Nemo - "Eve Et Le Génie Du Mal"

Year of Release: 2004
Label: Quad
Catalog Number: Quad-08-04
Format: CD
Total Time: 20:29:00

These days it's a brave effort to release a single, especially within the domain of our beloved progressive rock. However, when this single offers a teaser for the new album as well as some unique material, all clocking in at a little over twenty minutes, then for sure it's an additional item to any prog lover's collection. After its wonderful album Présages, all of us are anxious to discover the new album Prélude À La Ruine, the latter of which is scheduled to be released on 30th October. This single opens with a track from that forthcoming album. "Eve Et Le Génie Du Mal" opens very atmospheric before growing and gaining energy as the song evolves. Imagine the best of Ange and you soon get the picture. The first surprise comes in the form of an unexpected Beatles cover. Indeed the well-known classic "Strawberry Fields Forever" offers a more international approach to the Nemo spectrum. Thumbs up for the good English pronunciation, which is not an evident task for French citizens![*] The song stays close to the original nucleus of the original, although it's played with more power than the fab 4 version, even incorporating some scatting towards the end.

The single closes with two tracks from their album Présages who are offered in exclusive guises here. First up is the English version of "L'oeil Du Cyclops" here appropriately entitled "The Cyclop's Eye." I'm certain this version will bring the band closer to international appraisal, as the French language can sometimes become a burden. From a musical perspective, however, this song is a real gem, even incorporating a nice acoustic passage between guitar and piano. Especially, the guitar reminds me of the outrageous solos Neal Morse often delivers when performing live. The closing song "Générateur' is a powerful remix of a song from the previous album. The French lyrics immediately prove how much more difficult it becomes to appreciate this track to the fullest. Even if you're not interested to know what the lyrics are about, it remains much more difficult to get into the whole picture when compared to an English version of a Nemo song. In that respect, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to release two versions of their upcoming album: one in French and one in English. Whatever they decide, from a musical point of view this is one hell of a band!

[* Note: Opinions expressed about the French are solely Bobo's, not that of Progressiveworld.net.]

Tracklisting:
Eve Et Le Génie Du Mal (4:34) / Strawberry Fields Forever (5:12) / The Cyclop's Eye (5:59) / Générateur (4:44)

Musicians:
Guillaume Fontaine - keyboards, vocals
Beno&icaret;t Caignon - bass
JB Itier - drums
JP Louveton - guitar, vocals

Discography:
Les Nouveaux Mondes (2002)
Présages (2003)
"Eve Et Le Génie Du Mal" (2004)
Prélude À La Ruine (2004)
Immersion Publique (2005)
Si Partie I (2006)
"Les Enfants Rois" (2007)
Si Partie II - L'Homme Idéal (2007)
Si Live (2009)
Barbares (2009)
La Machine À Remonter Le Temps (CD/DVD) (2010)
"Je Suis Un Objet" (digital single) (2011)
R€volu$ion (2011)
Pièces De Collection Vol. 1 (2012)
Si 1 & 2 (2012)
Le Ver Dans Le Fruit (2013)
Coma (2015)
Présages (re-recorded) (2018)
Les Nouveaux Mondes (re-recorded) (2022)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin FR

Added: October 24th 2004
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.nemo-world.com
Hits: 3936
Language: english