PRÉLUDE À LA RUINE

After previously releasing two very good and promising albums, on Prelude A La Ruine Nemo really hit their stride and made one of the best albums of their career so far. The same musical elements are present, the blend of heavy rock/metal, symphonic prog and jazz but Prelude a La Ruine tops them by having stronger hooks and melodies.

As usual Nemo excel on some fine instrumental work where the versatile rhythm section underpins some excellent guitar and keyboard work perfectly captured on the totally instrumental 1914. Jean Pierre Louveton's searing and powerful guitar work in particular places Nemo as a prog band for today, not reliving the glory days of the seventies. Nemo manage to take the aforementioned influences and blend them in such a way as to make them one of the more original and inventive bands playing in the current prog scene. They also manage to inject a bit of funk into the proceedings on the catchy Cluster 84.

It's also worth mentioning that regarding the vocals they choose to sing in their native French and while Louverton's singing, who supplies the lead is not one of the bands greater strengths he handles them well enough.

Although it's a strong album throughout the band hit a high on closing track Le Monde à L'envers. The longest piece at fifteen minutes. It's a slow burner building from the restrained vocal led first part and moving into a frantic instrumental break before a solitary organ leads in some crashing power chords to close.

Anyone setting out on the road to discover Nemo will find this an excellent place to start. Perhaps the only better choice would be their most recent 2009 album Barbares. Highly recommended.