Here are the reviews nailbiter had gotten in it's too-short life. I tried to accurately reproduce the reviews, so grammar and sentence structure are as they were in print …

  • BALLBUSTER, Hard 6: A good, basic rock album. Nice to listen to, but nothing that really grabs you. This is another band that probably comes off sounding a lot better when they're on stage. But, on this release they don't really cut loose. Some of the songs just sit there. Not that they're bad, but they don't do anything except make you want to listen to it. If you wanna listen to something, there's always the radio. When I pop a CD into my stereo, I want it to be something that blows me away, not something that I put on just to play in the background while I'm doing something else. I have plenty of albums like that in my collection and Nailbiter kinda fits in with those releases. I'll listen to it every now and then, but, in my house, it won't get any heavy rotation.-Paul Autry

  • BASS PLAYER, November 1999: Soaring hard rock with a dynamic bass presence from John Talbert.-Gregory Isola

  • MUSIC MONTHLY, September 1999: Nailbiter delivers a heavy,slo-mo pulse adorned with wacko guitars and tortured vocals. Time signatures shift, flangers and echoes pop on and off. Vocalist Mike Raymond proves himself as twisted a presence as Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Robert Smith, or any of 'em. It's a dark record with finely crafted lyrics and complicated, interesting songs. Imagine Tool with some Alice and Chains and the Cure mixed in.

    The first song is called "One of My Kind". Is it an anti-establishment "Welcome to the Machine" rant or a snicker about auditioning band-mates? It's hard to tell. Guitarist Dave Lindenbaum kicks it off with a cool echo-drenched riff that reminds me of U2's guitarist The Edge. But, unlike the Edge, Dave jumps from one interesting tone to the next, covering many sonic bases. Perhaps he sacrifices a true signature sound in the process, but at least he isn't boring.

    Next up is "CNN". A strangely tuned grungy acoustic guitar creeps in, followed by pounding drums, bass, and electric guitar. Lyrically it's sort of like Frank Zappa's "Trouble Every Day", lamenting the scariest show on TV, the news. I like it! Bassist John Talbert introduces the next tune, "Out of Body". His pedal-tone romp sets the stage for wildly flanged space guitars and dark, soaring vocals that follow. The fourth track, "Heaven", sort of follws the form of "CNN", but ends with a longish guitar solo by Lindenbaum. His style is contemporary, emphasising melody and tone above flash. It rocks.

    All of the ten cuts on this disc are good, but my favorite is track seven, "Drip, Drip, Drip". Drummer Ken Zumbrun pounds away in a tribal rage to the wail of feedback guitars. The vocals sound creepy and sexy. The singer is blasting drug addiction. Nailbiter throbs away like a tell-tale heart soaked in morphine. Yeah!

    Six Degrees is a really fine rock album. It's totally gothic, like deep black water, reflecting tortured thoughts. It pulses and sways and takes you for a spine tingling ride. It conjurs unusual thoughts. I'm gonna listen to it a lot, I suggest you do the same.-Tobias Hurwitz

  • METAL CORE, #27: Cool moody type of music here. The tunes are very catchy and different and I am sure that is why I liked them. This is sort of like a more mellower Voivod. I like the guitar sound and the way the songs are layed out. Very cool release here for sure.-Chris Forbes

  • CITY PAPER, June 9-16, 1999: With a sound that conspicuously sticks out from the wasteland of simplistic and derivative rock music, Nailbiter may have created on of the best local releases of the year with Six Degrees. Where most prog-rock groups tend to degenerate into boring masturbatory displays of virtuosity, Nailbiter displays restraint and maturity; the band obviously prefers substance over flash. Six Degreescreates a vibe and makes a statement without beating you over the head with technical wizardry.

    It is rare that a band this new displays such a balance in its playing and songwriting. Each instrumental element of Nailbiter's sound comes across without outshinig or overpowering the others. The drums ground the densely fluid bass lines and lay the foundation for atmospheric guitars and soulful vocals. The album leads you through sonic landscapes of uplifting highs ("Heaven"), tumultuous middle ground ("Drip, Drip, Drip" and "One of My Kind"), and melancholy lows ("White Elephants").

