After the five modern hard rock rebels NEREIS have already taken us on two slightly prog-infused philosophical journeys into the fascinating vastness of space, the third and final album single, released ahead of the highly anticipated new album “AZURE,” represents a small but successful break with this concept. With the wonderfully filmed, narrative music video for the single “Take Control,” which is also available digitally, NEREIS show their earthly side, which suits them just as well: grounded, honest, and soulful.
Opened by a brief atmospheric intro, the song kicks in with a rich drum and bass foundation that gives the pulsating yet pleasantly playful groove a real boost of energy and a great deal of perceived mass, before soon receding slightly into the background to create acoustic space for the verse and Andrea’s laid-back yet haunting vocals.
And this is where the incredibly versatile singer really shines, because in spite of the straightforward power of its instrumentalization, the track allows him to breathe perfectly and create a fascinating interplay between sonorously vibing verses and a wonderfully contrasting chorus. Vocally, the resulting stadium potential actually reminds one a little of Andrea’s admiration for Joey Tempest (Europe) and his achievements, without sounding like a copy: “Take Control” – quite literally!
The accompanying music video, wonderfully filmed by Maurizio Del Piccolo (@Moviedel Italia Production) and staged with breathtaking images and great sensitivity, completes the package and once again focuses on the frontman, who embodies the overcoming of a fundamental inner conflict in a very immediate and convincing way. Andrea encapsulates the core theme of “Take Control” as follows: “Over-rationalizing makes us lose touch with our nature, the surrounding world, and our instincts. Often, we struggle to complete a task or overcome a challenge because we overthink. It’s better to rely on what we have learned and internalized, letting go and allowing our instincts to guide our actions, so that our abilities can manifest in the most natural way possible, resonating together with the universe, of which we are an integral part.”
Listen to “Take Control” from NOV 14 on the platform of your choice: https://orcd.co/nereistakecontrol
Video filmed by Maurizio Del Piccolo (@Moviedel Italia Production)
As is always the case with NEREIS, the song conveys a humanistic message that intensively addresses a serious problem of human sentiment and behavior. While it can be quite emotionally powerful, it ends on a positive note that leaves you feeling so good after the crisp three-minute journey that your gaze almost automatically wanders toward the replay button. And why not? Just take control of the good stuff in life!
The new album “Azure” will be released on November 21 and can be pre-saved on the platform of your choice:
Pre-save “AZURE”: https://orcd.co/nereisazure2
Album produced by Davide Dalpiaz
Mixed by Fabio de Pretis & Mauro Iseppi at Blue Noise Recording Studio
Mastered by Mauro Andreolli at das Ende der Dinge
About NEREIS and the new album “AZURE”
Founded in 2007 under the name Black Star in Trento, Italy, NEREIS initially started out as a cover act, touring Italian pubs with hits by greats such as Helloween, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Skid Row, Judas Priest, and Alter Bridge until they had enough original material to release their demo “Burnin’ Game” in 2012, followed by the EP “From the Ashes” (2014).
During this time, the band played dozens of shows, e.g. with Chris Slade (ex-AC/DC), Riot V, Royal Hunt, and Arthemis, performed at festivals such as Sun Valley Metal Fest and Rock im Ring, and finally released their successful album “Turning Point” on Eclipse Records in 2018, for the first time under the new name NEREIS. The album was so well received that NEREIS subsequently toured extensively with Three Days Grace and Bullet For My Valentine.
Meanwhile, the band moved from their original guitar-dominated sound towards a concept in which the boundaries between the instrumental layers blur: Sometimes the guitar follows the vocals, sometimes the vocals follow the guitars. Synth inserts form a meta-level that holds everything together atmospherically and makes the music seem like a soundtrack at times, without ever falling into the trap of sounding like a canned orchestra.
In a sense, the synths do not play a primarily decorative role here, but one that can best be compared to that of a mediator. Together with the powerful foundation of bass and drums, they mediate between the guitar riffs and the vocals, which are thus able to maintain a state of perfect duality. To this day, bands such as Alter Bridge, Muse, Audioslave, Shinedown, and Europe are among the major influences of the quintet, which, after several lineup changes, consists of Andrea Barchiesi (lead vocals), Mattia Pessina (guitar), Samuel Fabrello (guitar), Michele Gelmi (bass), and Davide Odorizzi (drums).
Lead singer Andrea in particular stands out with his vocal range and professes Joey Tempest (Europe) as his vocal role model – even the water bottle Andrea uses to keep fit during shows belonged to Joey Tempest until a Europe show in 2004, when Andrea caught it after it was thrown into the audience. He has held it in honor ever since. What the singer, who was also active in a Europe cover band he had founded at the time, could not have imagined yet: 20 years later, in September 2024, NEREIS were even able to open a Europe show at the Trentino Music Arena themselves, after being personally selected by their Swedish idols from the participants in the TMA Contest.
With this stable and tour-experienced lineup, the new album is now on the horizon and set for release on NOV 21. It’s named “AZURE,” and NEREIS fans will probably simply remember it as The Blue Album in the band’s distant – and hopefully bright – future.
“AZURE” is all about the cosmos as a calming constant in all life. Again and again, the gaze is directed from outside toward Earth and its narrow, seemingly ephemeral blue ribbon that protects us and allows us to breathe. In the music itself, it is often possible to sense where the inspiration for “AZURE” originated: from the pioneers whom we can only propel away from the planet’s surface with extreme force, freeing them from the clutches of gravity for a brief moment so that they can grant us this view of ourselves in the grand scheme of things.
NEREIS are:
Andrea Barchiesi – lead vocals
Mattia Pessina – guitar
Samuel Fabrello – guitar
Michele Gelmi – bass
Davide Odorizzi – drums
NEREIS online:
https://www.nereisofficial.com
https://www.facebook.com/nereisofficial
https://www.instagram.com/nereisofficial
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChAFfq_WspGXMkaaR3qMIAw
Click image to watch the video
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