Well, hopefully, you already read my review of Fleshgod Apocalypse‘s Opera, which I loved and reviewed first, and now I think you know where this is going.

The Underworld Awaits Us All appears to be a bit of a reset for Nile.  First, they have jumped from long-time label Nuclear Blast who released the band’s last 5 albums to Napalm Records. And there are yet more new band members in Dan Vadim Von (Morbid Angel) replacing Brad Parris on bass/vocals (seems like they have been trying to fill Dallas Toler Wade’s shoes for a couple of albums now) and Zach Jeter (Lecherous Nocturne, Olkoth) now makes the band a 5 piece on guitars/vocals, joining Karl Sanders, Brian Kingsland (guitars/vocals), and George Kollias (drums). Though the now three-guitar attack isn’t really noticeable.

So what does this mean for album number 10 for these revered Egyptomaniacs after all these years? Well, its certainly still Nile. And The Underworld Awaits Us All is most certainly still a Nile album. But after 2015s What Should Not be Unearthed and 2019’s excellent Vile Nilotic Rites, it seems a bit of a step back, even with some added elements that Sanders has added.

Those new elements are often still buried in the band’s trademark dervish of Middle Eastern brutality, which still hits pretty hard, but Sanders dipping back into his early thrash metal roots can be heard ( his first band was a thrash band called Morriah) on tracks like “Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake in the Underworld and Made to Eat Feces by the Four Apes” and some new choirs and female vocals add something different to “Overlords of the Black Earth”, “Naqada II Enter the Golden Age”, “Under the Curse of One God”, “Doctrine of Last Things” “True Gods of the Desert” and the title track.

But The Underworld Awaits Us All is ultimately still a Nile album. And I’d rank it somewhere around 2012s At the Gates of Sethu, and maybe 2007s Ithyphallic level of quality, that’s to say it’s not the band’s best work. It’s got all the Nile-ish things you’ve come to expect like absolutely relentless, dive-bombing Stuka-ish brutality on tracks like the aforementioned “Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down……”,   “Under the Curse of One God”, the almost black metal-ish “To Strike with Secret Fang” and “Naqada II Enter the Golden Age” (with more thrash metal riffage to close).

In fact the first half of the album is pretty focused on shorter faster songs, though there are a few more restrained moments buried within (ie ” “Overlords of the Black Earth”) but they don’t really do anything for me, and seem a bit phoned in.

It’s not until later in the album that we get the longer slower songs, which are always my favorite Nile songs (they have yet to top “Stones of Sorrow”, “To Dream of Ur” or “Unas”). There is “Doctrine of Last Things, which while a fast song it has one of the album’s more crushing slower riffs. Then there is the 7+ minute “True Gods of the Desert” and the 8-minute title track, both deliver my favorite about Nile– those slow massive, lumbering, churning crumbling riffs and more atmospheric pacing. In particular personal favorite “True Gods of the Desert”, which comes close to the aforementioned classic Nile tracks I love, and is in truth the first time I gave the stank face while listening to the album. Closer “Lament for the Destruction of Time” is a bit of an excessive 5-minute instrumental, slower song, that isn’t really needed when the prior title track seems like a perfect endpoint.

Production-wise, Mark Lewis returns to mix and master Sanders’s sound, it’s clear and allows all of the elements to breathe, but I still prefer the brutish, heftier tones of the debut (“Smashing the Antiu” and “Ramses” still cave my skull in).

In all an OK, to solid Nile album that’s not quite as good as the last 2,  and of course no match for the band’s first four classic efforts, but it is slightly better than At the Gates of Sethu, and  Ithyphallic but it certainly doesn’t blemish the band’s stellar, consistent discography.

Even with a bit of a lull with 2012s At the Gates of Sethu, and maybe 2007s Ithyphallic, Nile has essentially stayed an elite death metal act since the bands first 3 or four arguably classic releases. And with a the band’s last album, What Should Not Be Unearthed, they showed that they can deliver material as dynamic as their early efforts over 20 years later. But with album number 9, founder Karl Saunders and long time drummer George K0llias ( at least since 2004) has managed to somehow up the ante again, and deliver what I’m confident in saying is their best effort since In Their Darkened Shrines.

As with the last album, where bassist Brad Parris joined, a new member join the ranks in guitarist Brian Kingsland (Enthean, ex Rites to Sedition), and again , Nile seems better for it.  Also the addition of Mark Lewis (Carnifex, Deicide, Arsis, Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder) with a mastering/mixing  adds some real beef to Saunders’ production, and it all comes together perfectly.

