A Retrospective on Nile
Part 6 - Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest (Nuclear Blast)< 5 - 'Annihilation Of The Wicked' | 7 - Next Album >
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| Those Whom The Gods Detest |
Track list:
1. Kafir!
2. Hittite Dung Incantation
3. Utterances Of The Crawling Dead
4. Those Whom The Gods Detest
5. 4th Arra Of Dagon
6. Permitting The Noble Dead To Descend To The Underworld
7. Yezd Desert Ghul Ritual In The Abandoned Towers Of Silence
8. Kem Khefa Khesef
9. The Eye Of Ra
10. Iskander Dhul Kernon
The bludgeoning force that is Nile dominates the underground technical death metal scene, and these gods of guitar shredding prove their dominance with their latest release, Those Whom The Gods Detest. Guitarists Dallas Toler-Wade and Karl Sanders join drumming legend George Kollias to record their most outspoken album to date, blasting its predecessors out of the water.
The first thing you'll notice about this album is the massively improved production. Previous albums often sounded too messy, and the guitars were practically unfathomable and lost in a sea of highly-trebled distortion. There's no denying that Nile's sixth studio piece is the clearest sounding record so far, but that takes nothing away from the typical brutality that can be expected from Nile. Song quality is just amazing. The mix of melodious riffs and shredded noise is almost perfect, and Toler-Wade's vocals are impeccable.
Opening track "Kafir!" will blow you away right from the moment the song's title is bellowed into your ears. Thumping drums, strong, thick bass and fast-as-fuck riffs fly about the place like nothing you've ever heard. "Utterances Of The Crawling Dead" is one of the album's best tracks, along with the title track which contains a great chorus that will have you striking your best death metal pose in the mirror, wailing "We are They Whom The Gods Detest" at yourself.
"The Eye Of Ra" is a blistering track that you'll cling onto with your life. The lyrical content is astounding, and I guarantee that learning the words to this monster of a song will enhance your listening experience tenfold. Lyrics are neatly organised in the booklet that comes with the CD, along with Karl Sanders' own song meanings, which are always a joy to read. The verse riff on "The Eye Of Ra" is unbelievable. Karl Sanders himself challenges anyone to play it, because it truly is a frenzy of finger-blurring low-end riffage. I don't even dare try it for the fear of breaking my fingers.
Concluding my look at Nile's impressive career, I have to say that Those Whom The Gods Detest is Nile finest album yet. Old school fans tend to cling onto their more dated albums, citing them as being masterpieces of death metal, but in truth, Nile have only ever gotten better, and their sixth record proves that with every track.
Metalholic's Rating: 9.5/10
Personally...: This was my first Nile purchase, and it remains one of my favourite metal records. I bought it when it first came out, after I heard Nile's "Lashed To The Slave Stick" and fell completely in love. Since I bought Those Whom The Gods Detest, have been expanding my Nile collection, but this album stands firmly as my favourite. I saw the band in February 2011 in London, and I was blown away. Bring on album number 7!
Three Top Tracks:
The Eye Of Ra
Permitting The Noble Dead To Descend To The Underworld
Kem Khefa Khesef
Did You Know?: Current Nile bassist Chris Lollis doesn't feature on Those Whom The Gods Detest. Dallas Toler-Wade covered the bass tracks for the entire album.
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Part 7 - Nile's next album >
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