Majestic !! February 17

When I arrived at "Aux Portes Du Metal", was my first column Those Whom The Gods Detest, Nile.
Of course, I already knew the band, but I had not yet had the opportunity to inspire me to this point, this album embodying a form of perfection in the world of Death Metal.
Well imagine you at the time, I asked myself two questions: "How can they do better after such killing?" (Which is the typical question when one has just taken a huge slap) and "Will they include more orchestral passages based Egyptian elements?" (I hoped).

When "At The Gate Of Sethu", the seventh album of the American band, has been proposed for chronic, I rushed over with a slight apprehension (see the two questions), coupled with a frank excitement.

Nile on this album (and the other for that matter), it is a combination of four aspects: technical and powerful music (imposing rhythmic, funky solos); a wide variety of tempos (abducted, mid or doomesques); Egyptian melodies (Karl Sanders uses instruments that do not belong to the Egyptian folklore but well transcribe the typical sounds, namely saz baglama and Glissentar) which make the originality of the group and found in the compositions , in favor of certain riffs ("The Fiends Who Come To Steal The Magick Of The Deceased") or hand during intros ("When My Wrath Is Done," "The Chaining Of The Iniquitous"), or as a whole (the instrumental "Ethno-Musicological Cannibalisms"); a very interesting vocal diversity that brings a lot to the music.

On "At The Gate Of Sethu", I quickly realized the obvious: new album, new slaughter !!

The production is excellent, accurate and balanced. It is again signed Neil Kernon (Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Dokken, Nevermore ...).
If Nile did not dramatically change his music, however, he addressed the album giving priority to voice and riffs, purely Metal arrangements, and reduces the duration of the pieces. Density / power / intensity / technique are four essential qualifiers this cake. The Egyptian atmosphere, integral to the identity of Nile, are distilled at smaller doses than before.
Jon Vesano (former bassist Nile) was asked about the title "Slaves Of Xul" and "Court Of The Dead".
Mike Breazeale (vocals, which participated in the solo album of Karl Sanders Saurian Exorcisms) is present on the title The Fiends Who Come To Steal The Magick Of The Deceased.

One of the highlights of Nile, it is this great diversity in voice (supported by Karl and Dallas). Voice death deep well, but those less guttural skinned, tormented, bringing to an interesting dramatization, allow further immersion in the album, making it even more exciting.

With "At The Gate Of Sethu" Nile was concentrating on Metal itself, offering us a technical Death due to lightning acceleration, deceleration (the calm before the storm!) Solos hair-raising, all sometimes being decorated indispensable and unavoidable Egyptian sonorities.
As I indicated to you earlier, the titles are often shorter on this album, the maximum efficiency being sought.
So it seems to me that the compo that holds the palm of brevity, while remaining very rich, is "When My Wrath Is Done." In a little over three minutes is a distillation of Nile which we are entitled: acoustic intro, although heavy plane then gradual acceleration and variety of tempos on later instrumental passages with fabulous solos and obviously diversity voice typical of the group.
It's the ultimate compo album, "Supreme Humanism Of Megalomania", which holds the palm of the longest piece (a little more than seven minutes on the clock). It turns out different from the rest of the album, since it takes time, preferring to indulge in some swift tempi (accelerations are banned), implying a consequent heavy and bleak atmospheres, an end orchestral, in the tone of the rest of the compo, rounds off.

When I chronicled "Those Whom The Gods Detest" I wanted there to be more orchestrations ... and the opposite happened with "At The Gate Of Sethu". Frankly, after listening many times, this is the right choice, Nile with this opus propelled to the heights of its kind ... as was the case with its predecessor!

"At The Gate Of Sethu" is therefore an effective new album, inspired and technically perfect, magnified by a flawless production.
The band really has a knack for creating high-end arrangements, immersing us irreversibly into this impressive universe of power and involved atmosphere.
Ultimately, obtaining "At The Gate Of Sethu" is a must!

Tracklist of At The Gate Of Sethu:

01. Enduring The Eternal Molestation Of Flame
02. The Fiends Who Come To Steal The Magick Of The Deceased
03. The Inevitable Degradation Of Flesh
04. When My Wrath Is Done
05. Slaves Of Xul
06. The Gods Who Light Up The Sky At The Gate Of Sethu
07. Natural Liberation Of Fear Through The Ritual Deception Of Death
08. Ethno-Musicological Cannibalisms
09. Court Of The Dead
10. Supreme Humanism Of Megalomania
11. The Chaining Of The Iniquitous

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