Nile - Ithyphallic
An interesting if not arduous slab to review, especially at a time when NILE’s position over the years has been attained by challenging a death metal scene that reacts from one extreme of acknowledging NILE in their monolithic stance as shapers of things to come, to on the other hand a section stressed out by their over-the-top vents of creation. Either way it is as a double-edge sword that never ceases discussion.
Myself, a fan since their demo days, have an own objective view about the intriguely titled Ithyphallic. Here is once again a horns up to the dead, a procession of dangerous spirits that take their time to unleash (as NILE is not easy listening), yet once they do, they attack with spite and leave one restless, Papyrus Containing the Spell to Preserve its Possessor Against Attacks from He who is in the Water being one vivid paradigm. And phew, what for a song title, at least the only one of such length on this album, alas!!!! As sincerely these long song titles that have sustained NILE in delivering a visual scenario to compliment their lyrical message to the listener - and thus a subsequent increased interest in their Egyptology - have lately become overstretched to a point to start to verge on comical. So finally they are out, to make way for more concise yet still menacing meaningful titles that compliment the venom with which they strike, like The Language of the Shadows, simple song title yet possessing a shredding grasp to peel one’s skin off, offer it to the ancient gods, and if you are ready to take it back, return it to you only for you to exclusively toss it away as useless refute!!!
But to the music. Once again an album that stirs lots of talk for its abundance of technical prowess, I am of the opinion that this is the very essence of NILE, a necessary means without which NILE would not manage to make the violent dead talk to us through their riffs. In the sense that yes, at times you get these violent wrap of infinite notes (solos and riffs alike) that seemingly carry one’s body from mountain to mountain with one’s soul lost elsewhere, yet as I see it, balanced by others that drag in a struggling slow tempo (those bona fide monumental riffs played in octave unison), and the cinematic samples thrown in for good measure, it all makes up for one hell of an album that makes one want to fly away, away to NILE’s land, maybe a land impossible to return from, if willingly so in the first place. Mid-set Eat of the Dead and closing epic Even the Gods must Die set this in stone like no other.
So when all is said and done, this album is something one needs to listen to, a journey that needs total concentration of body and soul!!! Not an easy listening, and admittedly among the NILE catalogue that to date still does not match up to the brusque of Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka, Ithyphallic still manages to stand among NILE’s best releases nonetheless.
Myself, a fan since their demo days, have an own objective view about the intriguely titled Ithyphallic. Here is once again a horns up to the dead, a procession of dangerous spirits that take their time to unleash (as NILE is not easy listening), yet once they do, they attack with spite and leave one restless, Papyrus Containing the Spell to Preserve its Possessor Against Attacks from He who is in the Water being one vivid paradigm. And phew, what for a song title, at least the only one of such length on this album, alas!!!! As sincerely these long song titles that have sustained NILE in delivering a visual scenario to compliment their lyrical message to the listener - and thus a subsequent increased interest in their Egyptology - have lately become overstretched to a point to start to verge on comical. So finally they are out, to make way for more concise yet still menacing meaningful titles that compliment the venom with which they strike, like The Language of the Shadows, simple song title yet possessing a shredding grasp to peel one’s skin off, offer it to the ancient gods, and if you are ready to take it back, return it to you only for you to exclusively toss it away as useless refute!!!
But to the music. Once again an album that stirs lots of talk for its abundance of technical prowess, I am of the opinion that this is the very essence of NILE, a necessary means without which NILE would not manage to make the violent dead talk to us through their riffs. In the sense that yes, at times you get these violent wrap of infinite notes (solos and riffs alike) that seemingly carry one’s body from mountain to mountain with one’s soul lost elsewhere, yet as I see it, balanced by others that drag in a struggling slow tempo (those bona fide monumental riffs played in octave unison), and the cinematic samples thrown in for good measure, it all makes up for one hell of an album that makes one want to fly away, away to NILE’s land, maybe a land impossible to return from, if willingly so in the first place. Mid-set Eat of the Dead and closing epic Even the Gods must Die set this in stone like no other.
So when all is said and done, this album is something one needs to listen to, a journey that needs total concentration of body and soul!!! Not an easy listening, and admittedly among the NILE catalogue that to date still does not match up to the brusque of Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka, Ithyphallic still manages to stand among NILE’s best releases nonetheless.
1. What May Safely Be Written
2. As He Creates, So He Destroys
3. Ithyphallic
4. Papyrus Containing The Spell To Preserve Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In The Water
5. Eat Of The Dead
6. Laying Fire Upon Apep
7. The Essential Salts
8. The Infinity Of Stone
9. The Language Of The Shadows
10. Even The Gods Must Die
2. As He Creates, So He Destroys
3. Ithyphallic
4. Papyrus Containing The Spell To Preserve Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In The Water
5. Eat Of The Dead
6. Laying Fire Upon Apep
7. The Essential Salts
8. The Infinity Of Stone
9. The Language Of The Shadows
10. Even The Gods Must Die
Label: http://www.nuclearblast.de
Reviewer: necrogool
Feb 26, 2009
Feb 26, 2009
Next review:
Nihil Obstat - Inherited Primitive Behaviors
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