Search - Nefilim :: Zoon

Once forgotten, now redeemed.

Frankland S. Strickland | Memphis, Tennessee | 10/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has been almost 10 years since I first heard this masterpiece and I can certainly reveal, "How my opinion has changed!" When I first bought this I had been waiting for almost five years for something new from Fields of the Nephilim. The previews of the time had prepared me for the fact that this would be more "intense" and that Carl McCoy was operating under a new moniker: a re-spelled "Nefilim." I also remember just how disappointed I was when this thing came thundering through my high-end audio system. "Oh great," I thought, "another freaking sell-out!" Before casting this one into my "CDs to be Traded Bin," I recall just how much I thought this was an ill-fated attempt of Carl MCoy to cash in on the current Death Metal trend.



It's rather amusing to see another reviewer compare this to Napalm Death because, at the time, I shared the same opinion. Let me say now, though, that this is as close to Napalm Death as Megadeth is to Barry Manilow!



First, for those who truly appreciated the "sound" of the original lineup, "Shine" and "Melt" would fit rather nicely. In fact, these two tracks sound almost as though they were lifted straight from a recording session circa 1988. They blend seamlessly, however, into the fiery, bombastic soundscape of the rest of the album. "Zoon," like most other FotN releases, functions essentially like one really long track with various "movements" ---- a symphony if you will.



If you are taken aside at first by the assault of tracks like "Xodus" or "Venus Decomposing," bear in mind that this is only a natural progression of what was being revealed in earlier releases. If older songs like "Preacher Man" made you raise your fist and nod your head, these truly have you pumping your fist and banging your head. Yet, "Zoon" is a much greater accomplishment than anything the competitors can contribute. It cannot even be compared to the likes of Napalm Death or Cannibal Corpse.



Do yourself a favor and buy it today. If you already own it and have forgotten it, put it back in the CD player!"