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\u201cAMG\u2019s Unsigned Band Rode\u00f6\u201d is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground\u2014the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rode\u00f6 rides on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oranjeboom, a low-frills lager, holds little love in its home country of the Netherlands, so much so that its production there was discontinued until only recently. Why does that matter? It really doesn\u2019t, but it is a fun fact about the Netherlands and a beer synonymous with their lineage. Nephylim<\/strong> hails from the Netherlands too, and, with any luck, their brand of big scope, big sad melodeath will stake a claim that lands with bolder flavor. Over the past ten years, this five-some has cut an EP and a full-length through their own determination. And now, with this sophomore follow-up Circuition, Nephylim<\/strong> may just be hitting their stride. Or, at least, our Rode\u00f6 crew seems to think so. Crack open a cold one and sip on riffy sadness. \u2013 Dolphin Whisperer<\/strong><\/p>\n Nephylim<\/a> \/\/ Circuition<\/a> [March 7th, 2025]<\/p>\n Steel Druhm<\/strong>: Sometimes when you press play on a Rode\u00f6 candidate, you wonder why they aren\u2019t signed because they sound so polished and professional. Such is the case with Dutch melodeathsters, Nephylim<\/strong>, and their sophomore opus, Circuition. Taking cues from Ominium Gatherum<\/strong>, Be\u2019Lakor<\/strong>, Enshine<\/strong>, and the more progressive works of Edge of Sanity<\/strong>, Nephylim<\/strong> voyage across various styles of melodeath but always keep things anchored firmly in the Wheelhouse of Steel<\/strong>. After a beautifully regal instrumental opener, Circuition heats up on \u201cTravail Pt. 2 \u2013 Animus,\u201d which is like a glowing distillation of Wolfheart <\/strong>and Be\u2019lakor<\/strong> with a seriously epic vibe coursing through it. The guitars riff, trill, and shimmer with a Tuomos Saukkonen-esque flair as grand orchestrations amplify the sound to herculean proportions. It\u2019s the beast of death metal with the beauty of melancholic music, and this style has a proven appeal. I love the majesty of \u201cGrand Denial\u201d and the hints of Dark Tranquillity<\/strong> woven throughout, and the title track bears traces of Dan Swan\u00f6\u2019s Moontower<\/strong> and Tomi Joutsen-era Amorphis<\/b> as it seamlessly melds heavy and sadboi moments. Unfortunately, not every cut hits with the same soul-searing slash of wintery pathos. \u201cAmaranth\u201d is a bit too generic and pedestrian, and though \u201cWithered\u201d does some things very well, the writing is a touch less compelling. Elsewhere, closer \u201cInner Paradigm\u201d feels like something from the later eras of In Flames<\/strong>, not bad, but less impactful. At thirty-eight minutes, there are bits of bloat scattered around, but nothing that\u2019s fatal if swallowed. There\u2019s a lot to like about Circuition, and I\u2019m left still wondering why Nephylim<\/strong> aren\u2019t signed. With this much potential, they should be! 3.0\/5.0<\/strong><\/p>\n Circuition by Nephylim<\/a><\/p>\n GardensTale:<\/strong> From two live shows, I already knew Nephylim<\/strong> were good. I could not have anticipated what a masterclass Circuition would turn out to be, though. Combining the maudlin symphonic details of Fires in the Distance<\/strong> with the melancholy hope and impeccable composition of Countless Skies<\/strong> is no easy feat, but the songwriting has taken a giant leap forward. Circuition is absolutely packed with beautiful melodies, addictive hooks and enticing cascades. The flow is downright brilliant, such that even after a dozen spins, I find myself glued to the speaker in anticipation of the next stanza, the next riff, the next solo. These are linked together with transitions that are set up and knocked down perfectly, helping every track rush past in spiraling eddies like white water rapids after heavy rain. \u201cCircuition\u201d yanks the heart-strings the hardest; follow-up \u201cWithered\u201d has a more basic structure, but the amazing harmonies and powerful solo make it a standout anyway. Cherry on the cake is the top-shelf production, with meticulous mastering and a balanced mix. The sparse clean vocals aren\u2019t great, just okay, and a few tracks end a little more abruptly than I\u2019d like, but these are small bumps on an engaging journey that begs to be spun again and again. 