By Ola Mazzuca
If you could pick between sitting in a cold, prison-like classroom reading about ancient Egypt from a textbook or absorbing the lyrical and sonic essence of Nile’s brutal yet educational death metal, what would you choose?
It’s probable that every person reading this would pick the latter, and they will be grateful that they did, for this band’s latest release is truly a masterpiece filled with wicked concepts, great album art and cultured elements.
Those Whom the Gods Detest commences energetically with “Kafir!” while “Utterances Of the Crawling Dead” evokes influence from other well- respected DM bands of today, while still maintaining a signature sound and quality.
The title track is refined with a fantastic instrumental intro that directly plunges into Karl Sanders and Co.’s chants of “We are they whom the gods detest!” along with his intricate guitar work and first-class guttural growl before the album nears “Yezd Desert Ghul Ritual In the Abandoned Towers Of Silence”, a fantastic interlude with a mystic aura until sweep picking dominates on “Kem Khefa Kheshef”.
Nile proved that they really have their shit together, and you can hear this in the band’s strength in creativity. “Iskander Dhul Karnon” closes the album so well, showcasing all elements and levels of musicianship leaving you with absolutely no shortage of blastbeats combined with a lesson on Egypt presented in lyrics.
Better than sitting in a classroom, isn’t it?
(Nuclear Blast)
Rating: 9.0
