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Reviews

Cairo — Nemesis
(Spirit of Unicorn SOUMCD099, 2023, CD)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-07-30

Nemesis Cover art

Over on Discogs.com, this band is Cairo (19), namely the 19th artist called Cairo to be added to the site. In my own collection, they’re the second Cairo, after the American band that put out several albums on Magna Carta back in the 90s. Common name aside, this Cairo released its first album in 2016, and now Nemesis is their second. Being unfamiliar with the first, I can’t offer any comparisons, but this is a solid effort in the style I think of as modern symphonic prog, with the subcategory of female vocals. You’ll hear tons of lush keyboards, guitars that occasionally have a tinge of metal, and a solid rhythm section with super-tight drumming. Rachel Hill’s voice carries the melodies with power and style, though she does not dominate the overall sound. The band’s range can be illustrated by tracks 2 and 3, both of which were released as singles. “Tripwire” is a mini-epic with leanings toward symphonic metal, though with a very accessible sound, and Hill displays some edge in her voice; “Glow” is a gentle melodic ballad with pretty vocals and a dramatic ending. To my ear, they’re very much in the same stream as other current British bands like those featuring Clive Nolan (or The Paradox Twin). As such, the music is very friendly to the ear and relies on soaring melodies that wouldn’t be out of place in a Broadway musical with rock leanings. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but listeners looking for a little edge to their prog won’t find it here. The bottom line is that it’s a bit tame for my taste, but well crafted and worthy of attention from those who enjoy the style.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Cairo

 

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