Nahemah - The Second Philosophy
Lifeforce Records - LFR 067 - January 30, 2007
By George Grant
Cross breeding of genres has seen a large increase recently, and none more popular than extreme metal with post rock. The two genres seem to compliment each other fairly well. Spain’s
Nahemah is such a band that draws influence from the diverse genres. With their third full length album
The Second Philosophy, the band hopes to out mix the competition and offer a worthy release for the saturated music scene.
Nahemah’s mixture of extreme metal and post rock is very much in the vein of
Isis. The crushing rhythms and growled vocals are mixed with surreal guitar leads and synth work with their fair share of clean vocals. The end result is a very satisfying listen. The music seems very sincere and not at all like a gimmick which is increasingly happening in this popular style.
Nahemah’s strength is in their ability to seamlessly transfer from the heavier sections to the softer more reflective moments. This is achieved through the synth work. Using classic hammond organs and effects similar to the latest
Enslaved albums
Nahemah builds a lush atmosphere that is carried throughout the album.
Also,
Nahemah are not afraid to deviate from the norm. The drum patterns for the album are highly syncopated and offer a fresh take to the music. All too often bands seem to overlook the importance the rhythm track has to offer, especially with a music that deals with such an epic scope.
Nahemah’s choice in the drum beats shows a real growth as musicians. Nearing the close of the album, on the track
‘Subterranean Airports,’ the band also strips all metal influences from their sound and delivers a very moving track. The placement of this track could not be better. It breaks away from the constant transitions from the previous tracks and allows the listener to be lulled away.
The only major downfall on
The Second Philosophy would have to be the inconsistency of the clean vocals. Throughout the album they seem to be hit or miss. For instance, the opening track
‘Siamese’ utilizes the clean vocals in a way that countless bands have done before, and in a style that was not pleasing and devoid of emotion. However, on
‘Today Sunshine Ain’t the Same’ the cleans are used much more effectively, offering a warm style similar to Mikael Åkerfeldt of
Opeth. Vocals aside,
Nahemah has offered an interesting release that while not original demands at least a quick listen for investigation.
Official Nahemah Website
Official Lifeforce Records Website
