Story of NEMESIS
Five musicians decided that they were going to explore their own path in the music labyrinth of the world. They focused their attention on ensuring that their music express only their own emotions and moods. They didn't want their creative process to be influenced by day-to-day trends in popular music.
They released their self-titled debut album themselves in 1998. In 1999 they signed a recording contract with GU^LA Records Ltd. Their second album "Abraxas" was released that same year. By the time the 1999 Hungarian 'Progfest' club tour
came around, NEMESIS was already one of the headline bands.
In 1999 they signed a recording contract with GU^LA Records Ltd. Their second album "Abraxas" was released that same year. One of the interesting features of the album is that it contains a series of six related, yet individual tracks, comprising over 30 minutes in all: a concept work titled "Psychogeist", based on a psycho-thriller story.
NEMESIS was also very well received as support band at King's X's Budapest concert. By the time the 1999 Hungarian 'Progfest' club tour came around, NEMESIS was already one of the headline bands. From the autumn of 1999 to the end of 2000 they played three national tours along with other well-known Hungarian bands. Differences of opinion in personal and musical views caused the original line-up to split by mutual agreement on December 16, 2000.
The name 'NEMESIS' was retained by the band's principal songwriters: guitarist Zoltán Fábián, and keyboard player György Nagy. Lajos Gulyás, the band's manager (who firmly believed in the band and had been its devout helper since the release of their first album) helped Zoltán and György in re-forming NEMESIS. As a result of their steadfast work, on February 24, 2001, the band was reborn with three new members.
The new line-up reads as follows:
Nemesis' II.lineup (from left to right)
László Nagy, Zoltán Kiss, Csaba Berczelly,
Zoltán Fábián, György Nagy
Peter Linka
Csaba Berczelly had played for years with Zoltán Fábián and György Nagy in a band called Jericho and later in a group called Wellington. Vocalist Zoltán Kiss worked with Belfegor and later Classica. László Nagy is a truly versatile drummer who's at home in all musical fields. He's played in many types of bands from traditional-rock to folk-rock, and everything in between. NEMESIS' previous two Hungarian albums are available in many countries outside Hungary through Periferic Records. However, in April 2001, the new line-up moved into a studio to re-record English versions of the band's two previously released Hungarian albums. Australian Peter Linka translated the Hungarian lyrics into English and worked closely with the band on the English recordings. Since the band's line-up had radically changed with the new formation, both the vocals and the music were re-recorded and re-mixed for the English versions.
NEMESIS wanted to get their English recordings known and recognized outside Hungary, so they produced a Promotional CD titled "For Promotional Use Only", which they sent to over 80 record companies and music magazines world-wide.
The new line-up first performed together live, very successfully, in May 2001 at the second Hungarian 'Progfest'. During the summer, they appeared at various festivals throughout Hungary (i.e. Pepsi Island... etc.).In the meantime, the new line-up has begun its own creative process.They are preparing an instrumental album. This is being perceived as a project-band, and the album will be released under the band name GODDESS NEMESIS, in reference to the core-band.
The Promotional CD lead to a contract with the U.S. based The Laser's Edge label. Nemesis' first English album "Eden?" was released on September 3, 2002 in over 16 countries worldwide. According to the plan their second English album "Psychogeist" is due for release in March 2003.
Another result of the Promotional CD: Nemesis' "Eye of the snake" was included as the 13th track on a CD of unsigned metal bands in Rock Hard, Germany's biggest selling metal magazine. Based on that track, readers of Rock Hard chose Nemesis as the best unsigned band of 2001 from among about 26 bands in all. This recognition came with a prize of free studio time in the Woodhouse studios in Hagen, Germany. The band recorded two covers there: Queensryche's "Mission" and Rainbow's "Gates of Babylon". They were produced by Siggi Bemm, a big name in the international metal world. . In the future, Siggi and the Woodhouse crew are going to help promote Nemesis in Germany.
In December 2002, the new lineup's first album
"Terra Incognita" was released in Hungarian. This is a 67 minute concept album, based on a single story. The band has also recorded an English version of this album, which has not yet been released.
Nemesis's next project will be an instrumental album titled. They finished a 10 track demo recording with the title: "Abnormal Smile". Zoltán Fábián Nemesis' guitarist and principal songwriter has begun writing his first solo album. This will be a guitar-oriented instrumental CD.
In the interest of finding a new label, management is putting together another promo package comprising of material from the English version of Terra Incognita, the instrumental demo, and Fábi’s solo material. It will be a multimedia DVD-ROM which, apart from the above mentioned material, will also contain 2 video clips, photos, and some special oddities and rarities.
