The Underworld Awaits Us All

Nile is one of the pioneering bands of the brutal technical death metal genre, alongside bands like Cryptopsy and Suffocation. However, what has always made this band special is its unique style of handling Egyptian themes, transporting you to that golden era of ancient Egypt. I discovered this band with their legendary album Annihilation of the Wicked, and from that point on, I became a devoted fan of their very unique musical style. This new release gives us a continuation of what we heard on the previous album, Vile Nilotic Rites. Five years have passed, and Karl Sanders, along with George Kollias, delivers one of the most outstanding albums of their career.

The Underworld Awaits Us All is a journey through the entire career of the band; you have that Egyptian atmosphere in most of the songs. I can highlight the song "True Gods of the Desert," which feels like touring the impressive Pyramid of Giza with those choruses that seem to be recited by Ramses II himself. It's not a very fast song; rather, it’s at a mid-pace, which adds variety to the album. However, the entire album is quite fast, as Nile has accustomed us to, with that inhuman drumming by Mr. Kollias, the infectious and technical riffs by Karl and Brian, using their very traditional scales that make it sound like ancient Egypt most of the time. Ultra-fast guitar solos by Sanders are also featured.

It is worth noting the inclusion of female vocals in several tracks on the album, such as "Overlords of the Black Earth" and "Naqada II Enter the Golden Age," which could practically be performed by Cleopatra herself.

The interplay between the vocals is also quite remarkable; no death metal band has that triple vocal attack that seems like a specter rising from the tomb. I don't miss previous members; Brian Kingsland has done a great job on these last two albums, and his influence is increasingly noticeable, making the band lean more towards the technical than the brutal. Everyone will have their favorites, but The Underworld Awaits Us All is among the most notable of their career and shows that Nile still has much to offer.

If you have never listened to this band, I invite you to listen to this new album. It could definitely be a great starting point to delve into the pharaohs of brutal death metal; it has everything an extreme music fan appreciates. Nile doesn’t just sing about being extreme; they play it, they execute it.

For those of us who are quite experienced in the genre, this is a piece of cake. The band’s distinctive style is more than clear.

For me, this is one of the standout albums of 2024. Nile returns with full force, showing how brutal death metal is done.