nethermost-alpha-reviews

Review from Metal Revolution Webzine

Tue, 06 May 2014 14:28:36 +0100

From: Metal Revolution Webzine

Published: May 6, 2014

The name Nethermost refers to the lowest point of existence, but it is also a moniker for the melodic and death/doom metal quartet from southern Texas. Alpha is their debut EP containing only four medium length tracks. It is a tribute to nature and its four elements.

All four songs presented here are intense, powerful but also obscure and different. It is rich on melodies and atmosphere which is rather soaking. As stated before the overall sound is melodic but also ambient and emotional. Tempo is mid-paced with great emphasis on the atmosphere. This thick bass sound accompanied by deep and harsh vocals helps in creating this honest and organic sound, as we know it from the mid-90s death and doom scene.

On the other hand I find the chords to be rather simplistic, but it is only a good thing, since it captures the true essence of doom and death metal. Riffs are diverse and mostly melodic, which I enjoyed a lot. Finally, I think that the production of this EP is a bit fuzzy, leaving the space for further improvement.

Alpha is a foretaste for something even better coming from this Texas band. It should esp. appeal to fans of Katatonia, October Tide, Daylight Dies, Paradise Lost, Amorphis and similar established acts.

Rating: 75/100

Reviewed by: Bato

Review from Forgotten Path Magazine; Issue 6

Thu, 20 Mar 2014 00:02:52 +0100

From: Forgotten Path Magazine; Issue 6

Published: November 2014

Magazine Website

Nethermost is a very young outfit from Texas that plays Melodic Doom Metal, which is not unlike what, let’s say, Paradise Lost played in their earlier career. This EP is a debut effort, which offers four rather typical melodic and slightly depressively sounding tunes. All songs sound very much alike, constructed using mostly the same formula of composition. The music is very straightforward and pretty monotonous dominated only by two types of rhythmic patterns. One being a default slow Doom-like beat, another one a Rock-like upbeat. Those switch between each other in songs all the time. Both rhythm and lead guitars have strictly defined roles within a context of every song. They have little to no dynamics in their playing at all, never really changing their character. The same thing applies to vocals as well. Just a typical Death/Doom growl that does not budge from its position.

Overall, “Alpha” is downright simple and doesn’t hold many surprises except one tasty short atmospheric insert on the first song “Phasing Currents”. But despite being rather primitive, this material appears completely undemanding and easily listenable, given you are open to this style of Metal and don’t mind it as a somewhat decent background.

Reviewed by: Skol

Review from Volumes of Sin Webzine

Mon, 10 Feb 2014 20:21:01 +0100

From: Volumes of Sin Webzine

Published: February 9, 2014

Original Link

The four remaining members of Texas based Nethermost, who began as a five piece, formed in 2009 and laid dormant until the release of their EP Alpha in 2012. The band have recently been taken in by Hypnotic Dirge Records who have re-released their debut and singular album appearance in 2013. The album is said to be a tribute to the elements and that it offers up deep and obscure timelessness. How does this infusion of melodic death metal and doom metal mix together?

Alpha is a medium tempo album from start to finish that never fluctuates in pace. Uninspiringly, the material sounds the exact same from one track to another in both instrument composition and vocal attributes. The guitarist manages to make it through the entire soundtrack without much more than one string, let alone any power or regular chords. The lone string being picked, which sounds to be either the D or A string, has a minuscule area that it traverses on the fret board; typically traveling from the range of frets seven through fourteen, maybe even stopping as high as twelve. The picks are usually played in sets of eight before moving to another fret and repeating the same; nearly every guitar section is made up of eight notes in one way or another.

The bass is entirely programmed as the band currently do not have an active bassist. Surprisingly the bass is the best feature of the album, and it stands out among the other instruments with it's deep lines that step slightly above the mediocre pace of the rest of the components. The drums, akin to the guitar, like to rest on the same beats for prolonged periods of time, exhausting them until it's time to add in a drum roll and go back to the same beat; such as the never ending crash symbols and bass kick mixture in "Tower of the Winds". The vocals, made up of harsh and unrefined growls, belt out in two to four word lyrical increments through each of the four tracks present.

Everything within Alpha needs major improvement. There have been references to bands such as Katatonia, My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost, however those bands deviate in their musical compositions. This album, regrettably, shows inexperience in it's immensely repetitive nature; so much to the point that it's easy to guess what the next track will hold down to the number of times the guitar hits a note before switching frets. The next album for Nethermost will need to show established skill, better compositions, more than one tempo and more influential vocals.

