As I have stated before, one of my main concerns about the genre of symphonic rock/metal is that the overpowering operatic vocals get to be too much, lending less creativity to the music. Some bands sound better with operatic vocals, while some sound better without. Nemesea is of the latter variety.
Nemesea is a Dutch band fronted by the extremely talented Manda Ophuis. She started the band in 2002. "The Quiet Resistance" fom 2011 is their best effort to date, and rumor has it that they are working on a yet-to-be-titled fourth studio album. Based on what "The Quiet Resistance" offers, the new album will be at the top of my list in 2013.
Nemesea has been compared to After Forever, but I find tht comparison to be shaky at best. After Forever wrote some strong metallic riffs with rangy, operatic vocals, while Nemesea dwell on more of a rock-oriented sphere, preferring catchy rock tunes highlighted with grand keyboard orchestras. Nemesea operates on the premise of hooky tunes inspired by mainstream hard rock with some punchy metal riffing fronting the extraordinary symphonic melody.
"The Quiet Resistance" was one of the standout albums of 2011. It is a fantastic record. While listners at times will be reminded of After Forever, the album will also bring to mind late Within Temptation and Epica. Not all symphonic metal bands are created equal, and thankfully, Nemesea is on the top shelf. If you enjoy epic hard rock and metal music, you will love this release.
For your listening pleasure, I have embedded the entire playlist from "The Quiet Resistance" below. Be sure to check out High Enough and Stay With Me, as these are the best tracks in my opinion. Thanks so much for reading and as always, enjoy!
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