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Nile: Worship the animal
21/11/11 || Smalley
It’s funny; I don’t like Nile’s first 2 full-lengths at all, but I’m actually digging this re-mastered version of their very first demo pretty well, or, at least more than I was expecting to. Sure, I’d rather be getting a real new album instead, but if Nile needs to take an extra year off to craft it properly, especially after all the energy they put into “Those whom the gods detest…”, who am I to complain? Just don’t take an extra two years, you don’t need that long. Anyway, even though “Worship the animal” has the exact same lineup as on Nile’s debut full-length, “Amongst the catacombs…”, it’s still a very different story musically than that, or any other subsequent release by them; instead of the brutal, frantic death metal with ultra-guttural vocals and atmospheric Egyptian instrument-interludes they’re now known for, “Worship the animal” sees the young band trying out a number of sounds in their formative years.
Some of it is still tech death-y, like on opener “La chant du cygre” (oh no, Frog metal!), but it isn’t as intense instrumentally as they’ve become since, and the track has this unexpected, choppy Atheist vibe to it (though with less speed), even in the a-less-abrasive-Kelly-Shaefer vocal style Karl Sanders has. It ain’t Nile’s best work, but for the first demo from a new band, it’s still satisfying, and it sounds a hell of a lot better here than it did on the original version. From there, we hear some Sepultura influence in the “Subtraction”-like percussion and “Orgasmatron”-cover like guitar shrieks on the title track, before it goes into a nice, groove metal-y riff and mid-80’s Max Cavalera-like grunting by Sanders.
“Nepenthe” has some guitar work that hints at Nile’s future, more “native”-sounding direction, with some nice, doom-y riffing and good soloing, “Surrounded by fright” is another good cut (if a bit unremarkable), and closer “Mecca” caps it all off nicely with some pure bad-ass percussion and rhythm guitar. Overall, it’s nice grabbag of different influences here, and while they may just be biting it a lot of it from other bands, instead of putting a unique spin on it, they still do it pretty well. They also pull off some apt instrumental work even at this early point, though not up to what they’re playing these days, and at times, Sanders’ vocals uncomfortably sound like a cross between Scott Weiland & Sully from Godsmack. Not I hate either voice, just that I’ve outgrown both of them. But at any rate, for “Worship the animal”, don’t pass it by if you’re into Nile! And don’t pass it by even if you aren’t.
- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Goomba Music
- Website: www.nile-catacombs.net
- Band
- Karl Sanders: guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals
- Chief Spires: bass, vocals
- Pete Hammoura: drums, vocals
- Tracklist
- 01. La Chant du Cygre
- 02. Worship The Animal
- 03. Nepenthe
- 04. Surrounded By Fright
- 05. Mecca
