The band's name refers to magnetic fields and the biblical Nephilim race. Their sound was innovative in the gothic scene, incorporating heavy metal elements to make a hard, bass and guitar driven sound underneath McCoy's growled vocals. Lyrically, they incorporated mystical themes, especially relating to Sumerian Mythology, Hebrew Mysticism, and Aleister Crowley.
Their debut release the "Burning the fields EP" was released in 1985 showing the raw power and melody that began to earn them a big underground following. They signed to Beggars Banquet in 1986 to release "Power" and "Preacher Man". Both singles were alternative rock hits, and "Dawnrazor", their debut album did similarly well. "Dawnrazor" was a powerful, albeit standard gothic rock collection of modern horror-film themed songs, standout songs were "Dust" (a live favourite), "Vet for the Insane" a quieter melodic showcase for Yates' guitar and McCoy's gruff, dramatic vocals, and the powerful ten minute title-track.
The single "Blue Water" was subsequently released reaching the main UK charts for the first time, and making a big impact on the Independent chart listings for their label Situation Two. The following year the single "Moonchild" was released followed by their assured second album "The Nephilim". Displaying a more confident and polished sound, the band cemented their status as one of the biggest underground acts on the circuit. The standout tracks were "The Watchman" (later released as a single), "Phobia" (a live favourite), "Love under will" and the anthemic "Last exit for the lost". The following live dates with the more sophisticated light show and effects, and of course the larger venues, highlighted their inexorable rise in popularity and confidence.
"Psychonaut" was released in 1989; this ten minute track indicated a slight shift for the band toward a more experimental and intense sound. This single/EP was a candle-bearer for the polished and highly produced "Elizium" album. Produced for the first time by ex-Pink Floyd producer Andy Jackson (taking over from previous band producer Bill Buchanan), the opus represented the band at the zenith of their creativity and powers. The album was preceded by the single "For Her Light" which again followed the bands custom of charting highly one week courtesy of their army of followers, then dipping out of the chart listings the next.
To the shock of their following, Carl McCoy left the band in 1991, and in a subsequent interview uttered the immortal words "I am the Nephilim...". The remaining band members formed Rubicon, while McCoy began a new group called Nefilim. "Zoon" was released in 1996, an album that largely disappointed followers of his former band. The collection of mostly hard metal and speed-metal tracks pointed in a new direction, but one that ultimately still awaits a follow-up.
The band reformed in 1998, and a collection of out-takes and assorted unreleased recordings, "Fallen" was released in 2002 exciting many of the followers who had grown used to reading about imminent new material, but then disappointed as the tracks were definitely not new material. The album has been disowned by the band who insist that the album was released by their old record label without their wishes or permission.
Live dates penciled in were canceled in 2003 as the band insist they will only tour with new material, refusing to join the other bands of their generation touring to old audiences playing old material. The anticipation amongst their following - The Watchmen, grew awaiting new material, taking their individual and intense sound and lyrics to new spaces and dimensions.
A new album "Mourning Sun" was released in Europe on November 28, 2005, with the North American release scheduled February, 2006. The hitherto hinted at reformed line-up hadn't materialized, and the Carl McCoy led and penned collection of new material received mixed reviews.
In 2007 FotN had gigs in London and at Ville Valo's Helldone Festival in Finland. In 2008 they've played in Warsow and Athens and headlined the Wave Gotik Treffen Festival in Leipzig, Germany. They also performed at M'era Luna 2008 in Germany. At all gigs Carl McCoy was the only member of the original line-up.
The Wright brothers have released two albums and an EP under the name Last Rites playing an ambient sounding dark rock. A third album is currently planned. Tony Pettit is currently a member of the goth rock/metal outfit NFD, also with two released albums. Peter Yates is featured on both NFD-albums as a guest musician.
In 2009 Tony Petitt under the name The Eden House released a collaborative album "Smoke and Mirrors" featuring former members of Fields of the Nephilim Nod Wright, Peter Yates and Paul Wright as well as former producer Andy Jackson.
Official site: http://www.fields-of-the-nephilim.com
Vet for the Insane
Fields of the Nephilim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard to relax relax
It's a crime to sleep
Relax relax
You gotta hold on to your past
So bad so bad
I'm gonna pull it all to pieces
Flowers in your kitchen - they weep for you
I'm gonna shake them all to pieces like I did to you
Relax
I wanna go home, sad I cry for you
I wanna go home, look what you've put me through
Put me through
Walls gather 'round, feel a droning sound
At the hostile beat, what am I here for ?
