17.4.2013
Nauzea – Modern Day Plague
Less than a couple of years old NAUZEA has released their debut album at their own expense and it is no wonder because the commercial potential of the album is pretty well hidden but it does not mean that the album is bad in a musical sense. Skillful playing and to put it mildly ambitious compositions have ended on the disc and the complexity of the songs is the topmost problem.
NAUZEA seems to be adventuring between power, progressive and melodic metal seemingly aimlessly.
They could try focusing on one instead of all of them and from what one can hear from the album technique is not a limiting factor for these guys. The drummers playing is accurate and the guitarists clearly bring their own perspective to the mix. Nice melodies have a shy feel to them and main focus is on the riffs. The singers voice is not aligned with the music and it seems a tad careless. It does not have the right feel to it to be called singing and it could use more power so that the screaming would be convincing.
On the other hand screaming or growling would not work with the music so the fuzzy vocals breathe life to the songs that they would lack otherwise.
Classifying the band is only a problem when you are reviewing them and even though the band has clearly got a direction of their own it would do them no harm and increase their chance of success to clarify their style to a certain genre.
A producer with powerful vision would serve the band well and let’s hope that things roll into the direction budget wise that it becomes possible for the band.
Overall score : 7 / 10
Review by : Ismo Karo / Imperiumi / 17.4.2013
Direct link: http://www.imperiumi.net/index.php?act=albums&id=14100
24.2.2013
Nauzea – Modern Day Plague
“The album is good, the songs are catchy and the feelings are there…” promises Helsinki based Nauzea about their debut “Modern Day Plague”. Quite quickly the band has released their first album as the band has been together since August 2011.
After a short intro the songs “Where The Brave May Live Forever” and “Modern Day Plague” immediately brings to mind the likes of Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium and I have to admit…the songs are catchy and the guitar solos show the band’s sense of melody.
The calmer song “All That’s Inside Of Me” is also successful composition wise but it’s the first song that reveals Nauzeas biggest weakness. Jon Ashes vocal abilities are in fact pretty much mediocre. He handles the most vocals of the album fairly decently but given the players skillful playing the listener would like to hear the vocals reaching to the same level. Listening to the disc gives the feeling that if they would have a better singer the listener would be blown away.
“Modern Day Plague” is a quite intact and a functional album and a nearly perfect debut from a band that is only a couple of years old.
The musicians dominate their instruments and their song writing abilities are good. Some minor things like the vocalist voice needs a workout and a few compositional parts need small fine-tuning but the basics of the band are at a very good level and with that little fine-tuning one could predict greater commercial success for the band.
Overall score : 7 ½ / 10
Review by : Toni Lehtonen / Kaaoszine.fi / 24.2.2013
Direct link: http://kaaoszine.fi/nauzea-modern-day-plague/
13.4.2012
Nauzea – On The Rocks / 13.4.2012
When you think that Nauzea performs for the first time and they want a report to be written, the show is on a Thursday and the audience is missing so as a critic unfortunately I must take a skeptical attitude to what the future holds. Gigs and performing are interaction between the performer and the audience and if the latter is missing it will affect what happens on the stage.
For these reasons it is refreshing to see a band like Nauzea making an exception to the rule by taking the stage beginning to dismantle their rage whether the size of the audience is 20 or 200.
Nauzea has stage presence and energy even to share it with other bands that are unable to accomplish it for themselves and the set stays together nicely. Influences can be heard from Metallica and Machine Head but no direct example comes to mind.
Less known bands often have the problem that their stage-show remains very flat and to the viewer’s eye it seems that the band is performing mainly for themselves either staring at the ceiling, floor or their instruments.
Delightfully Nauzea sidesteps this mine too and the audience is approached between and during the songs.
The bands guitarist Yang excels particularly well and receives a feather in his cap for his performing skills. The band seems to take itself seriously and why shouldn’t they. The music sounds great and works well live.
Review by : Jarta Ikonen / 12.4.2012
Direct link : http://kaaoszine.fi/nauzea-antagonist-rocks-12-4-2012/
13.2.2012
KAAOSZINE.FI has reviewed our newest demo.
Nauzea – Demo II
Nauzeas previous demo was a good example of how to make a debut demo. The band did not sink into hibernation but quickly released a new demo that is now being reviewed. Influences from the 80´s style of heavy metal are distinguishable and the bands influences remain clear. The melodic guitars stay on the surface and the riffs a have a good relaxed feel to them. The singers handsome and snotty voice is very powerful and it gives a real edge to the songs. The production is again high quality and the members know how to handle their instruments.
