With eight critically acclaimed albums, a few EPs and several world tours under their belt, NILE has raised the bar for extreme metal bands musically, lyrically and conceptually. Their withering live performances are nothing short of legendary. Through force of will and dedication to their craft, NILE is one of death metal's brightest hopes for the new millennium. The band's long-awaited new album, Annihilation of the Wicked marks the long-awaited return of one of extreme metal's most revered bands and teems with the blasting extremity and epic arrangements that have become NILE trademarks.
Formed in 1993 by Karl Sanders (guitar/vocals), Chief Spires (bass/vocals), and Pete Hammoura (drums), NILE wasted little time combining their interest in Egyptian history, culture and lore with the ferocity of modern death metal. Using a symphonic approach to songwriting and arrangement, NILE unleashed an uncompromising attack that fused unique, technical death metal with organic Middle Eastern tones.
Their unique lyrical approach was inspired by Sanders' interpretation of ancient Egyptian inscriptions, temple carvings, papyri, hieroglyphics and tomb paintings depicting ancient battles, rituals and religious ceremonies. Each following year brought a new recording, which marked a large step forward in their musical evolution. Things really began to gel in 1996 when, after recording and shopping three new songs, they landed a deal with upstart label Visceral Productions and began recording their debut full-length in addition to adding second guitarist Dallas Toler-Wade. However, the deal would not last as Visceral folded in late 1997. Relapse Records swiftly stepped into the picture and, after hearing the record and witnessing the band's live show, a deal was struck and the two prepared for the release of NILE's debut full-length 'Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka.' This album was a monumental testimony of power that took the metal world by storm. Vicious guitar riffs lashed out among tremendous drum blasts, frenzied guitar solos and a savage three-vocalist onslaught. Adorning their brutal attack with exotic instrumentation, symphonic Middle Eastern passages and haunting chants NILE formed an all-out assault of the likes not heard before. 'Amongst...' was an adventurous and awesome effort and praise for their accomplishment soon followed.
Upon their return home from a grueling 18-month world tour in August 99, Sanders and co. began work assembling and arranging the pieces and ideas that had been brewing since 97 (when the band completed recording “...Nephren-Ka”). Encouraged by the enthusiastic worldwide reception that the band's exploration of Egyptian and Middle Eastern culture and exotic sounds received, and driven by the need, in Sanders' words ...to create a massive record, a kind of masterpiece, they began laying the groundwork for an epic sophomore effort. The writing did not come easy. So ambitious and lofty were their ideas that it became an obsession that took up all their waking moments. The band entered their second home - Columbia, SC's Soundlab Studios - in late Spring 2000 with long-time producer Bob Moore to attempt to capture its then most sprawling, ambitious work to date. “Black Seeds of Vengeance” not only sidestepped the dreaded sophomore slump, but it realized the fruits of NILE's intense and arduous songwriting labors. “Black Seeds of Vengeance” was a relentless, scathing death metal assault that built off the energy and atmosphere of “Amongst...” Their hard work culminated with the album being voted Album of the Year by Terrorizer Magazine.
The band had little time to bask in the critical acclaim as internal problems resulted in the departure of Chief Spires. After a lengthy search Jon Vesano (ex-DARK MOON) was chosen to replace Spires. Re-energized, NILE plunged headfirst into their most ambitious project yet. Working with Bob Moore once again, their long-awaited new full-length “In Their Darkened Shrines” took NILE's astute songwriting and invention to dizzying new heights."In Their Darkened Shrines” fused the band's trademark Middle Eastern trappings, symphonic bent, speed and intensity into one of the most epic death metal albums conceived.
After "Those whom the gods detest" in 2009 and “At The Gate Of Sethu” in 2012, the new upcoming album "What Should Not Be Unearthed" will be released in August 2015. The focus this time around is on brutally Heavy Metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like of an »Annihilation Of The Wicked« approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact. The album was produced by NILE and mixed by Neil Kernon.
