Nile | Artist
Nile is an American death metal band formed 1993 in Greenville, South Carolina, by Karl Sanders (guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards, baglama, bouzouki, glissentar), Chief Spires (bass, vocals), and Pete Hammoura (drums, vocals, dumbeck). Their current lineup consists of founding member Karl Sanders, George Kollias (drums), Brian Kingsland (guitars, vocals), Dan Vadim Von (bass, vocals), and Zach Jeter (guitars, vocals). The band is known for their lyrical and musical style, which is inspired by Egyptology and works of H. P. Lovecraft. The founding trio were previously in a band called Morriah, which was around since the 1980s, and recorded one demo EP. Nile released a self-titled thrash-influenced demo in 1994 which was re-issued in 2011 under the title Worship the Animal - The Lost Recordings. The band then released the Festivals of Atonement EP in 1995, leading Nile to a southwestern tour in support of other metal acts such as Obituary, Deicide, and Broken Hope. The EP Ramses Bringer of War was then released by Visceral Productions in 1997. The band's first full-length album Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka, was released on Relapse Records, giving Nile a wider distribution and a chance to tour with Incantation and Morbid Angel. Since its formation, the band has released ten studio albums, the most recent The Underworld Awaits us All (2024) coming after a five year gap from their previous album. Standout albums include In Their Darkened Shrines (2002), Annihilation of the Wicked (2005), Those Whom the Gods Detest (2009), and The Underworld Awaits Us All (2024). Their idiosyncratic sound combines the extreme speed and nihilism of technical death metal with the mysticism and ancient melodies of Middle Eastern music, setting them apart from their heavy metal contemporaries. Always a critical favourite, the band's latest album has attracted strong reviews, such as the following from RYM: "Technical death metal just how I like it, fast and intense with great melodies and song structures to keep each song feeling fresh. Longer songs like "True Gods of the Desert" go on great journey's with lyrical themes and the instruments matching the wavering intensity. Then there's a quick song like "To Strike with Secret Fang" which is so blisteringly quick but addictive with its intense sound". The name of the band was taken from the Nile river, consistent with Karl Sanders' obsession with all things ancient Egyptian.
Artist Website: nile-official.com
Featured Albums: Nile
Related Artists: Temple of Thieves, Karl Sanders