Rating: 4.5/10

Reviewed by: Villi Thorne

Review from Pure Worship Magazine; Issue 2

Thu, 19 Dec 2013 20:16:35 +0100

From: Pure Nothing Worship Magazine; Issue 2

Published: February 2014

Magazine Website

Coming from the United States, Nethermost is a young band that debuts with their EP entitled "Alpha", releases through Hypnotic Dirge Records. "Alpha" presents four songs of great, dark, melodic death/doom with a fantastic atmosphere and a sound largely reminiscing of such bands from the 90's. With melancholic atmosphere achieved through melodies driven mainly by lead guitars, and mid tempo drums, this EP brings to mind greats such as October Tide, and some Katatonia, but still offers it's own touch, it's own sound and a different tone of the profoundly nostalgic ambience.The tracks are fairly simple in construction, with songs built around the pattern of mid tempo drums, heavy backing guitars and lead guitars providing desolate riffs filled with despair, but the simplicity works here. The important and perhaps the best aspect are the great growling vocals courtesy of John Johnston. Fantastic deep growl, perfectly fits to the concept of death doom, and drives the compositions forward with a dark tide. Fantastic debut from Nethermost, and recommended to all fans of mentioned bands, and great melodic death/doom. Eagerly we await more!

Review from Metalwave Webzine

Thu, 19 Dec 2013 20:15:45 +0100

From: Metal Wave Webzine

Published: December 4, 2013

Original Link

*Google translation of Italian review

The debut album for Texans nethermost represents a typical case of discrete band, but that is still immature.

"Alpha" is in fact a 4-track EP released by Hypnotic Dirge Records, which lasts just over 18 minutes, and that offers a melodic death / doom listenable, but it has two flaws quite important. First, the personality of the band is still far from being well taken care of, and for all the EP's songs are positioned on a guitar solo that draws notes apathetic and gray, dull that are so convincing, but that should all or most of the Katatonia sound of "Brave Murder Day" and "Discouraged ones", shining only by reflected light and with less convincing because of the rhythms vary little in the songs. The second defect is given by the fact that the band unfortunately recycles in this EP their stylistic solutions, and the turns of the guitar are similar for all 18 minutes or so, with the only "The untroubled Kingdom of reason" to stand out from the other in as weeping, and with a decadent feeling something reminiscent of the early Gothic Paradise Lost or Amorphis. Pity then, as mentioned, the third song begins that is pretty much the same thing as the previous song ...

It must be said, however, that the sound of the nethermost is not bad, as I said has no special praise, but not horrible thud, leaving a repetition between song and song that can bore the listener to death / doom more demanding. Also, this being the debut album ever, a first job less focused and less successful there may be, though it is hoped that in the future the nethermost know better set their mechanisms to improve. At present, however, "Alpha" is dull, too derivative to really convince me, and I wonder how much more talk of entertainment can be had if you already know the groups that inspired this release. I will try to follow in the next recording effort, and recommend you purchase only if you are hardcore fans of the genre.

Rating: 61/100

Reviewed by: Snarl

Review from Miasma Magazine

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 19:36:53 +0100

From: Miasma Magazine

Published: October 17, 2013

Original Link

The first release by the american band Nethermost is Alpha EP, which is melodic death metal with slight droning elements of doom metal. As a whole it feels like it is still searching for itself and is unfortunately unable to keep the listeners interest up for it’s full running time.

In a way I really do like these laconic kind of moaning guitar melodies, which are quite biting in their own catchy way. Though there is slight little problem with them, and that is that they do sound song after song a bit too alike. At best these moaning guitars could be very effective elements with the music, but now with them being too much alike and repeated they just feel like that horniest tomcat of the hood, the one that just moans all night. After a while it just becomes too tiresome and irritating. If you would listen to this record in shuffle with no specific order you probably could not recognize these songs from each other.

Concerning the sounds this EP is a bit weak too, the guitars sounds pretty okay to me, but the bass could have been a lot more crisper.The drums are pretty sad, flapping noises to listen, too. The actual playing is nothing to be complained about, but the sounds were just too clean and tidy, so it was some kind of rawness that Alpha is really missing. The vocals are pretty basic death metal-like groaning, without going to do raw and incomprehensible form though, but they could have used some more variation too.

In the end it is pretty hard to actually like this EP, but at the same time it really does have some elements that I really enjoyed. For example those monotonic, yet gashing guitars. What it comes to compositions the songs just shoot themselves to knee with being too alike, and the weak soundscapes escalate the effect.

