NEMESIS (GG) - The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Metal (CD, independent, 2007)

RATING: ***

I guess everyone can be excused for not taking Guernsey into any strong consideration when looking for some heavy metal. I mean, the Channel Islands as a whole never harbored anything remotely close to a thriving rock scene (which is understandable when you consider that the whole archipelago holds little more than 170.000 people in total), and locating any items released by local bands is not exactly straightforward, if you know what I mean. In a remote location with seemingly little competition, I think it's safe to assume that Nemesis are the undisputed champions of all things metal, with a convoluted story that harks back to the second half of the 1980s and with roots even further in the past, this particular entity having pretty significant links with Vengeance, arguably the only bona fide NWOBHM manifestation to have ever come out of Guernsey - a combo that, unfortunately, doesn't seem to have released any demos to the public during their somewhat fleeting existence, but it's still fondly reminded by those who were there as a hard-working unit that promoted dozens of metal-related shows and festivals around the Channel Islands.

With vocalist/rhythm guitarist Danny Joyce as main creative force, Nemesis seems to have had two main periods of activity. Released in 1989, their "Unleash the Beast" 12'' mini-album (an independent affair, as nearly everything ever put out by the group) had a stronger connection with hard rock, whereas the elusive "Smile or Die" cassette (does anyone have it?) from 1991 seems to show the band veering towards more thrash/crossover landscapes. I also believe the line-up was different by this juncture, with guitarists Mike Helyar and Glenn Holmes (an ex-Vengeance veteran) doing the 6-string work and Joyce concentrating on his singing duties on the live environment at least. Whatever the story, the renewed sound direction of the tape was probably little more than a piece of experimentation, and the band seems to deem this particular release as unrepresentative, as none of its songs appear on the "Unleash the Beast" compilation CD issued by Cult Metal Classics in 2014 (and one I'm surely going to review in the near future).

Nemesis were laid to rest in 1993, but some well regarded comeback gigs (with both Holmes and Helyar on guitars) have reignited the fire a full decade later. Thus, 2007's "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Metal" (god, I love this title) full-length CD is something of a comeback release for the outfit, while also restablishing their reputation as a more unequivocal heavy metal proposition. For this endeavor, Joyce is accompanied by Zack Mousetrappe (G), Brin Harrison (B) and Darran James (D) - the band's original line-up from the 80s, no less - and I have to say that the effort to record and release a fully independent album was worth it in this particular case, as "The Hills are Alive" are quite an entertaining listen for the most part. The title track opens the record with a bang, showcasing some simple-but-effective riffing and a truly memorable chorus that you'll be well excused to sing along on occasion. Quite a nice way to kickstart the record, and "Nemesis Awakes" keeps the energy high, with a more syncopated main riff drive that works very well and may even invite some discreet headbanging if you're in the right frame of mind (the final section reminds me of Motörhead a little, and it's also a nice touch). The contents are definitely metal of the most traditional brand, with some much welcomed power metal thrown in for good measure, a recipe that is usually much appreciated around here.

Unfortunately, I must admit track three "Supercharged" lost me a little, and the CD as a whole would never fully recover its appeal for me afterwards. Not that the band has done nothing wrong, mind you - but this song brings forth the more hard rocking side of Nemesis, which is not exactly of my personal liking, I'm afraid. Nothing sticks out as particularly bad (though "Everyday is a Good Day (To Rock)" is so cheesy that it gets perilously close to parody), but I tend to think that tunes such as "News for the Girls" and "Kings of Rock" don't get along that well with the more hard-hitting side of the band, sometimes almost sounding like a different combo altogether - an issue that significantly hinders the overall flow of the album, if we're to be honest here. I understand that they most probably simply enjoy writing and playing songs in that vein, and that I can keep any feeble reservations to myself for all they care - and they're probably right, as I'm trying right now to purchase a copy of the CD to call my own, so what do I know? But I can't help feeling that, had they recorded a couple more aggressive-sounding songs to replace some of the more sleazy tracks here featured, the final results would be way more memorable and enjoyable.

With that said (and who knows, maybe you'll listen to the hard rocking tunes here and enjoy it all immensely), there are redeeming features aplenty in the shape of tracks such as "The Footsteps of Vengeance", "Blood Red Sun" (a more meditative tune with nice guitar work throughout) and "Kingdom of Steel", that closes proceedings with silly lyrics that could well have been inspired by He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but still quite enjoyable due to its uncompromising, don't-take-it-too-seriously vibe. In fact, most of the undeniable charm of "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Metal" comes from the not-too-pretentious energy it emanates: the production is simple and adequate, the songwriting is uncomplicated, there's nothing disruptive of though-provoking being proposed at any level. Nemesis aren't trying to teach us a lesson or to astound us with their sheer heavy metal prowess or whatever: they just happen to enjoy the whole metal thing quite a lot, and want us to join them and have fun. I honestly see no reason to refuse their invitation.

Danny Joyce (V/G), Zack Mousetrappe (G), Brin Harrison (B), Darran James (D). All songs by Joyce/Mousetrappe. All lyrics by Joyce.

01. The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Metal 3:44
02. Nemesis Awakes 3:13
03. Supercharged 3:20
04. Everyday is a Good Day (to Rock) 3:39
05. Blood Red Sun 5:20
06. News for the Girls 4:33
07. She Bitch (Q.O.D.) 3:11
08. The Footsteps of Vengeance 3:34
09. Kings of Rock 4:27
10. Kingdom of Steel 4:14

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!