The recipe is still the same: blasting, wall of noise, brutal technical death metal with a heavy  Egyptian backbone, and while there a few little surprise here and there, its all pretty much the same, but on this release there seems to be just a little more restraint and focus on those heaving, lumbering songs and moment that made songs like “To Dream of Ur”, “Unas”, “Black Seeds of Vengeance” and ““To Walk Forth From Flames Unscathed”  so dynamic.

Songs like opener “Long Shadows of Dread”, “That Which is Forbidden”, and the closing duo of “The Imperishable Stars Are Sickened” and “We Are Cursed”, all deliver moments of bone rattling, thunderous, earth shifting heft. And that’s not even including the album’s 9 minute standout “Seven Horns of War”, this album’s “Unas” or “Ur”; a blasting and lumbering behemoth of a track with monstrous mid song brass section  (is that Lord of the Rings I hear?) that gives me goosebumps, and is the best Nile song in several years.

Of course, there are still those teeth rattling, writhing faster, tracks like “Vile Nilotic Rites”, The Oxford Handbook of Savage Genocidal Warfare”, the aptly named “Snake Pit Mating Frenzy” or utterly devastating “Where Is the Wrathful Sky” (even with its little mid song Middle east jaunt). And Sanders is adding a few more tricks in some pure movie sound track/choral/ orchestral/symphonic moments like “Revel in Their Suffering” (my second favorite track) the album’s most experimental track, the heaving , lurching “The Imperishable Stars Are Sickened” with its clean-ish/chanted vocals and menacing lumber of “We Are Cursed”.

After virtually saving American death metal in 1998, with Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka, (“Rameses , Bringer of War” is still my go to Nile song) it blows my mind that Sanders and Nile are still this good twenty years later,  and its high time we started mentioning them in the same breath as Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse Morbid Angel and Obituary as true American Death metal legends.

Well, say what you will about Karl Sanders and Co., because he appears to have taken the divisive response to Sethu to heart, and he and the band have responded with the band’s best album since Annihilation of the Wicked. Maybe it’s the throwback production to the crushing wall of noise of yore. Maybe it’s the addition of vocalist/bassist Brad Parris to the long running guitar/ vocal duo of Toler-Wade/Sanders. Either way, it’s invigorated the band, because this feels like the first four albums.

From the heralding opening cry of the blistering and aptly named “Call to Destruction,” you can feel the power from the new production and material. Sanders has more involvement with his deeper roars, Wade has more snarl, the drums and guitars have a much denser, more commanding presence, and everything just seems far more virile and violent right out of the gate. And it’s not short lived either, as the second track “Negating the Abominable Coils of Apep” also erupts from the dunes with a commanding salvo we have come to expect from the band. It signals some of the album’s many slower, churning moments which I have always found to be the best part of Nile.

And tracks like “Liber Stellae – Rubaeae,” the title track, the last few crumbling moments of “In the Name of Amun,” “Age of Famine,” and standout closer “To Walk Forth From Flames Unscathed” all have these ponderous, heaving moments in great, heaping, stone-dragging heft, with that low end “CHUN” that rattles your fillings. Granted, there are no 10-minute opuses like “Unas” or “To Dream of Ur,” but we’re getting quality, not quality right? And Sanders and Co are still masters of sweeping, tech vortices that can be just dropping at times, as the opening duo and ferocious “Rape of the Black Earth” display. Also of note: “Evil to Cast Out Evil” highlights the new dual guitar attack with a surprisingly epic, melodic lead solo, possibly a first for a Nile album.

Naysayers will be pleased to hear that there is less Egyptian stuff going on as well. Less chants, less Middle Eastern instrumentation and atmospherics. And other than the minute and a half “Ushabti Reanimator,” there’s overall less fluff, shorter titles, and more ‘brain removed through your nose by a hook’ brutality, which is always a good time.

Not that they ever went away, but Nile’s place atop US death metal’s pedestal seemed shaky the last few albums, but album number 8 doesn’t just up the ante, it smashes it. Nile has cast down the heretics once more to reclaim their place atop US death metal’s metaphorical death metal pyramid, thought Hate Eternal and their new release Infernus, might make it a little crowded up there.

So usually for promoting albums artists give the usual ‘better, faster’ speech.  And for the new album you stated “The focus this time around is on brutally heavy metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like of an Annihilation Of The Wicked, approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact.”. However- you actually followed through and it wasn’t rhetoric.  That’s a refreshing change! Was this a goal of yours when beginning writing for the album?

Absolutely! I hate rhetoric. Unfortunately, it’s often part of the job. Lol The goal when we started writing Unearthed was to make a heavy, memorable album with songs that were focused on effectiveness and listenability. In some ways, it’s a very “anti-technical” album in that the songs come first – and the focus is away from getting too over-tech. I think that technique often somehow ends up overshadowing composition in a lot of tech death metal and makes it less fun for the listener.