Rating: 5/10

Reviewed by: Aleksi Vaittinen

Review from Ave Noctum Webzine

Mon, 16 Sep 2013 21:22:28 +0100

From: Ave Noctum Webzine

Published: September 14, 2013

Original Link

Hailing from Texas this band are a relatively new outfit who have so far only released this one EP. It came out originally in 2012 independently before being picked up by Hypnotic Dirge for a bit more widespread recognition. Honed down from a quintet the band obviously stripped unnecessary fat from the equation before laying down these four tracks and they do not beat about the bush giving their intentions away the second play is pressed.

There is no such thing as a subtle intro here as ‘Phasing Currents’ drops in with everything straight up in the mix. With weeping guitar lines leading the way and weaving a miserable tapestry it is instantly evident that this band are worshipping old Katatonia with what they do. The melody is strong and so are the gruff leonine tones of vocalist John Johnston. The depressive tones of this melodic doom laden outfit are nicely expressed but over the 18 minutes of music here there is little in the way of diversification. Apparently the aim of this according to the band was to ‘create a sense of timelessness’ and they have but I have to be honest here this is one that harks back to the early years of the aforementioned Swedes and it is highly lacking in finding any true identity of its own. If this is a style that you like and make no mistake I do, you will no doubt be swept up by the lush maudlin tones of songs like ‘The Untroubled Kingdom Of Reason.’ The blueprint once established is replicated with prowess and obvious passion but it is impossible to shift the thought of the large monster looming over it in the room and after all we already have bands like October Tide already. The fact that Nethermost call a song ‘Dance Of Burning Beasts’ would even be poetic if someone had not already had their own highly influential ‘Dance Of December Souls’

Every song starts in the same fashion too and it is pretty obvious that this lot have plenty of thinking to do before attempting a full length album and seriously have to get a sense of identity of their own. That aside if you want to relive ‘Brave, Murder, Day’ and have worn your copy out this is a fine bit of reverence.

Rating: 6/10

Reviewed by: Pete Woods

Review from Lunar Hypnosis Webzine

Mon, 09 Sep 2013 20:16:21 +0100

From: Lunar Hypnosis Webzine

Published: September 7, 2013

Original Link

Nethermost roughly means something along the lines of being the lowest, farthest down and the lowest point of existence. This Laredo, Texas three piece certainly transcribes those words into musical form, in particular that of a doom/death style, here on their debut EP, 'Alpha.'

Four songs grace this EP, all with deep melancholy sounding riffs, audible bass work, hard growled vocals and a gloomy mood to boot. The death metal elements pretty much solely exist within vocalist John Johnston's voice, while the music itself and its pace is probably most comparable to that of Katatonia's 'Brave Murder Day' record more so than the early true death/doom work of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema.

I'd have to admit the first song, 'Phasing Currents,' and especially the second, 'The Untroubled Kingdom of Reason,' are good, but by the time you make it through the other two songs, 'Tower of the Winds' & 'Dance of Burning Beasts' you'll notice that very little diversity exists within Nethermost's music. Its not so much that the songs are bad, but it does have that feeling of having heard it before. Besides earlier Katatonia the music reminds me of Daylight Dies, Mourning Beloveth, October Tide and a bit like Swallow the Sun, sometimes. The EP could just have well been two long songs instead of four short songs too.

Nevertheless, there's surely a future for these guys, but I just think they need to diversify their tunes a bit and at least somewhat shake off the obvious influences. On the other hand, if you happen to really enjoy those bands then you may very well adore every aspect of this short twenty minute EP.

Reviewed by: Joseph Mlodik

Review from Les Eternels Webzine

Fri, 06 Sep 2013 01:44:03 +0100

From: Les Eternels Webzine

Published: September 3, 2013

Original Link

*Google translation of French review

Nethermost is a young band from Texas. Yet, unlike many courses out there, they do not practice nor the country, nor the brutal death tends slamisante. Alpha is their first EP, who define what level of attention should be wearing them.

18 short minutes is everything needs nethermost to return us to the middle of the 90s, especially in Sweden and England. The glory of the first Katatonia, My Dying Bride of the first, the first Paradise Lost, has never waned, and a whole armada group has been responsible for ensuring the sustainability of this doom tinged melodic death. From the beginning of "Phasing Currents", a first mantra sounds, and other then linked together, never letting the song based on a poor rhythm pattern, giving it a sophistication equivalent to that of the aforementioned groups. Brave Murder Day could count the opener in its tracklist without shame. Texans have mastered both melancholy than older designs, and bombard with almost tautological art, to leave no respite for the listener.

