NILE — Vile Nilotic Rites (review)

NILE — Vile Nilotic Rites album cover Album · 2019 · Technical Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Vile Nilotic Rites" is the 9th full-length studio album by US death metal act Nile. The album was released through Nuclear Blast in November 2019. It´s the successor to "What Should Not Be Unearthed" from 2015 and features a significant lineup change as lead vocalist/guitarist Dallas Toler-Wade has jumped ship. He has been replaced by Brian Kingsland (Enthean).

Stylistically it´s more or less business as usual. Brutal technical death metal with Ancient Egyptian/Middle East lyrical themes and melodies/atmospheres. As on every Nile release before this one the musicianship is through the roof. The tracks are so complex in structure and the riffs and rhythms so technically difficult to play, that it´s impossible not to drop your jaw several times while listening to "Vile Nilotic Rites". Funny enough we have now been spoiled for so many years and albums with the band´s incredible musicianship, that it by now feels like a matter of course, which is of course totally unfair to the performers, but that´s just what happens when you continue to deliver on such a high level for so many years. It unfortunately also has the consequence that expectations to any new Nile release are now sky high, and any deviation in quality or sound is noticed by the rabid fans. Nile fans are like the Dream Theater fans of death metal...

...which leads me to the lineup change on the lead vocalist spot. Overall Kingsland does a good job replacing Toler-Wade and the quality of the vocal performances from both Kingsland (intelligible growling vocals), Karl Sanders (deep unintelligible growling vocals), and Brad Parris (higher pitched screaming vocals) are high. But when that is said, replacing Toler-Wade one to one is nearly impossible. He is one of the most distinct sounding and powerful growling vocalists on the scene and the importance of his voice and commanding vocal style on Nile´s previous albums can not be underestimated. So for all the good intentions and skilled vocal performances on "Vile Nilotic Rites", the quality of the vocals, or maybe more correctly the uniqueness of the vocals, is lower here than on the last many albums by the band which featured Toler-Wade.

The instrumental part of the music is as intriguing and busy as ever. It´s powerful, brutal, and technically very well played death metal of the highest caliber. Nile are in the Premier League of death metal artists, and "Vile Nilotic Rites" does nothing to change that. The album features a powerful, brutal, and detailed sound production and upon conclusion it´s yet another Nile album reeking high class. I´m not sure I find it quite as interesting as "What Should Not Be Unearthed (2015)", but a 4 star (80%) rating is still deserved.
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