Rivers of Nihil: Rivers of Nihil

Rivers of Nihil is the new self-titled release, and fifth full-length album from PA tech-death band Rivers of Nihil, and follows up their excellent 2021 release The Work on Metal Blade Records. The band has had numerous line-up changes over the last few years, but the current incarnation is:

Brody Uttley-lead guitar, keyboards, programming
Adam Biggs-bass, lead vocals, backing vocals
Jared Klein-drums, backing vocals
Andy Thomas-rhythm guitar, backing vocals

"The Sub-Orbital Blues" opens the album, hits hard and heavy, with brutal riffs and a nice blend of clean and harsh vocals. Next up is "Dustman" a straight-ahead bludgeoning death metal track, with crushing blast beats and monstrous downtuned riffs, just the right amount of keys, and mostly growls but some clean vocals on the chorus. Great track. Then we have "Criminals" another raging, pummeling track...blast beats are killing it on here, and the riffs are colossal. Another stellar song. Clean vocals and growls blend on "Despair Church", and the riffing reminds me of Gojira in spots. Massive. Love the little atmospheric interludes too. "Water & Time" is a hypnotic prog rock song...starts off all dreamy like Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, and Anathema. Then in comes the soaring clean vocals, and the slow build to pummeling drums and the return of the heavy riffs and growls, followed by a blazing lead guitar solo! Killer track!

"House of Light" is another pulverizing song, but the chilling atmospherics are so well done...the clean vocals drop in, then the growls...huge riffs and blast beats. Wow. "Evidence" is a manic tech-death piece, maniacal vocals, relentless riffs and frantic drumming. Not as nuanced as some of the other tracks here, but very brutal. It doesn't get more intense than "American Death", which is crushing, death metal.I like how they break it up with the melodic chorus with clean vocals. "The Logical End" utilizes effective symphonic synths, deep heavy grooves, a nice balance between the raging extreme vocals and the clean vocals, massive riffing, reminding me of Between the Buried and Me a little, with nice technical edge on the arrangement. It also has a memorable chorus, and is the longest track on the album. Outstanding song! Closer "Rivers of Nihil"is a great way to end the album, featuring more of those gargantuan riffs across a bed of chilling synths and menacing growls.

Top-notch stuff here from Rivers of Nihil, easily one of the most adventurous of the prog/tech death bands going today.

Track Listing
1. The Sub-Orbital Blues 04:18
2. Dustman 04:33 lyrics buy track
3. Criminals 04:32
4. Despair Church 06:30
5. Water & Time 05:24
6. House of Light 05:49 video
7. Evidence 04:22
8. American Death 05:23 video
9. The Logical End 06:07
10. Rivers of Nihil 03:16

Added: August 9th 2025
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 223
Language: english

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