Nemesea - In Control
Self-production
Gothic / Alternative Metal
10 songs (33:27)
Release year: 2007
Nemesea
Reviewed by Khelek
Archive review

I forget where I first heard about Nemesea, but I am sure I heard this album praised at some point in my search for some good modern gothic metal. I have to say that this band does a pretty good job, however they do sometimes sound like other more accomplished bands in the genre, which can both help and hurt them. The main area where the album didn't work for me is the songwriting itself, which I found to be somewhat repetitive. Nothing new or exciting is ever introduced. Singer Manda Ophuis does have a really good voice to make up for the lackluster song writing, but in the end it isn't enough to make this a really enjoyable album, though it does have its merits.

The first song, No More, comes in with synths and some heavy guitar riffs and drums that shake the floor. The melody is pretty catchy and when the chorus comes in you almost can't help but get caught up in it. Home is a very catchy song that sounds good, but can get a bit repetitive. Fortunately it is enjoyable and it's short enough so as not to drag on. The Way I Feel is your typical duet ballad, featuring some guest male vocals from Cubworld, not something you’ll hear on many metal albums. The song isn’t bad, but it's just not very interesting; the lyrics also being pretty cliché. Lost Inside has some strong points, like the chorus, but the rest of the song just sounds like stuff I've already heard on the rest of the album. Also I have yet to hear some good guitar solos or even anything remotely in the technical department. Most songs stay between 3 and 4 minutes, with some even shorter. Many times I find myself thinking of Evanescence at some points and Within Temptation at others. Believe has some more melodic guitar work but it's very simple and repetitive, does not do anything for me. Like The Air is a bit more interesting, but it also keeps it short. It seems I was just getting into the song and it was over.

This isn’t a bad album, it just isn’t that interesting overall. I got it awhile ago and I think I listened to the entire disk maybe once or twice before doing this review. It struck me as good but not good enough to really get my attention as say Within Temptation or Autumn. The album stays pretty catchy and melodic throughout, so at least the band is consistent, but it didn’t leave me with any real lasting impression. I remember a few of the songs, but in the end it was an easy album to put aside and look for better things. The vocalist certainly has some decent singing ability; however the songwriting on this album just isn’t that good. On top of this there is nothing in the instrumental area to really catch my interest like great melodic guitar soloing or unforgettable riffs. I felt the heavy usage of synths didn't help either. This album is good for a couple listens, but don’t expect to be surprised if you find it turning into background music.

Killing Songs :
Home, Like The Air
Khelek quoted 69 / 100
Other albums by Nemesea that we have reviewed:
Nemesea - The Quiet Resistance reviewed by Khelek and quoted 25 / 100
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