One of the divisive issues  of the last album, was the clean production that sapped some of the power. This new album really seems to be back to the really powerful sound of the first few album- was that something you really wanted Neil Kernon to bring back?

Yes, we had many talks with Neil to explain what we wanted this time around; and then reiterated ad-nauseum at every opportunity during the recording/mixing/mastering of the record so as to ensure no-one would wander astray from the prime directive.

I don’t mean to offend but with the 3 albums there has been some criticism that Nile is running in place at this point. However, after hearing the new album, it’s clear you have found that magic of the first four albums again- does this album feel any different to you- do you feel you have ‘it’ back?

We are wetbacks and we find that very offensive, :).  At this point, we are really over the whole “We got to play faster/louder/cleaner just to prove we can play faster/louder/cleaner.”  If people haven’t managed to get that point yet, they just haven’t been listening. lol  It’s a pointless pursuit, like chasing a dragon. At this point, I don’t think metal fans give a fuck about that anyway ‘because there are plenty of bands nowadays that shred like motherfuckers. We wanted to make a record that people would actually enjoy listening to – metal for the sake of metal. So we just put our energy into writing catchy and memorable songs – and technicality be damned. Having said that though, on Unearthed there is still plenty of the musicianship that people have come to expect from Nile; but this time it’s definitely harnessed for a higher purpose.

Its seems the new album also has a bit of a return to those slower, huge numbers  the likes of “To Walk Forth from Flames Unscathed” and  the title track recall the likes of “Unas” or “To Dream of Ur”.  is that something you wanted to bring back?

No, I have no wish to rehash older songs. I want to write new ones. That in itself is a blasphemy to some people – who expect that bands should just constantly recycle their music.Can you imagine “Unas Slayer of the Gods – the Sequel”?  hahahahahah. I have new ideas. It’s not out of a wish to revisit classic, epic, older Nile songs, it’s a desire to do new things.

When you look back is there one album that you really look back on with pride and think that was the perfect Nile album? or is this album it?

I don’t think Unearthed is necessarily a definitive Nile album in the sense that In Their Darkened Shrines is a definite Nile album. I think with Shrines, we had written and recorded what I felt was the pinnacle achievement of what I was hoping to achieve with the band’s music. After that, I did not want to just lather, rinse, and repeat…. There were other things I wanted to do and goals to set for ourselves. As Southpark so eloquently satirized in the episode called “Rehash”, so much  of modern culture is just constant overt rehash of everything else – but I think Nile fans deserve better. Unearthed is specifically purposed as a record for Nile fans. Catchy, memorable songs that NILE fans will enjoy and will be fun to play live.

The lyrics on the new album delve into the possibilities of the origins of  Egyptian history- how did you get on that particular theme?

It’s not necessarily Egyptian History I am referring to but the history of whole entire human race; it’s just metaphorically alluded to through the artistic narrative of Egypt/archaeology.

With such a specific lyrical theme for Nile and the 8 Nile albums, is there ever any chance of running out of Egyptian based lyrics? or have you barely scratched the surface?

I have no worries about running out of song possibilities. With thousands of years of history to be inspired by, we have just barely even scratched the surface.

Is there a part of you that wants to explore other themes, space or real world or other historical eras? In another project maybe?

Who knows. I think I would probably enjoy doing some music that had NOTHING to do with history whatsoever. lol

One of my favorite Nile songs ever is ‘Ramses, bringer of war” the way it used Holst, to this day gives me goosebumps. has there ever been any more thought of tinkering of integrating other classic themes or such into Niles songs ( the theme from 2000: A space odyssey comes to mind).?

I don’t rule out the possibility. If one day I am listening to some piece of classic music and it sparks an idea – then great . If not, then I am OK with that too.  I don’t believe in dictating from whence the metal gods choose to give inspiration.

Have  you ever heard some of the other Egyptian based bands like Coffins texts or Scarab?

Of course. K

When you started Nile and released Nephren ka in 1998, arguably jumps starting death metal did yu forsee that Nile wuld be 8 albums in and be considered one of the biggest name in nit jsut US death metal but death metal in general?

We didn’t care about that in the early days. We were making Metal because we loved Metal ; with little hope of ever achieving any success as a band.

I assume there are tour plans for the new album?

Of course – and we are especially looking forward to the fall tour in Europe with Suffocation. Metal will take place!

How much longer to you see Nile keeping going? what do you plan to do after Nile?

Who knows. Everything could end tomorrow in nuclear annihilation and world war 3 . Until that day comes, I will be quite happy to continue being metal.  K

https://www.facebook.com/nilecatacombs?fref=ts

http://www.nuclearblast.com/en/label/

Produced by NILE and mixed by Neil Kernon. The album will be released late summer via Nuclear Blast Records.

