I have an inexplicable fondness for tragedy stories. Not full melodrama, exactly, but if you read fantasy, you've probably noticed the obligatory Character with the Tragic Past. I love reading stories that have those Tragic Pasts and reasons for them. Sometimes I even think that's the reason I like fantasy so much.
That love of Tragic Pasts might be much of why I like bands like Nemesea. The music and lyrics aren't anything astounding, but I like them enough to own 'em.
"Like the Air" is one of those Tragic Stories. A woman who must fight every day to see through her pain (be it physical or emotional). The woman will "lose it all" if she "fails" (to fight), and she refuses that which can help her, so her story probably ends in suicide or at least suicidal feelings. She thinks that the solution to her pain is to "become just like the air"—which can have whatever meaning fits for you. I'm inclined to interpret it as being invisible and unnoticed.
Nemesea's singer Manda Ophuis is Dutch, but her English doesn't suffer for it in her singing. Her diction sounds native. Her voice itself is pleasing, actually making me think of a more mature-sounding BarlowGirl. Manda Ophuis's vocals demonstrate more stability and flexibility than a lot of singers—evidently without lip syncing, because I've listened to a few different live recordings and found differences amongst them. The song's range isn't anything unusual. But it's still pretty and reminiscent of something airy, well fitting the lyrics.
The music itself is a bit hard to categorize—the Dutch band Nemesea melds symphonic gothic metal with pop and rock. Wikipedia compares the band to After Forever, which works, though my first thought was of Delain's April Rain album (though Nemesea's admittedly a few years older than Delain).
"Like the Air" has a very melodic tempo, with a "wet" (echoing) sound for the beginning, though that fades. Electric guitar melds with more synthetics, so it's pleasant if you like electronica and rock. If you don't, skip this one.
As of this writing, Nemesea allows fans to listen to this song in its entirety through their YouTube channel.
Lyrics: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Vocal(s): 4/5
Overall: 8/10
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