After the first title passed so quickly that it has no printing it lasts five minutes, starts "The Untroubled Kingdom Of Reason", which leans more melodeath side of the force, with some optimism in the lead, but a typical acoustic guitar ancestors of the previous paragraph. This difference is seen that paying attention, but it is still nice, and does not detract from the coherence of the whole. The following two pieces are the barrel doom / melodic death, in the line first. And these last two titles (already?) Are of roughly equal quality. Harmonies lead to "Tower Of The Winds" will win the approval of more skeptical, always with these sad melodies so delicious. However, the latter shows a slight drop in speed, but it is not so significant.

These first pieces already published are full of promise, and all fans of Catatonia, Paradise Lost or My Dying Bride should keep an eye on this training. In the worst case, my review of the album that will surely come a day you will remember.

Rating: 14/20

Reviewed by: Dommedag

Review from Doom-metal.com

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 01:14:58 +0100

From: Doom-metal.com

Published: August 5, 2013

Original Link

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for Texan three-piece Nethermost that place is basically 'from first principles'. Proof, if you like - to paraphrase Voltaire - that if Katatonia did not exist, it would be necessary to invent them. But, of course, the Swedes fairly successfully invented themselves, just in time to create one of the more enduring, recognisable and influential strands of the whole Death/Doom sound. Given that they swiftly moved on to spend the rest of their career embroiled in the longest online 'what-genre-are-they-now?' argument ever, though, there aren't actually all that many Katatonia albums which sound like 'Brave Murder Day'. However, there are plenty of albums by other bands which do, and joining that particular list is this debut EP 'Alpha'

It's not automatically a bad place to be: for one thing, the original owners weren't interested in staying there and left it vacant for possession; for another, it's been quite a successful launch point for bands who went on to blaze more individual trails; and for a third, it's a pretty good sound, deconstructing the building blocks of classic melodic Death/Doom to a fundamentally purist level. Where the points are scored, or lost, is not necessarily in the sheer originality of presentation (which is, these days, a near-impossibility given the ubiquity of the influence) but in the quality of execution of those principles.

As ever, Hypnotic Dirge were good enough to send us a copy of the full release CD, which has something of a traditionally gothic presentation in the crumbling-angel-and-cathedral artwork. It didn't immediately seem to relate to the publicity release description of "a tribute to nature and the four elements", to be honest, but it does point in the right sort of direction for the music contained. That is presented through a reasonably balanced and clear mix which puts a high-end dynamic punch front and centre of proceedings.

Somewhat unfortunately, that clarity also serves to highlight a certain lack of musical depth. As a trio comprising vocals and two guitars, that leaves a lot of space to fill with overdubs and programming. I'm not ideologically opposed to drum machines, but there aren't many that can carry a song like the Sisters Of Mercy's infamous Doktor Avalanche: far more struggle to reach a level much beyond a slightly artificial, utilitarian beat-keeping, as here. It's supported by a background buzz and rumble of bass, but the overall sound is very much weighted towards the lead guitar and vocals, which pretty much have to do all the heavy lifting.

On the bright side, the guitar does a good job of capturing that laconically-riffed, slightly jangling and treble-biased edge beloved of one Anders Nyström, Esq. and the growled vocals fit well with that. Both rely on developing structural changes, in similar fashion to the way Katatonia would vary rhythm and pattern rather than pitch and register. As noted above, though, there isn't quite enough depth in Nethermost's sound to completely rescue this from dipping into monotony rather than the desired atmospheric shades of grey. Opening track 'Phasing Currents' does it best, maintaining a degree of thrust and urgency thoughout: the momentum carries through to 'The Untroubled Kingdom Of Reason', but after that, it becomes rather a case of 'just more of the same'.

That's a bit of a shame, because Nethermost do seem to have a decent-enough grasp of the stylistic requirements of the genre, but haven't yet mustered enough individuality to set a personal stamp on it or enough tools to deliver a completely seamless imitation. It's really not a million miles off the latter, but the big problem with working in a classic style is that that's usually enough to fall into the trap of vaguely familiar-sounding anonymity. It is only a debut EP, though, and does have a reasonable degree of talent behind it, so perhaps the next step will be the one that really nails the target.

Reviewed by: Mike Liassides