I also posted this at GameFAQs, but I figured I did enough work that it deserves being posted here =P
Artist: Nile
Album: In Their Darkened Shrines
Genre: Ithyphallic Death Metal
Running time: 58:45
Tracks: 12
This is easily one of the best death metal albums I've ever heard. Nile do an excellent job of combining Death Metal and Egyptian elements, and even a bit of prog in this album. Of course, this is still extremely brutal death metal. Almost every song is backed by inhumanly fast blasting. Every song is just brutal double bass ear rape. The guitars do an awesome job on top of the drumming, creating brutality and atmosphere. Lots of the songs have some high notes thrown in with the standard death metal chords, which really help create the atmosphere. The bass isn't really audible, but when it is, it's just standard plodding through mud death metal bass. But that's the mud of the Nile you're plodding through! The booklet credits 5(!) different vocalists, and you can definitely tell. The growls range from rather intelligible (With the lyric sheet) to gutteral ass-gargle word-like sounds. On the note of the lyrics, they're rather well written for Death Metal, dealing not only with gore! They're based on actual research done by members of the band (Mostly Sanders). The liner notes include full lyrics, and full lyrical explanation, which is awesome.
As for the individual songs, they all rock. Not one weak song, and every song actually manages to sound different (Though the first two kinda start with similar blasting). Especially of note are the songs Sarcophagus, which is a slow, plodding rise from the crypt through the sands of Egypt. It's pretty much doom metal, and the riffs are just absolutely crushingly heavy and killer. Unas, Slayer of the Gods, the 11 minute long epic of Death Metal proportions, is amazing. Starting off with an Egyptian guitar, going into a surprisingly melodic blast+vocals, slowing down, speeding up, etc. About halfway through a horn comes in and creates incredibly thick atmosphere before a blast/solo cuts it to pieces. It's amazing. There's even a little spoken word. The second guitarist, Dallas Toller-Wade writes 3 of the songs, and they lack the Egyptian feel of the Sanders written songs, but they're absolute Death Metal fests any band would be proud of. The last 4 songs are part of a concept (In Their Darkened Shrines) and they all flow into each other well. 2 are instrumentals, and one starts off with a kickin' drum swell. Awesome songs.
This is easily one of the best albums I've ever heard.
Song writing: 9
Musicianship: 9
Vocals: 10
Production: 10
Overall: 9.5
Buy it now!
Artist: Nile
Album: In Their Darkened Shrines
Genre: Ithyphallic Death Metal
Running time: 58:45
Tracks: 12
This is easily one of the best death metal albums I've ever heard. Nile do an excellent job of combining Death Metal and Egyptian elements, and even a bit of prog in this album. Of course, this is still extremely brutal death metal. Almost every song is backed by inhumanly fast blasting. Every song is just brutal double bass ear rape. The guitars do an awesome job on top of the drumming, creating brutality and atmosphere. Lots of the songs have some high notes thrown in with the standard death metal chords, which really help create the atmosphere. The bass isn't really audible, but when it is, it's just standard plodding through mud death metal bass. But that's the mud of the Nile you're plodding through! The booklet credits 5(!) different vocalists, and you can definitely tell. The growls range from rather intelligible (With the lyric sheet) to gutteral ass-gargle word-like sounds. On the note of the lyrics, they're rather well written for Death Metal, dealing not only with gore! They're based on actual research done by members of the band (Mostly Sanders). The liner notes include full lyrics, and full lyrical explanation, which is awesome.
As for the individual songs, they all rock. Not one weak song, and every song actually manages to sound different (Though the first two kinda start with similar blasting). Especially of note are the songs Sarcophagus, which is a slow, plodding rise from the crypt through the sands of Egypt. It's pretty much doom metal, and the riffs are just absolutely crushingly heavy and killer. Unas, Slayer of the Gods, the 11 minute long epic of Death Metal proportions, is amazing. Starting off with an Egyptian guitar, going into a surprisingly melodic blast+vocals, slowing down, speeding up, etc. About halfway through a horn comes in and creates incredibly thick atmosphere before a blast/solo cuts it to pieces. It's amazing. There's even a little spoken word. The second guitarist, Dallas Toller-Wade writes 3 of the songs, and they lack the Egyptian feel of the Sanders written songs, but they're absolute Death Metal fests any band would be proud of. The last 4 songs are part of a concept (In Their Darkened Shrines) and they all flow into each other well. 2 are instrumentals, and one starts off with a kickin' drum swell. Awesome songs.
This is easily one of the best albums I've ever heard.
Song writing: 9
Musicianship: 9
Vocals: 10
Production: 10
Overall: 9.5
Buy it now!
and i agree Unas Slayer of The Gods is awesome
