The thing I have always admired about Nile is the fact that they managed to take the standard chug and grind sound and turn it into something complex and visionary. "Black Seeds of Vengeance" is a brilliant concotion of all things death and metal along with a cinematic flair that is expected of a concept album. The mythos of ancient Egypt have never sounded so terrifying. The songs take the sound that was solidified in Nile's previous outing, "The Catacombs of Nephren Ka" and proceed into crushing madness with fast, chaotic tracks that are bewildering in their structure but still demand headbanging reverence. In between, slower, more hypnotic offerings that are dreamy, dark, and evocative of a long dead culture break up the furnace of guitar bashing in a pleasing fashion. The success of this album lies in its literate concept and execution, complete with fascinating liner notes about the subject matter and the methods used in the studio (read them, damn you!). The other aspect that makes "Black Seeds..." so hard to deny is the total immersion the listener experiences as the album progresses. Nile displays flawless craftsmanship when it comes to sound architecture; the synth, sampling, and utilization of several old world instruments create a vast landscape of windswept deserts dominated by phaeroes and terrorized by vicious nomads. The American metal community is very privileged to have Nile- they are one of the few bands that may save death metal music from mediocrity. Plug in the headphones, turn up the volume, and let the scourge of Amalek take you. "Black Seeds of Vengeance" rules.

© 2000 w.s. diabolus