Though being morbidly attracted to nearly anything bizarre and even creepy, I cannot call myself a goth by any stretch of the imagination. Nor can I say that I'm a big fan of "gothic" culture. It was for this very reason that I missed out on quite a bit of good music for a long time, and the two excellent bands which are Sisters of Mercy and the truely amazing Fields of the Nephilim. It took two of my favourite bands, Behemoth and Watain, to convince me to check out their work, namely their 1990 album, Elizium.
Enjoying the same production team and a similar to sound to Pink Floyd's Momentary Lapse of Reason (an unusual, but wonderful Floyd album in its own right), Fields of the Nephilim's third album brings their atmospheric approach to rock to new heights, and I dare say to the heavens themselves. To call this "goth rock" would be a real misnomer; though there are echoey vocals and murky atmosphere's everywhere, there's more than enough light to go around. It's the equivalent of a foggy day where the sun is always just on the verge of breaking through. It really makes me yearn for the day when I can get a good turntable, nice speakers, and a free night all to myself (and possibly likeminded individuals) to properly savour this masterpiece.
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