Relax
I wanna go home
What am I here for?
Fields of the Nephilim's song Vet for the Insane is a haunting and introspective examination of the internal turmoil and struggles of a person plagued by disheartening dreams and the inability to relax. The lyrics suggest that sleeping is akin to committing a crime, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and being alert even when resting. The repetition of "relax relax" highlights the struggle to let go of control and surrender to the unknown.
The lyrics also suggest that holding on to the past, while tempting, is ultimately destructive. The lines "you gotta hold on to your past, so bad so bad, I'm gonna pull it all to pieces, so sad so sad" describe the singer's internal struggle with their past and their desire to tear it apart. This yearning for closure or clarity is further evoked in the lines "flowers in your kitchen - they weep for you, I'm gonna shake them all to pieces like I did to you," suggesting a desire to confront the past and eventually move on.
The song's overall mood is one of restlessness and unease. The repetition of "relax" suggests a desire to escape or find solace, while the lines "walls gather 'round, feel a droning sound, at the hostile beat, what am I here for?" suggest a feeling of entrapment or being trapped in one's own mind.
Overall, Vet for the Insane is a poignant and evocative examination of the human psyche and the struggle to find peace amid chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Disheartening dreams
The dreams one has are saddening and discouraging.
Hard to relax relax
It is difficult to calm down and unwind.
It's a crime to sleep
Sleeping feels like a negative act.
Relax relax
Despite the difficulty to relax, it is being urged to do so.
You gotta hold on to your past
One must keep and remember their past experiences and emotions.
So bad so bad
The past experiences and emotions are negative and painful.
I'm gonna pull it all to pieces
The painful past will be dissected and analyzed.
So sad so sad
The analysis of the past will bring up emotions of sadness and grief.
Flowers in your kitchen - they weep for you
The flowers in the kitchen serve as a metaphor, they represent something or someone that is mourning or grieving.
I'm gonna shake them all to pieces like I did to you
Similar to dissecting the past, everything that represents sadness will be shaken apart and analyzed.
I wanna go home, sad I cry for you
The singer wants to escape the current situation and feels sorrow for someone or something.
I wanna go home, look what you've put me through
The artist blames someone or something for the current situation and wants to escape.
Put me through
Something happened that caused the singer to be in the current negative state, and they are potentially blaming someone or something for it.
Walls gather 'round, feel a droning sound
The space feels suffocating and there is a sense of monotony.
At the hostile beat, what am I here for ?
In a negative atmosphere, the singer questions their purpose or reason for being there.
Relax
Despite the questioning and negative atmosphere, the artist is still urging to relax.
I wanna go home
The artist wants to leave the current situation.
What am I here for?
The singer questions their reason for being in the current situation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALEXANDER WRIGHT, CARL MCCOY, PAUL WRIGHT, PETER YATES, TONY PETTIT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
T. McCoy
Disheartening dreams
hard to relax relax
just crying to sleep
relax relax
you've had
a haunted young past
so bad so bad
I'm gonna pull you
all to pieces
so sad so sad
The flowers
in your kitchen
they weep for you
I'm gonna shed them
all to pieces
like I did to you
relax relax relax
relax relax relax
I wanna go home
sad that I cry for you
I wanna go home
look what you've
put me through
put me through
The walls gather round
fear the droning sound
like the hostile beat
what am I here for
relax relax relax
relax relax relax
I wanna go home
sad that I cried for you
I wanna go home
look what you've
put me through
I wanna go home
what am I here for
I wanna go home
I...
I wanna go home
what am I here for
I wanna go home
what am I here for
I wanna go home
(we're gonna get you
not another peep
time to go to sleep)
......................................
Ron Blade
Deep, dark, painful! My favorite song along with Last Exit for the Lost.
PsychoUndSoXD
One week ago I bougt all CDs of FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM on Ebay :) I love this band and I want to support them. The CDs look great in my collection of Music :) Maybe someday there will be a new album from FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM. I would love that :)
SPOK ART
Doesn't anybody really get this melodic chant. It's a masterpiece of folk music. Dig deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and.............the square root of infinity ='s......
Bibi
This is the best quality for this song around Youtube.
Vlassis Nikas
Amazing!Mc Coy rules!
Greg Moore
Nod is god
Bands ILove
love it
Chris Carden
anybody else see the episode of Miami Vice this was in?
EPIC SONG! 🤘
Rubyermeat
episode Death and the Lady
Shannon Theis
I got chills hearing it on Miami Vice. How sweet they got some exposure on that show. Of course, I didn’t see it until about three or four years ago.