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Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
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Ever since I was in grade school I’ve been
fascinated by Egyptology, and when you have a band that uses it as the
basis for just about every song, as well as a bit of Lovecraft (one of
my favorite authors) there’s really no way that someone like me can turn
a blind eye of Nile. Hailed as “death metal’s saviors” by some,
Annihilation of the Wicked may very well be the bands most technically
superior offering to date.
Karl Sanders and Nile have always been more than willing to share
Egyptology with everyone, but Annihilation takes things one step further
and the liner notes will detail many of the songs, from the origins of
the lyrics to the creations of the songs, so if you’re not getting
sucked into the music, the education that many songs provide is just
another reason to celebrate this release. After a short but
fantastically composed instrumental, “Dusk Falls Upon The Temple Of The
Serpent On The Mount Of Sunrise,” the onslaught beings with “Cast Down
the Heretic,” and this song is a sheer wall of intense speed intermixed
with the Nile standard Egyptian influenced leads.
“Sacrifice Unto Sebek” follows next, dragging you into the darkest
depths of ancient Egypt, complete with some well place Egyptian script
(no, not hieroglyphics.) The use of Egyptian language though is really
used best in my opinion on the track “Lashed to the Slave Stick,”
perhaps one of the single best songs on the entire Annihilations disc,
and with some heavy deathlike guitar riffs that are going to make this a
favorite of any Nile fan.
There really isn’t any song on Annihilation of the Wicked that doesn’t
show Nile’s supreme talent. The Egyptian style leads are written
perfectly, there’s the magnificence of the three vocal style that
utterly pulverize your senses, the hypnotic wailing guitar on the title
track, the 9 minute endurance test, “Annihilations of the Wicked,” and
the pinch harmonics used in the verses add even more to the song. One
track I feel may go unappreciated however is another instrumental,
“Spawn Of Uamenti,” and having used keyboard plenty in the past (my
history in industrial music) his use of sample and layering is inspiring
to say the least, and while the track is short, it has a darkness that
will bring nightmares to some, influence to others.
Saviors of death metal? No, I’d have to say that Nile is more like death
metal gods, very much like the ones that permeate all of their songs.
Annihilation of the Wicked is will leave your senses shattered and Ra
proclaimeth thou must buy, thou must listen, thou must worship or face
thy own annihilation.
-mike-
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Lineup:
Karl Sanders - Vocals, Guitar
Dallas Toler Wade - Guitar, Vocals
George Kollias - Drums
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Track Listing:
01 - Dusk Falls Upon the Temple of the Serpent on the Mount of Sunrise
02 - Cast Down the Heretic
03 - Sacrifice Unto Sebek
04 - User-Maat-Re
05 - The Burning Pits of the Duat
06 - Chapter of Obeisance Before Giving Breath to the Inert One in the
Presence of the Cresent Shaped Horns
07 - Lashed to the Slave Stick
08 - Spawn of Uamenti
09 - Annihilation of the Wicked
10 - Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten
* 11 - SSS Haa Set Yoth (Japanese Only Bonus Tracks)
Total Playing Time:
52:04
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