sex-pop that dominates the charts these days(i.e. Britney, N-sync etc). ENDEMONIADE is a blistering goth-rock epic which begins slowly and speeds up with a driving, disco-rock beat and echoing guitars that made so much impact to me when it first came out. PHOBIA, while being a rip-off of Motorhead's THE ACE OF SPADES just rocks big time! This is a real fast thrasher that will have all you death-metal maniacs out there banging your heads in unison. MOONCHILD was a Top 40 hit in the UK in 1988 and combines great guitar work with a pounding bassline, moving along with a great sense of urgency. In another manic vein, CHORD OF SOULS belts along with all the subtlety of a pramful of china hurtling down the street maiming passers-by. Much of the lyrics on this LP are occult-inspired, and if you play LAST EXIT FOR THE LOST backwards, you can hear vocalist CARL McCOY saying 'He's here, I'm high.' And the rest sounds like Russian being spoken. Anyway, the second segment of the album has the haunting ballad CELEBRATE, where McCoy does not growl, as he does on all the louder numbers, he proves he can actually sing properly, and very well at that too. Never before has apocalyptic goth rock sounded so uplifting! Check it out!

I would be hardpressed to choose between this and Elizium as to which is my favorite FOTN cd but this album definitely has some of my favorite FOTN songs. "Celebrate" is a quiet masterpiece. Carl's subdued vocals will pierce your heart and soul. "Last Exit for the Lost" is truly beautiful. I'm always disappointed when the end of the song arrives. I've been known to have this song on "repeat" indefinitely.

I had first read about Nephilim in Thrasher, back in the late eighties. When the album, "Nephilim," had come out a few years later, I was eager to hear what changes they had made from "Dawnrazor." I was not disappointed. Fields of the Nephilim had and continued to create an awesome view of several mythologies rolled into "spaghetti western"-like epics serving as songs. The combining of pseudo-religious material with a haunting western sound, gives the listener a sense of foreshadowing and premonition, even though you might not have a clue as to what is being forecast...I derive immense inspiration from all of the Fields of the Nephilim catalog when I'm painting, but this disc has the most plays in my studio...

This is one of those bands that I discovered by chance and became a huge fan of them. Back in 2004 I was looking for some new rock or metal music to listen to and I decided to take a look in small second Hand music shop in town to see if they had anything good. I went in and spotted an album on cassette called 'The Nephilim', so the next day I looked it up on the internet. To my delight it got four and a half stars so I went in and bought it.

When I got home I put it on, and I knew immediately afterwards that I'd just heard something really unique and special. The guitar riffs are amazing as are the arrangments and lyrics. Carl McCoy's vocals are also excellent although they may not appeal to everybody.

Every song on this album is a standout so I will do my best to describe some of them. The first track 'Endemoniada' starts out with a heart beat, some errie tribal drums an odd voice and some unusual sounds before the main riff comes in which lasts about roughly over four minutes before the vocals come, and has great lyrics:

"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"

The Watchman comes up next and starts off with a fantastic but unusual guitar riff, and soon picks up speed. The lyrics in this song have always facinated me, for example:

"My lifes turning pages, I see a promised day
Watchmen never age here, they just sleep in vain
Drowning people stare here, they don't 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 won't you fear my name
I've been around since Moses, your preacher never came"

Phobia is a fast number with a riff similar to Motorheads 'Ace of Spades' and is really great. Moonchild starts off with a brilliant intro, very imaginative lyrics and killer guitar riffs. Chord of Souls is also very very good.

The next part of the album is probably the most moody and artistic. 'Celebrate' is a very haunting song with no electric guitars only a great bass line, keys, soft drumming and Carls moody vocals.

'Love Under Will' has always been another favourite of mine and again this has a stunning and unforgettable intro. It starts off with beautiful keys and some minutes later you hear a young woman sobbing (this part I believe was taken from either 'The Omen or 'In The Name of The Father') but never ceases to impress me. This track is a really windswept song and envokes images of ruined churches or beautiful meadows in England with autumn trees. It aslo has class lyrics

"I need to be alone tonight
Smother me or suffer
Lay down I'll die tonight
Smother me or suffer
When I'm gone wait here
Discover all of life's surprises
When I'm gone wait here
I'll send my child my last good smile"

Finally the album ends on an astonishing high with 'Last Exit For The Lost'. This is one of those epic songs that starts out slow but soon gets to an incredible climax. Just like all the rest of the songs it has top notch musicianship and some of the best lyrics I've ever heard in gothic rock.

"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

On a closing note if you love proper gothic rock this is one album that should be in your collection, and I guarantee you'll never get sick of it.

It's very simple. This is NOT a SISTERS OF MERCY (or ANY other) rip-off band. They are: ORIGINAL, CREATIVE, BRILLIANT, and always INTERESTING. These are things that are VERY tough things to find in today's "dime-a-dozen" music market, where too many bands sound the same. The tracks that caught my ear (and brain) are: ENDEMONIADA, MOONCHILD and LAST EXIT FOR THE LOST. Each song has it's own MYSTIQUE, and FLAVOUR.

ENDEMONIADA (track 1) has 4 1/2 minutes of "intro," a definite rarity. It creeps under your skin, and doesn't leave. Nothing is overdone, the guitars, drums, bass, and vocals all share an equal portion of the song, with no stepping on eachother's toes.

MOONCHILD (track 4) has a rather EERIE beginning, that reminds me of laying in a grave yard, and having the fog glide over my eyes, but that soon goes away as the trees begin to collapse upon you.

LAST EXIT FOR THE LOST (track 9) is simply MAGNIFICENT. Being nearly 10 minutes ISN'T LONG ENOUGH. It's haunting overtones are unforgetable, and his [Carl McCoy] vocals are soft spoken rather eliquently.

I LITERALLY could go on about each song, but I won't. Carl McCoy's lyrics are VERY well thought out, and MUST be payed attention to. If you don't listen to the lyrics, you are missing 70% of the experience of this piece. Although it was released back in 1988, no other album I have heard has stood the test of time so well. It's ageless, utterly graceful, and blindingly beautiful.

Back in 1988 was when I first heard this album I became instantly addicted to the soundscape & atmosphere that the Nephilim created on this record. I still love it now in 2005 and can honestly say that the album sounds just as good now as it did back in 1988!. The originality of the songs and sounds on this awesome record make it so unique and I do not think any other band will come along in my life time and make such an impression as did the nephilim. A Classic on it's own!

Simply put this album is a stunning achievement.

I never tire of listening to it. I think it is by far the Nephs' greatest work. Don't get me wrong the sounds that came before and after are also brilliant but as an album of coherent tracks it doesn't get much better than this. From the atmospheric start, through some brilliant rock, the sensual celebrate and then the finale that is their greatest song - Last Exit for the Lost. What an album to get yourself lost in.

My only criticism is the strange inclusion of Shiva which was an instrumental B-Side from an Alt 12" version of Moon Child. It was not on the original vinyl release and somehow feels oddly placed on the CD.

Still it doesn't detract from the CD as a whole. If you haven't given it a listen I can't recommend this CD highly enough.

I have owned this album since its release those many moons ago. It is still my all-time favourite musical work. Godlike, engulfing, beautiful and bestial...this is snarling guitars, demonic vocals bass-baritone and divine with a growl that sets this apart from most Goth, and magick, pure magick. I was spellbound from the second I heard this, and have not yet escaped. A brilliant band, and this, I think, their best album. And the singer is quite shockingly attractive, too. I know that's irrelevant, but it can't hurt, right?