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NFD001.jpgBandname: NFD (Noise for Destruction)
Genre: Gothic Rock
Release Date: November 2004
Record Company / Label: Jungle Records






Though founded in 2003 this is not a band of starting musicians. Actually this gothic rock band contains some musicians that defined the genre when it still was gothic rock. Playing with bands like Sensorium, The Nefilim, and even the masters of goth, Fields of the Nephilim, makes this band a powerhouse in the genre to be reckoned with. Their debut release came almost 2 years ago in the form of a 3 track EP, called “Breaking the Silence”, which sounded very promising. But with an impressive background comes high expectations. Will NFD fulfill the promise and break the silence that has been keeping all those fans of Fields of the Nephilim eagerly awaiting the new still-pending Fields of the Nephilim album? A big task, if you ask me.

Line-Up

Peter “Bob” White – vocals, guitars
Simon Rippin – drums
Tony Pettit – bass
Chris Milden – guitars
Stephen Carey - guitars



Song Review


1. Omen – 1:24

A nice and dark intro to start the album off and set the tone for the rest of the songs. During this short atmospheric, mechanical intro you can already spot the history behind this band and see the similarities.

2. Blackened (This love of Ages) – 5:56
The guitars roll in and as soon as Peter starts growling and chanting the phrase “Black, Heart, Black in my Heart” it’s clear they mean business. A catchy, up-tempo beat and the typical gothic guitar-antics will definitely make the heart of every gothic rock fan beat quicker. As a true Fields of the Nephilim-fan I catch myself comparing Peter’s vocals to those of Carl McCoy (Fields of the Nephilim/The Nefilim). It’s inevitable. And I must say that they aren’t completely alike (he does get closer than anyone I ever heard), but the darkness and the emotions behind it are just as intense. With clean, dreamy guitar-lines during the verses and the drive that’s present throughout the entire song this is turning out to be a pretty good start to the album.

3. Stronger – 5:37
After the dance floor-filler that is Blackened, NFD take a step back in Stronger. The clean guitars and the vocals set the song into a certain mood, which turns more dark and foreboding as the bass, drums and slightly distorted guitars come in. This song is a so-called build-up. Getting more and more intense, until the chorus kicks in. The sombre tone continues and the sorrow spills out of every seam. Cute detail is the feedback of the guitar at the end of the song, which almost sounds like a certain part of a Nephilim song.

4. Awaken (I)(A life Forsaken) – 5:36
After Stronger it’s time to pick up the pace a little again. A pounding bass-line makes this another dark and foreboding song. Pure gothic rock with a slight hint of modern dark metal thrown in for fun. After 2 and a half minutes the band falls back to just a clean guitar part, some dark background sounds and starts building up the song again. All in all, a powerful tune with a nice hook in the chorus. The first of a two-piece…

5. Awaken (II)(Within Reach) – 2:40

After the slight onslaught that is part 1, part 2 starts off with a slow segment filled with a double-bass drum part and a vocal line that reminds me of the last 2 songs of the “Elizium” album. Slowly pulling away the individual parts till there’s just a guitar. A short song that does compliment the first part and leaves you with a melancholic feeling. A perfect introduction to the next song on the album… Nice detail on this song (as well as on Lost Souls and Enraptured) is the fact that Peter Yates, former guitarist of Fields of the Nephilim, guest-stars on this track.

6. Hold on to the Life – 4:42
A very fragile start with the occasional slight outburst. But the song doesn’t take off. It stays gloomy throughout, only adding some snare-drums halfway through. As Peter sings “Don’t look back” it actually makes you feel the emotion behind it.

7. Turbine (Nothing lasts Forever) – 4:27
Definitely my favourite track on the album. A true gothic rock hit. Up-tempo, a catchy gothic drum-beat, a powerful chorus you can sing/scream along to. This song also was one of the highlights of their last gig in Tilburg a few weeks back. A very, very strong song that could easily take on the few Fields of the Nephilim classics they played that evening. Okay, I know Moonchild (One of the gothic rock anthems of all time) is hard to topple, but this song is definitely a very good attempt.

8. Darkness Falls – 6:22
And when you think nothing can come close to the blast that is Turbine, you get Darkness Falls. Probably the loudest song on the album, it has similarities to Turbine. Some of the drum-beats have the same feel, but the band throws in some parts that are as loud as some metal bands around. A slap in the face, for sure. A more-than-6-minutes-beating-to-a-pulp song. But again a strong structure and a powerful chorus make this song far from boring. Another good job done.

9. Lost Souls (Still I Remain) – 7:29
A diverse song with very laid-back parts and some mid-tempo louder parts. A very big role has been set aside for Peter’s vocals on this one. Though Peter’s voice is one that’s not put aside for everyone, I thought it was quite endurable throughout the album. The slight point of critique in this particular one is that, because the vocals are so loud in some parts, they do sound a little forced every now and then. Like he’s been trying a bit too much. But if you look beyond that, this song is another classic. Peter Yates’ guitar contribution makes this song as ethereal as can be. And the pulsating sounds at the very end give me the same sorrow-filled feeling as the end of Elizium. A feeling of closure. Flashbacks come by when I listen to this one. Though it’s the longest song on the album, it still ended too soon.

10. Enraptured – 3:55
The ending of Lost Souls suggest the end of the album. It feels like the band poured all their depressions out. It’s a bit strange to find another dark song following it. Enraptured consists of mostly soundscapes, feedbacks and a clean guitar playing hypnotically to accompany Peter’s vocals. This song does have an encore feeling to it. Like Peter’s coming back after Lost Souls  to make it very clear that NFD is a band that takes the overall sound of their album seriously. If you needed closure after all this darkness, then this song is there to finish you off. Nice one!


Technical information


Total playing time: 48:12
Total numbers: 10


Cover picture


NFD001.jpg

Conclusion
I know that there are loads of Fields of the Nephilim fans out there that are still waiting for that next album, a true follow-up to the masterpiece that is Elizium. The wait has been going on for years now and is starting to look more and more like a Guns n’Roses epic story. I’m not saying that NFD’s album is the true worthy follow-up to the above mentioned classic, but it did give me a feeling like the Nephilim had returned. Sure to say I really love the album. Though I approached it in a slight sceptic manner, the album did grow on me with every turn. In a time when everything that says gothic rock turns out to be a Nightwish-wannabe, this is a true oasis in a desert for all the fans of the authentic masters of goth. A must-have… So what are you still doing here? Go on and run out and buy the bloody thing! You’ll be playing it for months.


Rating

Music: 8,5
Sound: 8,5
Extra's: n/a
Total: 8,5

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