    Six Degrees is a beautifully powerful album that infuses elements of psychedelic and alternative rock into the usually stiff progressive mold. With an intensity and gracefulness reminiscent of bands such as Tool, Kings X, Rush, and Pink Floyd, Nailbiter proves itself a promising new band that's destined to go places.-Larry Nichols

  • QUINDECIM, March 31st, 1999:I may be the farthest thing from a musical genius, but the first thing I think of when I hear Six Degrees-the debut album by local band Nailbiter, is "wow". I have said it before and I'll say it again, Nailbiter is completely capable of having a familiar sound and a totally original sound all at the same time. Every song on this ten track album is like a new experience, musically and mentally speaking.

    I have now heard this band live, completely stripped down and unplugged and now I've heard them recorded. They still have yet to stop amazing me. I have tried to describe this band before; they are kind of like Tool going on a little more psychedelic route but still with a voice and overall sound all of their own. Nailbiter seems to pick sounds, techniques and concepts from all different genres of music and mesh them so well that no-one can acuse them of being counterfeit.

    The album itself is vocally and musically breathtaking. It may sound cheesy to describe an album in such a way, but if you just listen to it once you'll understand. While lead vocallist ( and rhythm guitarist) Mike Raymond is the lyric writer, band members Dave Lindenbaum (lead guitar and backing vocals), Ken Zumbrun (drums and backing vocals), and John Talbert (bass and backing vocals) collaborated on the music along with Raymond which makes it flow that much smoother.

    Lyrically speaking, this album is poetic. You won't find stuff on this album like " my girl left me and now I'm bummed",the lyrics on Six Degreesare much more thought provoking. Lines such as "Red-eye, resigned to events, detached from all consequence, the body will endure seperation from the mind, ignorant and ignored. Some aspects of the divine are better left alone" from closing song "Strange Ways" forces the listeners to think for themselves. While I am sure Raymond meant something in particular while writing his lyrics, they are still entirely open to interpretation. That is what makes music good, when you (the audience) can take your own thoughts and integrate them into your musical selection.

    Currently, Nailbiter-Six Degreesis being carried at Record & Tape Traders. I highly recommend checking the album out for yourself; you will not regret it.-Mandy Kurek

  • QUINDECIM, October 14th, 1998:I went to see Nailbiter at Cafe Tattoo in Hamilton on Friday. The small club was filled with people, so much that it was almost hard to move.

    This was my first time hearing this band and let me say I was completely blown away. Coming into the show, I didn't even know what kind of music they played and leaving the show, I just couldn't explain it. It had remnants of a lot of different music but was still completely original.

    Imagine my shock at finding original sound in music today! Some people at the show compared them to Tool, called it space rock and even psychedelic, which all were true, but they couldn't call them just one kind of music. Many of their influences were clear, but the music still didn't sound exactly like anyone except Nailbiter. That quality is hard to find, especially in local music.

    Vocalist Mike Raymond had an almost eery quality to his voice, which added to the psychedelic sound. The music was haunting yet powerful and one couldn't help but be drawn to their sound. In their too short set, Nailbiterdiplayed real musicianship.

    Raymond on rhythm guitar, John Talbert on bass, Ken Zumbrun on drums and Dave Lindenbaum on lead guitar all seemed truly bonded as musicians.

    Going to shows like this, when you can actually feel the connection between band members, is always a truly moving experience for the audience.

    Basically, the music was great, the musicians were fabulous, and the entertainment was first rate. If you're looking for a psychedelic, space-type band that kind of sounds like Tool, look in the CityPaper for the next time Nailbiter is playing, You won't regret it.

    Nailbiter's first CD is currently in the works. Check…(Nailbiter)…out before the rest of hte world discovers them. It might be the best concert you'll ever see.-Mandy Kurek

  • MUSIC MONTHLY, May 1998: Those few who ventured out to Baltimore's doesn't-live-up-to-potential club, the Funnel, were treated to the tenuous soundscape of up-and-comer Nailbiter.

    Showcasing their debut material and distributing free demos, Nailbiter, fronted by local veteran Mike Raymond (ex- Gunga Din), gave an inspiring performance laced with dramatic tension. Raymond's voice is pure and commanding, his lyrics evocative, and guitarist Dave Lindenbaum poured out his bag of tastefully effected riffs with confidence, ease, amd precision.

    Too bad it was the soundman's first night. While his vocal mix was on, he fell short mixing the stage sound to the room, keeping Nailbiter just shy of an over the top performance. Keep an eye on this developing project.-Manny Cox