Intelligently selected and sequenced, this near-complete overview of Fields of the Nephilim's career, excepting the earliest EPs, is both the best starting point for newcomers to the band as well as convincing evidence for the band's compelling blend of styles and sources into a commanding combination. Nearly all of the hits are here -- Moonchild, Preacher Man, Psychonaut (in its Lib III incarnation), For Her Light, and Power -- plus a judicious choice of album cuts. Chord of Souls and Watchman make the grade, though surprisingly neither the album version nor the single take of Sumerland appears. Some of the single edits do bear remarkable differences from the album takes. For Her Light, as an example, gets a calmer mid-song break, while its conclusion consists of Carl McCoy's vocals run backward over a fade of the main melody, instead of the sudden end on Elizium. Generally, though, these are the album cuts as recorded, filling out the CD's length to the max. A wise nod to Earth Inferno appears at the end when the insanely powerful live cut of Dawnrazor appears instead of the studio take. Horror novelist Storm Constantine provides appreciative liner notes, detailing the history of the band quite thoroughly and making special note of the Nephilim's awesome live shows and artistic promotional videos. As a further enticement, initial copies included a second bonus disc with a grab bag of B-sides, alternate takes, and other rarities. Submission Two is indeed a fairly screwy dub take of the Elizium cut, while the "Contaminated Mix" of Preacher Man does its best to turn the original into pounding, industrial, dancefloor filler. Celebrate (Second Seal) appears from the Psychonaut EP, as does the dramatic Lib. I take of Psychonaut. Album cut Shiva and a version of Moonchild also crop up, but the hands-down surprise is a cover of Roxy Music's In Every Dream a Heartache. These musicians acquit themselves with a fine musical performance -- their quiet atmospherics in the song's first half are quite lovely -- but hearing the gravelly McCoy sing about inflatable dolls and bungalow ranch-style can't help but raise a smile. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi

1		Moonchild
2		Chord of Souls
3		Last Exit for the Lost
4		Preacher Man
5		Love Under Will
6		Power
7		Psychonaut Lib. III
8		For Her Light
9		Blue Water
10		Vet for the Insane
11		Watchman
12		Dawnrazor

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