Crazy to think it’s been five years since Nile released Vile Nilotic Rites, one of the strongest releases they’ve done in quite some time. The Egyptian-themed death metal act has been a torchbearer for the genre for decades at this point, from their refreshing debut in Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka, through weaving in more atmospheric and technically-proficient slants into their version of death metal. The Underworld Awaits Us All is their first for Napalm Records, following a lengthy stay with Nuclear Blast. While it may not hit the high water marks of their previous album, it’s nonetheless a strong showing that one would expect of the act.
Merging brutality, Egyptian atmosphere, technicality, and an occasional crawl, Nile pull out all of their usual stops with this latest album. Opener “Stelae of Vultures” is the wake-up call that would be expected, with barbaric speed runs and Sanders’ unmistakable low rumbles on the mic. Mix in some slower sections to flesh the song out into more than just frantic chaos and it’s a fine first taste. The following two tracks, “Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake…” and “To Strike with Secret Fang” demonstrate the high quality raw power that Nile has been producing since their inception, utilizing a primal battery that manages to stay fresh and interesting because they don’t solely rely on that for their sound.
“True Gods of the Desert” winds a more doomy, desert-laden crawl to it, focusing on desperate melodies and a more epic tone. Some sparse but effective clean vocals give it some extra gravitas, and it’s follow-up in the title track manages to one-up it with a very sinister atmosphere and occasional uptick into more brutal territory for a fitting finale. “Overlords of the Black Earth” uses some chants in between brutal speed bursts and eerie, otherworldly riff sections to also give the band some added flair, keeping the otherwise incredibly brutal formula fresh. While the closing (mostly) instrumental “Lament for the Destruction of Time” might stay a bit too long, it serves its purpose in giving the listener a gloomy, desolate reprieve to which they can freshly start the whole thing up again with ease.
This far into the game, with a style that was theirs from the onset, Nile don’t need to reinvent themselves. The Underground Awaits Us All delivers all of the searing brutality, Egyptian-themed atmosphere, and intricate playing that one would hope for. Nile still have plenty of vitality left to ensnare listeners.