Photo by Andrew Catlin
Just in time for the season of the witch, Beggars Arkive is set to release a vinyl reissue of Fields of the Nephilim’s seminal second studio album, “The Nephilim.” Originally released 35 years ago in 1988 by Situation Two/Beggars Banquet, this marks the first time the album has been pressed on vinyl since its initial release. Due out on October 20th, the reissue will be presented on golden brown vinyl and expanded to a double LP format.
Formed in 1984, Fields of the Nephilim emerged from the creative vision of vocalist and frontman Carl McCoy. Their influence reaches far beyond the goth scene, resonating within the realms of metal and electronic music. Bands such as Swans, Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Explosions In The Sky, Wolves in The Throne Room, and Behemoth have all drawn inspiration from their enduring legacy.
The recording of “The Nephilim” took place in a former Somerset courthouse, a location steeped in history, where defendants once sentenced to death were executed. This haunting backdrop set the stage for the album’s best-known track, “Moonchild.” Named after a novel by Aleister Crowley, “Moonchild” is just one of several references to Crowley’s work that can be found throughout “The Nephilim.” The band’s second album stands as a monumental achievement, not only representing their finest work but also hailed as one of the masterpieces of the UK goth scene.
The Nephilim is an hour-long journey through a surreal landscape of chiming guitars, hypnotic bass lines, and found samples. McCoy’s storytelling guides listeners through a captivating exploration that continues to resonate with several generations of fans of Gothic Rock.
The album’s reissue includes three bonus tracks, making it an even more alluring opportunity to revisit this classic album presented in a format that honors its enduring legacy.
Pre-order here.
Track Listing:
Toronto shoegaze outfit Rituals first stirred to life in 2009, a quiet experiment in Adam Seward’s small, dim room, where…
Filled with fire Come to me Suspended with so much pleasure No matter how scared we may be To live…
Be a starlight once more that guides me in the dead of night and when your fire weakens I shall…
Sarcophagus golden carcass Sarcophagus rigor mortis Drenched in cataclysm and curled in dystopian dread, Qual—William Maybelline’s fierce alter ego—seizes the…
Skin sloughed off Exposed rot Sickness spied Wet, weak eyes Lacerated soul Psychodermatology is a medical field that studies the…
Loving something you shouldn’t is like clutching a live wire—painful, charged, and impossible to release. You know it’s wrong, yet…