Mastermind Karl Sanders states:

“All of us in NILE are happy to announce our newest album What Should Not Be Unearthed. It’s our 8th official album, and this time we believe we have a truly crushing disc to bring to metal fans. The focus this time around is on brutally heavy metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like of an Annihilation Of The Wicked approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact. Our last record, At The Gates Of Sethu, was super surgically clean and very “musicianship oriented” whereas the new disc is a polar opposite; Unearthed is aimed straight at utter metal heaviness and memorable songwriting. Although Unearthed is still full of the kind of undeniable musicianship people have come to expect from NILE over the years, it’s the songs themselves that will hit listeners over the head this time around. These songs will be a blast to play live, and we are stoked at the opportunity to bring these songs to metal fans everywhere. See you on tour!”

This time the artwork was handled by Michal ‘Xaay’ Loranc who stated this about the cover:
“At first, I would like to express that it was great experience to work on another Nile cover/artwork again. I’m really grateful having been a big fan of the band for all these years. The story behind the title goes deeply beneath everything we have already known, and we may not be ready to face.  With the art, I excavated the theories of an elder ancient civilization which could give the origin to ancient Egypt. That’s why you can find a new ingredient in the band imagery, pointing at some higher obscure intelligence, eroding and covered with time. That trace of a dismal legacy is resembled in the outer structure which radiates from the block, sealing the unknown, and it’s only an adumbration of what we will meet, once it is removed. The pyramid-shaped seal in the center doesn’t contain a recipe for some Camel Stew or a Pharaoh’s dining menu. An experienced eye will notice hieroglyphs taken from the “Book of the Dead”, or the Seven Islands of Amentet glyph – depicting the ancient Underworld, and describing the elder reign of God-kings, which had ended circa. 9850 B.C. (perhaps some similarity with that of Atlantis?). But the main thing we should not miss here is a winged scarab sign in the exact center. We all know this most common Egyptian artifact giving protection… so the message is pretty clear… I hope it may become another fine element in band’s repository for the NILE themed tattoos. To sum it up: this album is definitely not a box of candies. Keep in mind that opening the package means you will deal with the deadliest essence… However, it will be a hard task to hold on to your curiosity. Well… it’s a newNILE!”
The latest NILE studio album AT THE GATE OF SETHU debuted on the Billboard Top 200 chart at #131, #2 on the Heatseekers chart and #10 on the Current Hard Music charts.

Get your copy of the AT THE GATE OF SETHU digipak at the Nuclear Blast Webshop: http://goo.gl/hPYofX

NILE on iTunes: http://bit.ly/nilegate
Visit NILE online at: www.NILE-catacombs.net

Like – www.Facebook.com/NILECatacombs

Follow – www.Twitter.com/NILECatacombs

Watch – www.YouTube.com/NILECatacombs

“Dude – the new Nile album just came out! I want to get it, but I don’t have time to pick it up!” he exclaimed in a panic.

I wasn’t sure why it was necessary to purchase a CD in the real world, rather than iTunes, but I offered to stop by the record store later that day. Once inside Rasputin, I went straight to the “Metal” section, but the new Nile album was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, this was merely an excuse for me to hit on one of the employees. I searched around for the girl with the greatest number of piercings, and made my move.

“Nile? What is that?” Is that the whole name of the band?” she asked, clicking her plastic-covered mouse and typing things on the keyboard.

“It’s a metal band,” I said, attempting to exert the required levels of confidence and comfort, “they’re pretty legit. I think they’re from Europe,” I said, pretending to be completely uninterested in the interaction.

She found nothing. Neither the band, nor the album album were in the database. I walked away without the CD. For a moment, I was afraid that I would have to go without hearing the album, before realizing I could buy it on my phone, instantly. Through modern technology, I would have the chance to pass through the Gate of Sethu while riding the train home. This was when my indoctrination began.

A few months later, the announcement was made that Nile would be coming to San Francisco. I informed Jordan, but due to his lifestyle, he was forbidden from partaking in the sacred art of devil worship and self-pain infliction. Instead, I found a local fan, and offered to buy them a ticket in exchange for holding my camera for a few songs while I fought in the mosh pit.

The night of the show came quickly. At the exact time the show was supposed to start, a group of dudes with curly hair and beer bellies hit the stage and began playing generic “Mosh now!” songs. Since no opening band was announced, I assumed that this was Nile.

I walked over to the merch booth and attempted to make conversation with the young, attractive woman that slouched behind a stack of 12 extra large black t-shirts.

“SO, IS THIS NILE?!??!!?” I asked, attempting to yell over the atonal 16th notes of the rhythm guitarist.

“What?! No! This isn’t Nile!” she exclaimed, almost offended. I guess I blew my cover.

