NILE — At the Gate of Sethu (review)

Album · 2012 · Technical Death Metal

4.5/5 · 2013-01-18
UMUR

"At the Gate of Sethu" is the 7th full-length studio album by US death metal act Nile. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Records in July 2012. It´s the successor to "Those Whom the Gods Detest" from 2009. "At the Gate of Sethu" was produced by Neil Kernon, who has produced every Nile album since "Annihilation of the Wicked (2005)". He has created a rather different sound compared to the last couple of releases and judging by fan reactions to the album, the production seems to be an aquired taste.

...personally the sound production was also one of the first things I noticed was different upon my initial listen. It took quite a few listens before it clicked with me, and I still think I prefer the sound production on the last couple of albums over this one, but when that is said, "At the Gate of Sethu" is still a very well produced album. Brutal and raw sounding and featuring loads of details clearly audible in the mix.

...another feature that is a bit different from the last couple of albums is the vocals. They are more varied and in addition to the two growling type vocal styles that Nile usually use, the music on "At the Gate of Sethu" also include clean vocal parts and some higher pitched aggressive type vocals. The latter type is performed in a sort of theatrical/hysterical manner. Again this is a feature that took some time getting used to, but I´d say the variation in the vocal department successfully provides the music with an extra dimension.

What hasn´t changed in the world of Nile is how well composed and intriguing their music is and how well playing they are as a band. Nile are still extremely skilled musicians and among the elite artist on the death metal scene. As always we´re treated to intriguing lyrics about ancient Egypt/middle east, which song titles like "The Gods Who Light Up the Sky at the Gate of Sethu" and "Slaves of Xul" bear witness to. Other than a couple of shorter instrumentals, "At the Gate of Sethu" is made up of brutal and technically well played death metal tracks. Some, like the opener "Enduring the Eternal Molestation of Flame", are furiously fast paced and brutal, while others are more sophisticated and dynamic like "Supreme Humanism of Megalomania". Common for all tracks are the many twists and turns, tempo changes, and creative songwriting ideas. Even at their most simple and direct, Nile are never really simple. A level of sophistication as high as this is rare in death metal. Thankfully it´s never at the expense of power and aggression.

So "At the Gate of Sethu" might have been a slow grower that didn´t impress me much upon initial listens, but sometimes patience and an open mind can change one´s perspective. To my ears it´s obvious that Nile have lost none of their vitality, originality, or sophistication in the process of developing their sound. They´ve opened up for new ideas and maybe it was a good time to do that. As great as the last three albums are, they feature a very similar sound and style. "At the Gate of Sethu" is slightly different and I praise the boldness to try a few new things. A 4.5 star (90%) rating is deserved.