Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Nile At the Gate of Sethu Company: Nuclear Blast Records Release: 2012 Genre: Death Reviewer: ChaosLord

Fast, hard and technical

Death metal titans Nile return with their newest offering, "At the Gate of Sethu" and pick up right where they left off in 2009 with "Those Whom The Gods Detest". For those who aren't familiar with Nile, the band continually takes you on a new metal voyage with each release being substantially faster and more intense than the previous; all the while you imagine yourself in Egypt during its heyday and being subjected to the judgement and wrath of their deities.

"Gate" has a little bit of a different feel music-wise than some of the previous releases as their is a bit of doom metal thrown in for a change. The doom fits in nicely with the fast, frenetic pace the band usually attacks its listeners with. Main guitarist/vocalist Karl Sanders has his traditional death growl still rattling but has also thrown in some clean vocals that are reminiscent of Oderus Urungus from GWAR. The death vocals of Sanders continue to evolve and aside from Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under, I feel that he has a very unique delivery with his vocals that sets him apart from the plethora of death metal bands on the scene today.

The metal side of the music has always been balls to the wall--play fast, hard and technical for the band and they show no signs of slowing down at all. They do thrown in some Middle Eastern themed music pieces to add ambience to the Egyptian feel that they try to hold on each album. I do like the little interludes and pieces but sometimes find myself disinterested in them. Being a fan of Egyptology, I love the atmosphere they bring and the references that the band use in their lyrics in reference to the pantheon of gods and mythology.

Nile is definitely a band that takes some getting used to and though I've been listening to the band since 2000, I still find myself really only listening to them when I'm in the mood. I can't throw them in and listen to them whenever like I can with most metal bands, I have to want to listen to the album as I feel you really need to listen to the albums carefully to enjoy all the work the band puts into each release.

Fans of more technical, edgy death metal with traditional elements will definitely want to check this album out and fans of the band will no doubt be snatching this up before the mummy's curse can afflict them for not purchasing it quickly enough.