4.0\/5.0<\/strong><\/p>\n Kenstrosity<\/strong>: Dutch sadboi melodeath quintet Nephylim<\/strong> graced my Bandcamp feed a few months back. I was intrigued, but did not bite. At least, not until our Kermity GardensTale<\/strong> recced it for Rode\u00f6 duty, at which point I dove straight in. Embodying a wondrous merging between Countless Skies<\/strong><\/a>, Fires in the Distance<\/strong><\/a>, and a light touch of The Drowning<\/strong><\/a>, sophomore effort Circuition garnered instant adoration from this sponge. A rarer feat, Nephylim<\/strong>\u2019s latest only deepened its hold on my heart, as the opening \u201cTravail\u201d suite enamored with epic soars of melody, crushing riffs that ground the piece in deathly gravity, and emotive roars that shake the roots underfoot. \u201cAmaranth\u201d doubles down on that palpable momentum, bringing forward a fun factor that belies Circuition\u2019s introspective character. Beautiful synths and keys dot the landscape just above that metallic verve and swinging rhythm, evoking something inherently mystical while still operating within the bounds of the human spirit (\u201cCircuition\u201d). As the potent pull of songs like \u201cGrand Denial,\u201d \u201cWithered,\u201d and immense closer \u201cInner Paradigm\u201d continually challenge my perception of what constitutes a highlight, I find myself universally immersed, committed, and compelled by Circuition. Experiencing this, as much as I pine for new material from those great acts that Nephylim<\/strong> remind me of, I know in my soul that Circuition is one of 2025\u2019s foremost contenders. Great!<\/strong><\/p>\n Maddog<\/strong>: When Fenrir finally closes the curtain on 2025, Nephylim<\/strong>\u2019s Circuition will be one of my few fond memories of this disastrous year. This hidden melodeath gem triumphs by embracing simplicity without stagnation. No one would argue that Nephylim<\/strong>\u2019s guitarists stretch the limits of human dexterity. And yet, as Circuition buried my ears in riffs upon riffs, it dragged me into its orbit. Blending the classic stylings of Dark Tranquillity<\/strong> with the modern touch of \u00c6ther Realm<\/strong>, Nephylim<\/strong> won me over through its irresistible energy. While I initially fell in love with merely a couple of its songs, Circuition\u2019s consistency unveiled itself over time. Indeed, while the closer \u201cInner Paradigm\u201d was initially my least favorite song, its Shadows of the Dying Sun riffs and its somber ending have made it a highlight. Despite its consistency, Circuition\u2019s mood changes keep it fresh. The fantastic midsection of the album progresses from gargantuan riffs (\u201cGrand Denial\u201d) to tear-jerking Enshine<\/strong> melodies (\u201cCircuition\u201d) to explosive choruses (\u201cWithered\u201d). Circuition is textbook, but it\u2019s both a thrilling spectacle and an emotive powerhouse. Every piece is essential, and every piece is distinctive. 4.0\/5.0<\/strong><\/p>\n Killjoy: <\/strong>The term \u201cNephilim\u201d in the Hebrew Bible is often translated as \u201cgiants\u201d in English. Accordingly, melodic death metal band Nephylim<\/strong> does everything big. Riffs? Big. Rumbling death roars? Big. Thunderous rhythm section? Big. Circuition feels like a highlight reel of the serious and somber side of melodeath, with each individual song bringing something unique to the table. \u201cTravail Pt. II \u2013 Animus\u201d embellishes the somber intensity of Insomnium<\/strong> with delicate piano keys reminiscent of Fires in the Distance<\/strong> and heaps of symphonic bombast. The suspenseful drum beats which introduce \u201cAmaranth\u201d organically build excitement by layering on bass and then guitar lines before releasing the pent-up energy with a furious snarl and fiery riffs. But there\u2019s also a tender side to Nephylim<\/strong>; \u201cCircuition\u201d adopts a melancholic and folk-tinted mood laced with deep, beautiful croons, all of which I associate with Vorna<\/strong>. Circuition is considerably more ambitious than Nephylim<\/strong>\u2019s debut, but they never let their ambitions spiral out of control. If anything, I\u2019d like to see them continue to develop their symphonic side that they teased in the first two tracks. Although I find the last third of the record ever so slightly less engaging, I can endorse all thirty-eight minutes of Circuition as worthy of your time. 3.5\/5.0<\/strong><\/p>\n \ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff<\/p>\n \n\tGive in to Your Anger:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cAMG\u2019s Unsigned Band Rode\u00f6\u201d is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground\u2014the unsigned and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7107,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3936],"tags":[743,4244,4245,4246,4247,4248,4249,4250,4251,4252,4253,77,4254,4255,4256,4257,4258,4259,4260,269,4261,4262,4263,4264,4265,16,15,4266],"class_list":{"0":"post-7106","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-743","9":"tag-angry-metal-guys-unsigned-band-rodeo","10":"tag-angry-metal-guys-unsigned-band-rodeo-2025","11":"tag-aether-realm","12":"tag-belakor","13":"tag-circuition","14":"tag-countless-skies","15":"tag-dark-tranquillity","16":"tag-dutch-metal","17":"tag-edge-of-sanity","18":"tag-enshine","19":"tag-entertainment","20":"tag-fires-in-the-distance","21":"tag-in-flames","22":"tag-independent-release","23":"tag-insomnium","24":"tag-mar25","25":"tag-melodic-death-metal","26":"tag-moontower","27":"tag-music","28":"tag-nephylim","29":"tag-omnium-gatherum","30":"tag-progressive-death-metal","31":"tag-self-release","32":"tag-the-drowning","33":"tag-uk","34":"tag-united-kingdom","35":"tag-wolfheart"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114312378724216811","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7106"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7106\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Nephylim-Circuition-01-500x500.jpg\")
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