The opening band, which I couldn’t find the name of, continued to play their repetitive riffs until they stopped to make an announcement.

“For those of you who remember us, we have been around since the TRUE days of metal, back when…”

This point, they proceeded to name drop a few bands which I presumed were important during the early era of metal, though I elected not to pay attention. I came here to hear music (well, actually, to take photographs), not to hear a history lesson.

“Yeah, we used to play with…” they continued on, name dropping more bands which were probably embossed on the patches of half the crowd, which was cheering vociferously at the announcement.

Then, they continued to talk even more.

“Yeah, two guys in our band are dead. That’s because we… we… we….. we PUT THE DEATH IN DEATH METAL!”

That’s cool – I guess? Maybe? I don’t know. They didn’t really put that into any context. From their point of view, having people in your band die makes you death metal. Can’t argue with that. I guess.

“Now we’re gonna play some NEW STUFF that was actually written in the last ten years!” they yelled. I wouldn’t sure if they were being intentionally ironic, or if something written within the last ten years was actually new to them.

Finally, they stopped playing and said their “Thank you! Now buy things!” speech, and the real work began.

The setup took an inordinate amount of time. Rows of guitars were lined up on the stage, as if they were disposable. Computer monitors were placed at the front of the stage to manage electronic elements, and a giant, Egyptian-themed drumset was placed upon an elevated platform.

The 4-piece stepped out casually; no fanfare or acting was involved. Their faces held the charismatic smiles that you generally only see from those friends of yours that say they are “living life to the fullest” and mean it. Without attempting to be dark and evil, or bad and sexy, they stepped out, beerbellies hanging out without tension, and began to play.

Everything was forgotten. Immediately, one could notice that the digital output from the pre-recorded electronic elements was perfect. It filled the concert hall with a haunted, echoing theme that inspired both silence and reverie.

In regards to lighting, sound, and musician performance, the entire production was without error. The band continued on as local musicians in the audience made insightful comments along the lines of “YEAH ITS PRETTY GOOD,” and “THESE GUYS ARE GOOD AT PLAYING GUITAR.”

The performance consisted of orchestrated elements that rose and fell with the music. At the peak of intensity, the performers would tense up in zen-like focus, picking at advanced solo melodies at a speed beyond measurement. Between the high moments of rock intensity, electronically lead soft sections would serenade the audience into a trance, the lights dark and dim.

Letting my dress-code-appropriate guitarist friend hold my camera for a moment, I gave into the resistance to join the center of the pit. Fighting against metal heads, misled teenage girls, and backwards-cap bros, I dodged, rolled, slammed, gyrated, and banged my body into complete and total exhaustion as Nile maintained their enthusiasm. Strangely, a part of myself hoped that they would notice me. Photographers can be a nuisance to performers sometimes, and I wanted them to know that was giving my all to support them.

The overall experience was satisfyingly lengthy. Playing through a large selection of songs, Nile gave the audience an experience that was well worth their money. That, and Slim’s also offers free water at a cooler in the back of the room. Win!

The production is likely to garner as much debate as the songs themselves.  Nile’s trademark wall-of-sound approach has been replaced by a flat and largely sterile production that zaps the power of the compositions and comes across as thin and lifeless.  Whether this was an intentional new approach to change-up their sonic palette is open to debate but the results are baffling and the subpar recording limits the impact of the songs.  Song-wise, there are hints that Nile is running low on fresh ideas, with an overall lack of memorability and truly killer riffs detracting from the album.

Still, despite its flaws, there is plenty to sink your teeth into here.  All the Nile trademarks are in place; from the Egyptian-themed threads in the atmosphere and instrumentation, three-pronged vocal attack and of course the technical chops, dense riffing and frantic drumming that listeners are accustomed too.

George Kollias delivers a particularly precise, frenetic performance on the skins.   “The Inevitable Degradation of Flesh” has his limbs in a hyper-speed flurry of blast beats, blinding fills and relentless double bass.   The mid-paced groove around the three-minute mark should have the necessary weight to level pyramids but its power is overshadowed by the meek production; rendering the bass drums to clicky thuds rather than the hefty blows they should be delivering.

Although never a strong point for Nile, their trend of multiple vocals at the very least serves to add variety, well-illustrated on“The Fiends who Come to Steal the Magick of the Deceased”. The guttural growls and hoarse shouts are counter punched by an oddly melodic semi-clean chant of “I will embrace you” that actually fits well amongst the chaos.   This multi-faceted composition stands as an early album highlight; laced with quality riffs, fluid time changes and Nile’s technical flair and raw brutality.

