BIOGRAPHY
Neblina is one of the rare metal bands from Angola that has been around in the capital Luanda since 2000. Started in 2000 with Mauro Neb and Michel Fio after returning from their studies abroad (Namibia and South Africa) as a hobby project but grew as their were taking it more seriously with the past years. Many band member passed by the band until the last formation with the entrance of Thiago Andrade on the drums and Cesa Oicani on the bass.
Unfortunately for personal reasons Michel Fio had to leave the band during the studio recordings but the band kept moving forward. The band went through many line-up changes but finally managed to release its first record.
Innocence Falls In Decay is the first album released by Neblina, an Angolan rock band. It was released on the 28th January 2006 in Luanda, Angola at the Rádio Nacional de Angola studios. The album was mastered in Portugal and produced in Angola.
They played before that in local bars, clubs, discos, private parties, festivals and even in at African tour for the American Metal band called “Conquest For Death” in Namibia Metal Fest and in couple of cities in Germany during the 2006 World Cup.
Musically, the band is influenced by many alternative rock and metal acts of the nineties. Most of the songs on here are sung in English, are rather short and focus on catchy and emotional lyrics. The tracks are all hold in a mid tempo or even slower. The record includes a couple of very well done half-ballads as well. The atmospheric "Set Me Free" is one of these. The song uses sound samples of rain and thunder and includes simplistic and appeasing keyboard sounds. The track starts with simple guitar riffs and drum patterns, a relaxing but very well done bass guitar work and smooth vocals that get more and more intense towards the end. This might not please to metal purists but the song definitely has its very own chilling atmosphere and really grew on me.
Tracks like "Alone" and "Mysterious Sky" sound more grunge influenced and are a little bit darker. The multiple vocals, the chaotic but melodic guitar work and the use of almost gothic influenced piano samples show the multitude of influences and the high degree of diversity of this band. This kind of music also needs some time to grow and you end up getting it or not. "Alphaland" and "Holy Angels" are even more sinister and feature solid guitar works, a little bit heavier vocals and very dominating keyboard sounds. They have this little alternative gothic touch that could come straight from an American band of the nineties.
In the end, this album is worth your attention if you like atmospheric and melodic alternative and gothic rock music from the mid-nineties up to the new millennium. Fans of rock and metal music from exotic countries can't get around this as well as there is only one other known rock band from Angola which is the metalcore act Before Crush, formerly known as Nightmare Today. The songs on here all have some soul and are very emotionally performed but also include a slightly commercial touch. It's the kind of appeasing music that one needs to listen to from time to time to take a deep breath and a relaxing break from your everyday life. It really depends on your mood whether you enjoy this kind of music or not. From an objective point of view, this pioneer rock band from Angola delivers nothing really new but they are good at what they do and spread this kind of music in their metal developing country. From a subjective point of view, I appreciate this kind of music but couldn't listen to this all day long. I hope the band carries on and I'm curious to hear what their new album might sound like and if there is some form of evolution between the two releases. (Originally written for The Metal Observer)
A second album of the band is in the works and should see the light of day during the next years. After several years recording their latest work, the album it's done and almost ready to go. Entitled "Feedback" it has 14 tracks within the sub-genres of the Rock scene.
It was expected to be available by the end of 2013. Until now the band have released some tracks, but the new album have not a official release date yet.
Formed in: 2000
Status: Active
Years active: 2000-Present
LINE UP
Mauro Neb: Vocals & Guitars
Afrikanus: Bass and Back Vocals
Thiago Andrade - Drums and Back Vocals
Country of origin: Angola
Location: Luanda (Province)
Genre: Heavy Metal
Current label: Unsigned/Independent
Press Contact: +244 939339449
Agent: Idalino Pinto Leite
Official Website: http://neblinametal.blogspot.com
Fecebook: http://www.facebook.com/neblinarockband
Myspace: http://myspace.com/neblinarockband
Last FM: http://www.last.fm/music/Neblina
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/mauroneb
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NEBLINABAND
Neblina - Innocence Falls In Decay (Full-Length Album - 2006)
