NFD - Limelight, Crewe, 20/6/2007

by Russell Ferguson

published: 5 / 7 / 2007

NFD is new the band of former Fields of the Nephilim members Tony Pettit and Simon Rippen. Russell Ferguson at the Limelight in Crewe wtaches them play an in impresive set, but finds tyhem occasionally relying too much on past glories

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Crewe Limelight has got to be one of the better small venues in the country, and while I am not complaining about catching NFD, one of the best bands in Britain, at a smaller venue I can’t help think that they should be playing and selling out venues of a much bigger capacity. Last year's offering from NFD, ‘Dead Pool Rising’, was one of the highlights of the year, but it seems to have passed many people by. Maybe being tagged as a Goth band has it downsides these days. NFD stumble on stage to the backdrop of 'Omen' a rumbling instrumental with talking haunting voices and which sounds like something you would expect to hear in a modern horror film rather than a live show. As soon as 'Omen' lies down they push up the volume with 'Light My Way'. a song full of energy and fire. They keep up the pace with songs like 'Stronger', 'Descent', 'Caged', and 'Darkness Falls', and they throw in a couple of new offerings, 'When The Sun Dies' and 'One Moment', as well. The band play tightly with ease and finesse. Bob White’s vocals are deep and almost have a gravel like quality at times. His voice has got bigger and broader since the last time I saw them a year ago at the Leeds Woolstock Weekend. It’s no secret that the rhythm section of NFD, bassist Tony Pettit and drummer Simon Rippin, were formerly in the Fields Of The Nephilim. In fact all the band members have at one time or another been part of or associated with Fields Of The Nephilim, to many the last good Goth band. While I was never a Nephilim fan I did enjoy their early material but as they released more albums they got slower and slower and for me just plain boring. Their last couple of albums bordered on Prog Rock. NFD seem to combine all the elements that the Nephilim didn't. They are full of life and energy and have songs that have a tempo, rhythm, melody and a beat. They want to grab you and shake you about and surprise you that age has not mellowed them to any degree. These guys rock and want you to join them. NFD's encore comprises of three Fields Of The Nephilim songs, 'Psychonaut', 'Preacher Man' and the eternal 'Moonchild', which to me is unnecessary as NFD's own songs are in many ways superior to the Nephilim's material. If they continue to play these songs to please audiences then they will forever be associated with Goth and all the baggage that goes with it. Not playing older songs isn't denial. It’s just moving forward and with two good albums under their belts it’s time for NFD to let the ghosts of the past sleep in the shadows where they belong.