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Nefelim - Vrata Mirozdaniya (8,5/10) - Russia - 2002

Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Self production
Playing time: 44:18
Band-Homepage: Nefelim

Tracklist:
1. Otstupleniye Ot Dvadtsat Shestogo...
2. Nefilim
3. …V Ad
4. Leta
5. Atlantis
6. Inkvizitsiya
7. Rassvet…

Another of those times, where you have a certain expectancy from a band name and cover and get completely hit unawares… Maybe it was because of FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM and subsequently NEFILIM that I had expected Gothic Rock from NEFELIM, plus take the cover and you have a completely different and wrong view right away…
What we get instead is a pretty theatrical form of Progressive Metal (theatrical mostly in the vocals of D.J. Avad), which definitely does not sound like your every day Prog, but at the same time does not get weird or something, but always stays very flowing and accessible, which is a big plus in my book.

The band hymn, if you want, "Nefilim" (here with an "i" instead of the "e") is a prime example for this, very varied, with different levels of heaviness and intensity, different moods and the quite original vocals, altogether resulting in 7 minutes of high musical standard and a good song it is, too, actually this is a damn excellent song, if you ask me! And it gets better the more often you listen to it, great start!

Next up "…V Ad", completely instrumental, on the same level as "Nefilim", while "Leta" brings us some quite speedy outbursts as well, embedded into the excellent Progressive Metal of NEFELIM, straight and complex at the same time (I know, reads weird, but trust me, it is the truth!), everything fits together very, very well indeed! And with "Atlantis" we get the next at times blistering instrumental right after, wow, this album and band truly amazes me! And also the closing duo of "Inkvizitsiya" and "Rassvet" does not drop off in quality either, finishing off a CD that caught me unawares style wise right at the beginning and fully caught me quality wise all through the album.

And what is almost even more amazing is the fact that NEFELIM are without a contract as yet, for "Vrata Mirozdaniya" is an indie release, so a) support this great band from Moscow and b) give…them…a…contract!

Available at www.metal-cd.ru! (Online June 18, 2003)

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