For those of you who cannot be bothered to read the whole review, it is definitely worth a listen!
Nero's début album 'Welcome Reality' has a dark undertone whilst also keeping fresh and true to their roots. Daniel Stephens and Joe Ray who make up Nero have been working on this album for the past 12 months. Some of the tracks have been circulating round the internet since pre-production so some of the songs were known to me, which was somewhat disappointing as I expected a brand new album, not a brand new half album.
The album is very climatic, without actually climaxing! It starts off well, with 'Doomsday' an aptly named banger pushes dubstep to the edge. Climbing higher, 'Fugue State', 'My Eyes' and 'In The Way' are truly great songs with some quite original sounds produced there. It seems as Nero are trying to show that they are a 'Jack-of-all-trades' as it were.
Honestly it delivered what I expected from Nero, but the album did not over satisfy. It could be said its a concept album without any particular concept. Nero seems to be showcasing their numerous talents in the electronic music field, elements of trance, dubstep, drum and bass, garage and some aspects of rock are embedded throughout. It is more mainstream than I expected it to be in places but I suppose that was the aim, to break into the charts and become more known.
'Me and You', 'Innocence', 'Guilt' and 'Promises', all seem to have the same over-synthesied woman, Alana, in them, but musical cinematic bring it back from the same old wailing we have all heard in electronic music and brings something fresh into the scene. As a lover of dance music (and I listened to it as I painted my landing with my fellow dance music loving family) 'Welcome Reality' is certainly a good dance album but it is certainly no 'Always Outnumbered, Never Out-gunned' (by Prodigy, if you were unaware!).
The highs on the album excluding the singles include 'Promises', 'Doomsday' and 'Departure', which is arguably Nero's greatest song ever. The lows aren't too low but just seem too much like album filler, but overall the album works and is actually funny in places.
Out of 10, I'd give it a 7. Those of you who are going to Leeds/ Reading festival next weekend be aware that Nero will be there and perhaps the songs will be better live than on my mediocre stereo system here at home!
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Honestly it delivered what I expected from Nero, but the album did not over satisfy. It could be said its a concept album without any particular concept. Nero seems to be showcasing their numerous talents in the electronic music field, elements of trance, dubstep, drum and bass, garage and some aspects of rock are embedded throughout. It is more mainstream than I expected it to be in places but I suppose that was the aim, to break into the charts and become more known. 