“When my Wrath is Done” opens with a short burst of Middle-Eastern flavored acoustics before traversing a ragged structure of multiple tempo shifts, visceral riffs and wildly chaotic leads that cut a swathe atop the insanely fast rhythms underneath.Obligatory interlude “Slaves of Xul” breaks up the pace, its hypnotic rhythms offset by unsettling vocalizations and tribal chanting. Spiralling melodic leads and sinister atmospheric touches complement the lurching gait and mid-paced groove on the impressive album closer, “The Chaining of the Iniquitous”.  Elsewhere, it’s typical Nile farebut rarely hitting the esteemed heights of their highly regarded discography.

Nileare rightfully lauded as modern day legends in the American death metal landscape, but the bottom line is; At the Gate of Sethu doesn’t stack up to the band’s best work.  On the flipside they do sound as pissed off as ever and play with the kind of energy, skill and precision one would expect from such a professional unit; while Karl Sanders’ unfailing enthusiasm for Egyptian culture and history is admirable.

Devotees will likely enjoy this album on some level,but it might have many pondering where Nile will go next and if they have enough creative juices left to deliver another album of the calibre of Black Seeds of Vengeance or Annihilation of the Wicked.

The important thing to understand about this assessment of Those Whom the God Detest is that it is not a question of whether it is a good or bad death metal album; it is a great death metal album any way you slice it. It is a matter of degree of greatness, an argument similar to one I made in a recent review of the new LP by The Chasm. Nile has raised the bar so high for death metal that calling a release a disappointment doesn’t really make a whole hell of a lot of sense. An examination of the new album in the context of the Nile catalogue as a whole reveals that is not as good as its three aforementioned predecessors, but better overall than either Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka and Black Seeds of Vengeance, at least from the standpoint of songwriting dynamics (yes, I love those first two albums too, but let’s try to be objective for fuck’s sake).

What “not as good as” really means though is that Nile has not topped themselves and for the first time – maybe the second, depending on your view of Ithyphallic – the band sounds more predictable and less technically dizzying. There was a time when a new Nile album was overwhelmingly shocking in its intensity and jaw-dropping in its technicality, but the genre has begun catching up with the South Carolina quartet the last few years and making those kinds of albums has become a lot harder.

Now that we’ve split hairs and qualified to a nauseating extent, the fact of the matter is that if you loved Nile before, there isn’t a damn thing about Those Whom the Gods Detest that will change your mind. Perhaps more telling is that most would still dub it one of the best death metal albums of 2009. The only difference from past years is that it will not be considered the best. The arrangements continue to be defined by swirling vortexes of solos and riffs, sometimes spiraling away from each other and sometimes meeting in the middle to synergistically create a whole new form of energy. Non-traditional (for metal) Middle Eastern instrumentation continues to be utilized and sounds great (check out “Yezd Desert Ghul Ritual in the Abandoned Towers of Silence”), while Toler-Wade’s vocals are the most intelligible of any Nile album to date, making the affair that much more accessible, relatively speaking of course. Other new twists include Islamic prayer (presumably) chants (e.g. “Fafir I”) and something approaching an actual sung chorus on the title track that initially takes one aback and then gradually grows into the album’s most memorable cut. In fact, I find the most recent spins of the disc to be far more enjoyable than the first few, so it does seem to be a grower.

What it all boils down to is that the vast majority of folks will find Those Whom the Gods Detest to be a first rate death metal album. It is only the death metal diehards (writers and fans alike) that will find any fault at all with the new effort. Perhaps what best sums up my view of the new album is that it will not be a Top 10 year-end list selection for me, but a Top 20, maybe 25, is a distinct possibility.

It’s obvious at this point to conscious metal fans that Nile is going to continue to deliver what they are good at and satisfy longtime fans. Unless they start singing clean choruses about their ex-wives and playing three chord structures. Karl is still on top of his game when it comes to all that is Anthropologic in the lyrics. Mainly focusing on Tyson’s Necronomicon, all ten opus’s deal with Cthulhu, Azagthoth, curses, and spells to beat the band. Being my first actual listen completely through a Nile record I am quite befuddled at the ancient wisdom that Mr. Sanders holds in his mortal mind. There is no question that he is one of the most intelligent songwriters in metal and all should bow before him in awe rather you like his music or not. Just to give you a sense of how awesome the content of the lyrics are, the song “Papyri Containing the Spell to Protect the Possessor From Attacks From He Who Is in the Water”, is from the book of Overthrowing Apep and it’s a spell to keep crocodiles from attacking your boat. Now that’s some interesting shit. WTF? Imagine if you introduced this bands concept to a non-metal knowing person.

Musically the trio’s attack is more brutal than ever. Middle Eastern melodies flourish this record just like the back catalogue, and Sander’s virtuosity is nothing less than spectacular. Sanders recently stated in Decibel Magazine, “solo’s should have a purpose dramatically”. Honestly, everything the band throws out is dramatic and intense. Along with Behemoth’s new release, Ithyphallic is homage to Morbid Angel and a true death metal sensibility.