In October 2003, Nemesis played a successful concert as a guest of the Swedish band The Flower Kings.
On January 15, 2004, Csaba Berczelly announced that he will be leaving the band... but he will play all previously booked gigs.
After the auditions, the band decided that Gábor Krecsmarik will be their new bass guitarist.
On March 7, 2004, Nemesis’ third lineup came into being:
The actual lineup from left to right:
György Nagy, ZoltánFábián, László Nagy, Zoltán Kiss, Gábor Krecsmarik
Apart from rehearsals with Gábor, the spring-summer of 2004 saw the band playing many concerts. Nemesis performed at Progfeszt in Pécs after Devon Graves, before Judas Priest at the Summer Rocks Festival, and also before Queensryche. Meanwhile, recording of the instrumental project has begun.
'The Goddess Nemesis Project', is the band’s instrumental project of 2004. Recording of the album should be complete by the eng of Autumn. Many guest artist will perform on the album:
Ildikó Györei - Violin
Keiko Kumagai (ARS NOVA) - Keyboards
Chris Brooks (Mark Boals Band) - Guitar
János Péter (Shannon.hu) - Flute
Sándor Szabó - Acoustic Guitar
István Alapi (Jeff Porcaro Band, Edda) - Guitar
Zsolt Nagy (Special Guest, Varga János Band) - Keyboards
Szabolcs Mátyás (Hot Shot) – Guitar
After work on the instrumental project is complete, the band will commence writing its next album which will not be a concept album.
Nemesis got to know Lajos Gulyás who previously managed a heavy metal band called Falanx, when thye were working on their 1st album in the studio. Lajos and the members of Nemesis soon decided to join forces in an effort to make the name NEMESIS better known.The release and distribution of their first Hungarian album "Nemesis" (1998) was organized by Lajos. The local media soon took notice of the band and Nemesis became increasingly well known and recognized throughout their native Hungary. Two national tours brought about the recognition of both the music profession and the public alike. In the summer of 1999, Nemesis recorded their second Hungarian album "Abraxas", which was released and distributed in Hungary by Lajos Gulyás' own label, Gu^La Records. The profession and the public applauded the new album, which the band played to their growing following on a new concert tour. The recognition gained as a result of their concerts raised Nemesis to one of Hungary's headliner progressive metal bands. On December 16, 2000, changes in the band's line-up temporarily halted Nemesis' momentum.However, on February 24, 2001, the band took off again and set themselves far bolder aims than ever before: they decided to work on developing their international connections in an endeavor to become better known. In April that year, they re-recorded the music of their first two albums, and the new singer sung the vocals in English. Seven of these tracks were compiled onto a Promotional CD which the band and its management used to find an international label and distributor.
The members of Nemesis and their manager Lajos Gulyás singed a long term contract of co-operation. GU^LA Records Ltd. became the official publisher of all Nemesis' music, and in March 2001, Zoltán Fábián took over as head of the company. The Promotional CD lead to the signing of a license agreement with the U.S. based Sensory label in March 2002. Nemesis' first English album "Eden?" was released in September 2002 in over 16 countries worldwide. Nemesis’ second English album "Psychogeist" has not been released to date...
Things didn’t move forward with The Laser's Edge label, because they didn’t release Nemesis’ “Psychogeist” album. Management broke off the contract and started a new promotional campaign. NEMESIS made a promotional DVD-ROM, which contained all information about the band, tracks from the unreleased albums, videos and many more tidbits. This time, Lajos Gulyas sent this material to management companies and labels as well. However, nothing worthwhile happened. Hence management decided to make a promotion package and continue the promotion work. Apart from the DVD-ROM, this package contained a four track compilation promo CD from the instrumental album called “the Play is the thing…” and another 12 song compilation CD, with tracks from the unreleased albums, and 2 cover songs as well. This was the “Synopsis” compilation CD. Printed versions of the the band's biography and discography were also enclosed. Of course, management created websites for both compilation CD’s which could be visited by those persons only who were interested. Management entered into relations with VENETOWEST, an American promotion agency. 50 promotion packs were delivered to MIDEM in France through this agency. At MIDEM, VENETOWEST forwarded these packages to the labels who work bands with similar genre like Nemesis’.
Results of this promotion were 5 concrete contract proposals. In August of 2005, after judicial debates with the Hungarian copyright agency the band’s name was changed to
AGE OF NEMESIS. After this, management signed a license contract with the American MAGNA CARTA label for the unreleased English albums.
Acasa 