268 - Nile Sacrifice Unto Sebek 2005

Since day one, Nile have played brutal, Egyptian-flavored death metal. Metal bands have dabbled in Egyptian imagery (Iron Maiden's "Powerslave," the video for Slayer's "Seasons in the Abyss"), but Nile is a group whose every song is about ancient Egypt. They emerged fully-formed on their 1998 debut full-length, "Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka", which combined Morbid Angel-style death metal with tribal chants, traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation, and occasional lyrics sung in Egyptian. "Black Seeds of Vengeance" and "In Their Darkened Shrines" refined the formula, increasing both the speed and scale of sound. Not only did the latter album set land speed records, it closed with an epic four-part suite that seemed to epitomize Nile's singular vision. "Annihilation of the Wicked", ironically, tones down the Egyptian vibe a little, and focuses on the death metal aspect. The result is less epic but more visceral than before. The band combines the heavy Egyptology with growled death metal vocals, and the lyrics are impenetrable. But each song's lyrics are accompanied by an essay explaining the meaning and history behind the lyrics. For example, for "Sacrifice Unto Sebek," we learn that Sebek was the main crocodile god in ancient Egypt, and that at Sebek's temple, visitors brought the crocodile their food offerings and perhaps human sacrifices as well.