Their passion has not left but is invigorated
Nile, the American death metal band, has displayed their renewed energy with Vile Nilotic Rites, their ninth studio album. Karl Sanders, guitarist, vocalist and founding member, revealed to Nuclear Blast that in this album all the members came together in a collaborative effort to make sure that each note and lyric worked together. Every element was “considered as part of a whole” and “the guitars and drums aren’t fighting each other; it’s all working together, cohesive.”
Apparently, a lot of sequences were cut in, and it certainly paid off. Considering this is the first album featuring Brad Parris on bass and Brian Kingsland on guitar and backup vocals, Nile did not let these changes slow them down. While Vile Nilotic Rites may not be earth-shattering, it is clear that the band is not slowing down. Known for Egyptian-themed lyrics, this album continues with this theme. The opener, “Long Shadows of Dread,” is a standard Nile song with typical technical death metal riffs and shredding solos.
“Seven Horns of War” is a stand out track with its clear, chanting vocals which contrast the screaming vocals of the rest of the album. Fitting with the title, horns can be heard near the end of the track. Immediately after, “That Which is Forbidden” starts off with sound effects that come straight out of a horror movie. Ten seconds in, the track transforms with the first strum of the guitar and the first beat of the drum.
Even though it is at the end of the album, “Thus Sayeth the Parasites of the Mind” acts as a break from all the heavy hitters. From the first note of the acoustic, listeners can hear the Eastern melody influences.
Out of the 11 songs, “The Imperishable Stars are Sickened” is the highlight of the album. As the longest track, fans hear all the shifts from the acoustic opening that soon transforms into the quick-served riffs that Nile is known for delivering. The song even contains a brief moment of angelic humming that appeared in “Thus Sayeth the Parasites of the Mind” which again showcases the Eastern influence they incorporate. Unfortunately, the band chose the wrong song to end on. “The Imperishable Stars are Sickened” is the second-to-last track, but would have served as a killer ending to a solid album. Instead, “We are Cursed” finishes out Vile Nilotic Rites. Overall, Nile assures fans that their passion is still burning and renewed.
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