Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked

*=Staff's pick	Dusk Falls Upon The Temple Of The Serpent On The Mount Of Sunrise Cast Down The Heretic* Sacrifice Unto Sebek* User-Maat-Re The Burning Pits Of The Duat* Chapter Of Obeisance Before Giving Breath To The Inert One In The Presence Of The Crescent Shaped Horns Lashed To The Slave Stick* Spawn Of Uamenti Annihilation Of The Wicked* Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten*

Genre	Death Metal	Karl Sanders	Vocals
Tracks	10	Karl Sanders	Guitar
Runningtime	52 Min.	Dallas Tooler Wade	Guitar
Label	Relapse Records	Joe Vesano	Bass
Release	23 May 2005	George Kollias	Drums
Country	USA	Karl Sanders	Keyboards
Similar artists	Behemoth

Once again it's time for Nile to release another Egyptian plague upon us, and it is a long awaited plague most welcomed. Lets start with what's happened since the In Their Darkened Shrines (2002). Annihilation Of The Wicked presents another drummer as Tony Laureno have handled over the sticks and battery duties to George Kollias ex. Nightfall among other bands. Otherwise the line-up is about the same as last time, mastermind Karl Sanders leads the legion and invite us on the journey that leads us to the Valley of the Kings, the temple of Karnak and down in the deep Catacombs..Back to Nephren- Ka.

What to say about this band that hasn't already been said? The direction for the band have been straight forward and the standard set extremely high since the debut with Festivals Of Atonement (1995). The band has continued on the chosen way although the member shiftings have been many. Karl Sanders & co have managed to create some of the most unearthly and intelligent death metal material on albums like Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka (1998), Black Seeds of Vengeance (2000) and the aforementioned In Their Darkened Shrines. All of these albums are more or less masterpieces.

Annihilation Of Wicked is recorded, mixed and produced by Neil Kernon and recorded at Soundlab, Columbia, SC. I´ll better mention this, cause the production is massive. As always when it comes to Nile, but I wonder if they have sounded heavier than on this album. Its heavy, crushing and neck breaking in form of a massive and thick sound wall. As sure as the day turns to night, Nile is unbelievable tight even this time.

It strikes me that Annihilation of The Wicked is a two faced creation. They take the perfect step forward in the same spirit as In Their Darkened Shrines but it is also two steps backwards to the Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka album. The riffing and compositions feel very near to the bands' first full length, but in a more refined way. Nicely webbed together with extremely heavy parts like the ones on the Unas Slayer Of The Gods from In Their Darkened Shrines. Perhaps the most logical is that they have simply taken the best elements and parts from their two best releases and created something that can best be described as 'totality'. Annihilation Of The Wicked has got it all which have made Nile to the perhaps most successful death metal band, I say this even though I don't like the thought of music being a competition. Songs like Cast Down The Heretic, Sacrifice Unto Sebek and The Burning Pits Of Duat are simply superior to other opponents and colleagues in the genre. Extremely well handled drums by G. Kollias, the craftsmanship on guitars, vocals and bass from Sanders, Tooler-Wade and Vesano are nothing else than sheer perfection.

The same goes for the arrangements, structures and song buildings that are so well done and beautiful. And who can resist this massive aggression and musical brutality that Nile offers? Even though the speed and heaviness are colossal there is always a melody, a line that leads the music forward. A serious meaning with every single tune and rhythm change. It never stagnates or getting noisy or disharmonic. Like a sandstorm that sweeps over ancient desert battlefields. It all feels very genuine, honest and real. A plus also for the detailed explanations to the songs that once again comes with the folder.

If you are fed up with the common and ordinary blood and gore theme and wants something more out of extreme music - like depth and a meaning, for example - Annihilation Of The Wicked is the album to own. In fact I think it would be a serious crime not owning this album. Don't think I've heard a record with this calibre since last years Demigod with Behemoth. Perfection!

See also review of: Those Whom The Gods Detest

Production	Vocals	Compositions
10	9	10

Summary
10 chalices of 10 - Tim