Band: Emergency Gate
Title: The Nemesis Construct
Label: Twilight Zone Records
Distribution: Bertus
Release date: April 30th 2010
Review: CD

Shortly after Emergency Gate were formed, the band members were able to record and release their debut, called Nightly Ray, together with Pop / Rock-producer Spike Streefkerk, known from e.g. Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge and Def Leppard. After a first tour with Mercenary, and after they teamed up with new vocalist Matthias Kupka (ex-Suidakra), they recorded the second album, Rewake, and they went on tour again throughout Europe (with e.g. Kreator).
Next step was the signing to Twilight Zone Records, shortly after followed by entering the Dreamscape Studio at the end of 2009 for the recording of the third Metal registration, The Nemesis Construct.

The Nemesis Construct brings a modern form of melodic and up-tempo Death Metal in the vein of the former albums. The tracks are melodious and come with a clean sound and the necessary differentiation between these songs. The Nemesis Construct isn’t the most brutal album ever – on the contrary – but it comes with a very energetic drive and rhythms that make you bang your head spontaneously, at least most of the time.
Not every song convinces, but a few more integer parts, and some heavier pieces are certainly worth listening to. Especially some technical guitar riffs, the vocal performance and the fine supporting rhythm section have some highlights.
The band also makes use of some slightly progressive influences, as well as electronic elements, and they try to find the ideal balance between harsh and emotional parts in (almost) each song.
However, even though the band do not just copy any other well-known formation shamelessly, the whole sounds very predictable, rather easy-listening and lacking of an own face.

For the interested ones: the cover drawing for this album was done by Raf W. (Iron Maiden, Soulfly, Slayer, Metallica etc), and the album comes with guest vocals by Evergrey / Ex Cathedra’s Tom Englund (did guest vocals for bands as Dragonland, Nightrage, Ayreon and Neverland before).

70/100

Ivan Tibos.