CoC : Scheitan - Nemesis : Review

Scheitan - _Nemesis_
(Century Media, 1999)
by: Paul Schwarz (5 out of 10)

Combining a gothic feel, rasping black metal vocals and, in the guitar department, a vague death-rock leaning has never in my experience produced a record worthy of my sustained attention. Scheitan's latest is no exception. Sentenced have an exuberance and pure metal punch accompanying their gothicisms; Amorphis, My Dying Bride or Anathema have mysterious, almost chilling atmospheres. Scheitan, on the other hand, occupy an ill-furnished half-way house with no charm or character worth calling their own. They never get heavy, intense or fast enough, and they never go slow, heady or melodic enough to pull the strings of one's emotions as a record of this kind must to be worth taking time over. "Emergency" and "Forgive Me" respectively go some way towards trying to attain these powerful extremes, but Scheitan's best, if this is it, is by no means good enough to even hold my attention for 34 minutes, let alone compete with the more experienced and accomplished names in the business.

(article published 15/1/2000)