Review Summary: Wake the fuck up, Tutankhamun
Nile was and is a band that exists solely within their own sphere.They are a band that, through sheer monstrous force and omega dweedling manage to turn up both the undead and the lost dessicated body of Brendan Frasier. This is best represented off of the likes of
Those Whom the Gods Detest and
Annihilation of the Wicked, however the true turning point in Niles career is the (almost) as wicked
In Their Darkened Shrines.
Take "Sacrophagus". Weaving riffs flurry about like a Saharan sandstorm while Karl grunts and growls his way to the Egyptian throne, whilst the drums absolutely lay waste to anyone in his way. Everything here is full-scale warfare, with a production and mixing tailor made to serve. While the massive maelstrom is on its own impressive, the perfect balance between clarity and muddiness serves to empower such a sound.
This all aside, it is the way Nile finally starts to realize their vision that makes this such a pivotal record. Take "Unas, Slayer of Gods". It's grimier and more sinister than near anything they've released before, with sludgy riffs that invoke a sense of dread as you find yourself in the darkest underbelly of a winding mausoleum. 60 bpm and bludgeoning or 360 bpm and catastrophic,
In Their Darkened Shrines truly does sound like the utterings of an ancient spellbook, written by the one true Egyptian ruler himself, Brendan Frasier.