“Demo II” contains two songs. The fast and cranky “Cause of all Distress” and the peaceful “My End”.
Nauzea has intentionally chosen songs for the new demo that represent the extremes of each other which is a bold move. Extreme is a good word to describe this because it is difficult to recognize that both songs are played by the same band. Fortunately a number of familiar elements are repeated so they narrow the “gap” between the songs as you listen more to the them.
“Cause of all Distress” is the bands best song to date and it also has hit potential.
The song starts very sharply and scorches through with a good pace and when a good solo plus a catchy chorus are added the package is very tight.
“My End” is a traditional peaceful song that is hard to get a grip on. Guitar parts are once again excellent and the acoustic guitar adds depth to the song but the vocals lack the final sensation.
If Nauzea would have combined their first demo with this one they would have gotten a really tight package assembled. I still think that the best way to experience the band is to catch them live.
“Demo II” is not inferior to the previous one, but it´s not superior either.
Overall score : 7 / 10
Review by : Janne Partanen / Kaaoszine.fi / 13.2.2012
Direct link : http://kaaoszine.fi/nauzea-demo-2/
7.1.2012
Music magazine SOUNDI has reviewed our first demo.
Nauzea – Demo
Nauzea was established early in 2011 but the band has plenty of experience and know-how as well as vision. The bands music hits hard without forgetting melodic guitar lines and the package stays tightly together as they serve a portion of hard hitting metal. The band excels particulary well in rhythm playing although some very small improvement is needed when it comes to accuracy. The singers voice has manly strength but the sound suffers a little due to over-enthusiasm. The band tries out with clean vocals as well but the efficacy remains very flat.
However Nauzeas general appearance is really empowering and the band succeeds to load their demo with tangible feeling. Althoug Nauzea does not hit the bullseye yet the target is set and the guns are loaded.
Review by : Marko Säynekoski / Soundi / December 2011
Direct link : http://www.soundi.fi/node/13618
5.1.2012
A new review of our first demo has been released by METALLIMUSIIKKI.NET
Nauzea – Demo
“Social Parasite” begins fast and has a good vibe. The style is very melodic. Mixing is somewhat stuffy-sounding but on the other hand for example vocals are mixed to the surface very distinguishable. Also the guitars stand out well and the solos are comfortable and straight forward. Arrangements are made with skill.
“Reckoning Day” is also a good song. Both songs have a nice amount of variation so that you do not get bored. I think the band mixes melodies and heavy punches in a good proportion and as with “Social Parasite” once again the guitar solos are delightful “old school” stuff in “Reckoning Day” even though the music itself is modern.
I think this is a fine piece of work from a group as young as Nauzea. I will look forward hearing new material when it´s released.
To sum it up.The music works well and the players know what they are doing so what´s there to criticize?
Overall score : 4 / 5
Review by : Jouni Kautto / Metallimusiikki.net / 4.1.2012
Direct link : http://www.metallimusiikki.net/demo/nauzea-demo
4.11.2011
The finnish site for headbangers KAAOSZINE.FI has released a review of our first demo.
Nauzea – Demo
80´s style Nauzea shoves a bone in the throat of critics with their new demo. In the footsteps of Motörhead, Metallica and the Peer Günt the band offers low crunches and hard punches from every direction.
The band focuses on the basics but in their own style. Nauzea that was assembled early this year shows that traditions should be respected but they do not have to be blindly worshipped. The guitar highlighted songs hammer through and the vocalists voice can be described only with the word “crunchy” and I think that he is a friend of whiskey. Production is generally very high quality and especially its rough guitar sound which fits the bands music extremely well.
The “Demo” contains two songs that are very similar so of course I would have liked a third track that would have been slightly different. The songs are over to fast and the good feeling always ends at the 8 minute mark. Nauzeas weakness can also be calculated by the fact that if you do not like the 80′s style heavy metal it is unlikely you like this either.
Nauzeas “Demo” is an interesting game opener from a band that has the potential to achieve anything. The bands hard hitting music works well live I am willing to bet so I recommend if you´re living in Helsinki to check out the bands live condition.
Overall score : 7 / 10
Review by : Janne Partanen / Kaaoszine.fi / 3.11.2011
Direct link : http://kaaoszine.fi/nauzea-demo/