March 2018 Album of the Month – Rivers of Nihil’s Where Owls Know My Name
Tuesday, 10th April 2018
Not being afraid to go outside of the tested death metal waters and truly push some boundaries, there’s not many albums that can stand toe to toe with Rivers of Nihil’s recently released Where Owls Know My Name. There’s visceral brutality but there’s also a depth of emotion that brings you in closer, providing a contrast that’s entirely fresh. There’s a reason why so many people have gotten behind this record, as it fills a void that extreme metal wasn’t even sure it had to begin with. Innovative, inspiring, and pure spine-tingling stuff – no doubt Rivers of Nihil will still be hearing their praises sung at the end of this year due to the sheer joy of Where Owls Know My Name.
An excerpt from Kyle McGinn’s 10/10 review, which posted on March 8, 2018:
After proving with Monarchy that they were capable of making great leaps forward instead of repeating familiar ground, Rivers of Nihil have somehow managed to up the ante again with their third album, Where Owls Know My Name. It’s an album that takes quite a few risks that could have disjointed the band’s sound, yet due to their ingenuity and genuinely emotive take on modern death metal, it’s a record that should see the band rightfully named as one of the genre’s most exciting entities.
Thriving on contrasts, Rivers of Nihil successfully prove that aggressive riffing and death metal might can find a suitable partner in emotion and introspection. Tastefully employed outside the box elements fuse with a groovy and dark metallic core and enhance it far beyond any possible expectations, in turn crafting an album that’s not easily forgotten. Where Owls Know My Name doesn’t just set the bar for what can be accomplished in progressive death metal, but offers a shining and innovative example of how the entire genre can be pushed forward into new soundscapes and feelings while still giving listeners the pummeling they crave. Emotionally and viscerally heavy – this is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Read the entire review HERE.