The main difference in this record isn’t style or change necessarily, but the accessibility of the tunes verses later works. This is as I said my first “real” Nile experience, and that is mainly because of how ridiculously outlandish the music was before. There is a strong sense of structure over the chaotic pummeling of drumbeats and riffs. This is something I feel has happened over the years as Nile grows and has grasped good writing. Basically becoming even more of an unstoppable beast with a monster record label by their side, Nuclear Blast.

We all know Nile and what they are capable of. If you don’t then you are missing in action. Ithyphallic isn’t re-inventing death metal or anything, its really just doing the same number with a few more kicks. There isn’t a whole lot that changes from record to record with these guys except lyrical content and subject matter dealt with in each composition. However, Nile has learned to structure more and make their music more accessible to a wider range of audience. Which in itself is an awesome accomplishment for such a talented act. Ithyphallic is still miles above the rest in the genre. The only thing it’s contending with is itself.

By Shane Wolfensberger

So album number four from Saunders and his cronies, now with Greek drummer George Kollias (Nightfall) attempting to fill the considerable shoes of Derek Roddy, Pete Hammoura, and Tony Laureano, and boy does he. The question for most Nile fans won’t be whether they get this album, I’m sure most already own it; the question is how does it stack up to the prior albums? Pretty well, like I said earlier what are you expecting? This is ferocious, often brilliant shredding death metal with Egyptian overtones, so in that aspect it essentially follows the exact same template of the prior three albums, and it all honestly is interchangeable with anything preceding it.  There’s the usual injections of haunting, otherworldly instrumentation (“Dusk Falls Upon the Temple of the Serpent on the Mount of Sunrise”, “Spawn of Uamenti”), some wrist mangling blasters (“Cast Down the Heretic”, “The Burning Pits of the Duat”) and some epic, doomy dirges (“User-Maat-Re”, “Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten”) so it touches all of the expected Nile bases with talent and skill aplomb.

I won’t bore you with song by song descriptions as if you own any Nile album, you know the score by now. The thing is with the album, despite it’s at time vast savagery and deft levels of complexity, its missing ‘something’. That something isn’t speed as tracks like the aforementioned “Cast Down the Heretic”, “Sacrifice Unto Sebek”, “The Burning Pits of the Duat” and “Lashed to the Slave Stick” are arguably Nile’s most brutally concise, direct and possibly “Egypt” free tracks, it’s the longer epic songs that don’t click for me. “User-Maat-Re”, “Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten” and the title track try everso hard to recreate the sweeping majesty of the likes of ‘To Dream of Ur” and “Unas, Slayer of the Gods”, but just don’t imbue the same mix and dread and undulating grandeur. Still, don’t let that detract you Nile fans, the fast songs pretty much make this album a way above average death metal.

The now experienced Neil Kernon (Cannibal Corpse, Deicide), fills out Nile’s sound better than their prior albums with everything being less muddier than before and it seems to favor the slightly less forceful Egyptian elements (there’s no extended monkish chants). Of course lyrically there’s no surprises from the pen of Mr. Sanders who displays his painstaking research in the subject matter for each song (even using actual wav files of various Crocodile calls and roars for “Spawn of Uamenti”), but it’s rather ineffectual considering the three way vocal attack of Sanders, Jon Vesano, and Dallas Tyler Wode is a virtual grunt fest. Wode is now fully involved on the song writing, possibly explaining the slightly less gregarious ethnic elements that are now more intertwined in the longs rather than needless filler (“Chapter of Obeisance Before Giving Breath to the Inert One in the Prese” and the Lovecraftian lore inspired “Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten” or “Of Nameless Cults”).

Ultimately Annihilation of the Wicked is a damned good album, and will no doubt garner much well deserved year end credit, as skill wise and song writing wise, Nile appear to be the US’s cream of the crop. However, I can’t flag that ‘running in place feeling’ that Nile has painted themselves into a stylistic corner (by choice obviously). How many brutal Egyptian themed death metal albums can you make before its starts to get a little ‘samey’ and predictable (“Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten” vs. “Unas, Slayer of the Gods”)?  My opinion? Four.

Either way, after some line-up changes, Nile faces an uphill struggle as they reach the all-important third album. While the last two albums have been widely acclaimed, Nile find themselves having to reach the standard they themselves set, while pleasing the metal press and fans. Personally, even though I loved the last two efforts, they are not albums I often find my self reaching for on a regular basis, as the chaotic speed that fills much of the material, struck me as repetitive. I preferred the slower more crushing moments, so it was it was with some trepidation as I hit play on In Their Darkened Shrines.

