I have to say that this is the first full album by Fields of The Nephilim that I have heard. I first gained knowledge of this outfit when several musicians I had interviewed mentioned them. Then in the research for my upcoming book I tracked down more information and some of their music. This one, though, is my first full exposure to FOTM. That said, apparently this album is a bit different in that it is essentially a Carl McCoy solo effort. That seems to be a bit of a case of splitting hairs, though because McCoy was always the core of the group. This disc is wonderful piece of darkness. There is really only one weak track, although for my money the more atmospheric pieces generally work better than the ones that rock out. Indeed, the one that really fails in my book is the hardest rocker on show here. Frankly, my problem with the song really comes in the production/mising of the vocals. It should be noted that while the cover pictured above is for the Limited Edition of the disc, that one includes a track that wasn't on my promo copy. So, I can't comment on that piece of music. What I can tell you is that, while this may be the first disc from them that I have owned, it won't be the last.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2006 Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.