NEMHAIN - FROM THE ASHES (Cd Review)

01.From The Ashes
02.Ana
03.Clear My Eyes
04.Second Skin
05.Girls Like Honey
06.Dirty Weekend
07.Jane Doe #1
08.Heroin Child
09.Mr Bronson
10.Babylonia
11.The Filth And The Fury
12.Speed Queen


Amber Erlandsson (Vocals)
Lakis K (Guitar)
Lisa Dickinson (Bass)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums)
Sam Astley (Guitar)
Note : Sam does not play on the album.

Guest
Pete Dolving (Vocals)


Formed in may 2006 by Adrian and Amber, they have so far had 5 line up changes,
released one ep 'Blood Runs Free' and contributed to 3 compilation cd's, played gigs in
America and Holland, a couple of festivals and 50 uk gigs.

Last year they went to Sweden and recorded their debut album, originally due for
release late last year but postponed due to Adrians touring commitments with Paradise
Lost.

What we have here is 12 of the darkest, disturbing and at times twisted songs i have
ever heard, these songs of abuse, revenge, drugs and sex put people like Marilyn Manson
to shame, devistatingly brilliant.

Starting with 'From The Ashes' the song is punctuated by a great riff and there is no
question that it is drum driven as Adrian pounds the hell out of the poor kit.The song is clearly one of defiance, "Hate what you think i am, I'll use your hate to make you drown'.

So weird to hear 'Ana' re-recorded (it was on the 2006 ep), its a lot heavier than the
original, still has the nice guitar intro but then Amber screams 1,2,3,4 and it just blasts through the speakers, always loved this song about the beauty queen who wants to be a star but ends up dead after drug adiction.

A Sabbath/Zeppelin feel greets 'Clear My Eyes' this has that epic quality about it and
it lives up to that task with ease but being Nemhain it gets that blues stained punk
rock treatment.Amber's vocal is sultry, it has a kind of evil glamour about it.A brilliant song about a destructive relationship best summed up with the line "make me sick to look at you" great solo from Lakis as well.
Note to self its "wash your face in my abyss" not "my own piss" which is what ive been
singing along to all last year!!!!!!

The cover of the Gits 'Second Skin' was the idea of Lakis, and a great one, the song sits perfectly with the Nemhain ethos.The song features a guest vocal from The Haunted's Pete Dolving, and boy does this one rock.

The moody 'Girls Like Honey' is next, another dark and brilliantly written song about
an abuse victim turned prostitute, its heavy ballad quality moves superbley with those
lyrics, im mean this is serious stuff, "Daddy i want to hurt you, you fucked me in the
head, why did you go leaving me bleeding on the bed".

Inspired by Helen Zahavi's disturbing book of revenge and murder by a woman in
Brighton, 'Dirty Weekend' is an upbeat rocker with a catchy chorus.

'Jane Doe #1' has a weird intro that sounds like some squeaky metal object with guitar
over it.I think we could be in serial killer or necrophillia territory here, or perhaps both,
"Im addicted, I'm afflicted, black hair, dead stare, masturbated, so wasted", whatever its about it's pretty fucked up.

My favourite Nemmers song is up next 'Heroin Child' this is a much more refined version
that first appeared back in 2006, its raw and alive, full of anger and energy, Amber's
voice is just perfect, the drums retain the backbone, the bass is punchy and the guitar
is screaming!
Every time i hear this i always feel like its my song, it resonates certain things inside me, sorry but this song is just fucking perfect and "I know how to shout and destroy everything".

Now the idea that Amber wrote a song about the headmaster from Tv's Grange Hill is not
very dark and disturbing but then this 'Mr Bronson' is indeed something far more dangerous and fun but the lyric reminds us "His price is as high as the price of your pain", just as JJ Cale wrote the anthem in the 70's, Nemhain have written it for this generation.

'Babylonia' is a completly new song written for the album, its a moody, brooding and
damn right evil, nasty as anything piece, some great slide guitar from lakis.Possibley the angriest song on the album "You paint your face with roses and vitriol" the song is definatley poetry with a knife, i think i know what this is about as well, but somethings are better left un-said.

Originally called the Hate Song the Motorhead like 'The Filth And The Fury' comes
hammering through my headphones, full volume of course, this songs pretty angry as well
and another dark tale of revenge and twisted love and violence involving a blow torch.

Finally that driving Motorhead vibe again for the classic 'Speed Queen' always a live
favourite and now finally on disc in perfect form (It was on the 2006 ep, but this version blows it away).Just ends the album so well now everybody after me..."Amphetamines are in my dreams,
dont need no sleep for this machine'.

The perfect album from the perfect band, no question at all that this should help them
gain recognition and respect that they deserve, now wheres that acoustic ep and second
album????

Rating 10/10

For fans of : Distillers, Motorhead, Chrome Division, Turbonegro

STU