Let me put you out of your misery first – this album kills, and as much as I hate to be a bandwagoneer, it’s just the simple truth. Nile has released a devastating album, regardless of “gimmicks” or expectations. Despite the line-up changes, Karl Sanders is the mainman, and main songwriter so don’t expect anything too drastically different. Yes, new drummer Tony Laureano puts on an inhuman display, and new bassist/vocalist Jon Vesano (Dark Moon) is admirable, providing the rumbling backdrop to Karl’s frantic guitars, but this is still Karl’s show. The first two songs “The Blessed Dead” and “Execration Texts” explode from the speakers with their usual ridiculous speed, and are typical Nile, with dizzying pace and high-end sonic intensity. But the riffs seem a little more refined and separate, not as seemingly out of control as prior songs. Then comes one of the more pleasing aspects of Nile’s sound – the head-crushing slow song. “Sarcophagus” is the “Stones of Sorrow” of In Their Darkened Shrines. It’s a sweeping, drudging tune that is a perfect setback for endless horizon of the sweltering desert. And what impresses me not only in this song, but also throughout the album is Nile’s ability to create the ancient mystique of Egypt without the complete reliance on samples or interludes; the riffs themselves are now the main bearers of that task. As “Sarcophagus” demonstrates its depressive, merciless sluggish pace (with minimal synth work), the drawn out riffs simply draw you in to an ancient wasteland of brutal rites and sacrifice.

 If “Sarcophagus” is equivalent to “Stones of Sorrow”, then standout track “Unas, The Slayer of Gods” is “To Dream of Ur.” At over 11 minutes, this behemoth of a song is Nile’s finest hour ever. Starting out with some mood setting Arabian acoustics, the song soon reverts to epic scale with some spine-grating rhythms and blastbeats that sound like someone just hooked an amplifier into a beehive; but again the speed is a little more refined and coherent. The slower segments just ooze from the speakers with asp-like predatory mobility; seeking their prey. If that’s not enough, the mammoth war-drum/horn section at 5:26 is simply devastating, which then breaks out into a blast beat/solo of vast proportions. It’s not hard to realize that Nile are, in fact, unstoppable and are at the top of the death metal genre with good reason.

 “Churning the Maelstrom” returns to the hyper speed chaos of prior albums, and seems somewhat disappointing after previous stunner, but will surely satisfy fans thirsting for speed-driven intensity. However, the redemption is complete when “I Whisper in the Ears of the Dead” saturates your mind with its lurching gait and trance-inducing heaviness. Even the Toler-Wade penned “Winds of Horus” is a suitable addition to the Nile cataloge, even if it is possibly the least Egyptian sounding song they’ve recorded – it’s just a skullcrusher of a death metal song that many U.S. acts wish they could claim credit for. Then it’s the coup de grace. The four part concept title track shows how far Nile have evolved in three albums. These songs are probably the most sample-laden, with many a synth/horn moment. Part I: “Hall of Saurian Entombment” drips atmosphere and creates images of unwilling slaves being dragged down flame-lit hallways of subterranean stone to their sacrificial demise. The Toler-Wade songwriting shows up again on Part II: “Invocation to Seditious Heresy” again; it is just sheer death metal havoc ending with a somber drum-laden flourish that creates enough sandy ambiance to make it “feel” like Nile. Sanders takes over completely from here on with the last two parts (“Destruction of the Temple of the Enemies of Ra” and “Ruins”). He really cranks up the Egypt-O-Meter to 11 Pharaohs out of 10 with serpentine riffs and winding arabesque score-like qualities, but it’s a fittingly powerful ending, as a sun setting on a harsh civilization’s brutal reign.

 This album does not disappoint, and with Toler-Wade acting as a balance to Sanders, the album seems a lot less gimmicky and far more straightforward death metal that happens to have an underlying theme. There are none of the 5 minute chants or superfluous filler “songs” that were overkill of the Egyptian theme. Instead that’s all done within the framework of the songs this time around. Vocally, all band members share the equally indecipherable growling duties, with Vesano getting most of the work; but to be honest, he doesn’t differ that much from prior cavernous bellows put forth on Nile albums, which is a shame as Nile offers up some of the deepest non-typical death metal lyrics ever. If the Egyptian thing can be considered a “gimmick,” while every other band is content to kick out gore/Satanic lyrics, then something is horribly wrong with the scene.

Production-wise, it’s perfect, although not quite as clean or bass heavy as Black Seeds of Vengeance, yet the slower segments are monstrous at the bottom end. This album will no doubt be at the top of many year end lists. I know it will be on mine, but this time I think In Their Darkened Shrines is far more deserving of the honors it will no doubt receive, as the first two were acclaimed more for novelty value than anything else. Either way Nile’s In Their Darkened Shrines adds to an already solid year for Relapse.