Artist: NILE
Album: WHAT SHOULD NOT BE UNEARTHED LILAC VINYL (2LP)

Year: 2015
Media type: LP

Founded by Karl Sanders (guitars, vocals), Chief Spires (bass, vocals) and Pete Hammoura (drums) in 1993, NILE released their first EP »Festivals Of Atonement« (1995) through their own label, Anubis Records. The band’s second EP »Ramses Bringer Of War« was released via Visceral Productions. Dallas Toler-Wade (guitars) joined the band in time to support the release of their first album »Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka« (1998), with NILE touring the US as support of the famous MORBID ANGEL, and Europe as support for VADER and SIX FEET UNDER. The debut was followed up by two other blasting records - »Black Seeds Of Vengeance« (2000) and »In Their Darkened Shrines« (2002). Drummer George Kollias joined the band in 2004, becoming the 4th legendary drummer to occupy the drum throne of NILE. Several long months of intense songwriting and pre-production by the band culminated with the release of their paramount album »Annihilation of The Wicked« (2005). NILE’s continuing success led the band to signing with the record label par excellence Nuclear Blast; releasing NILE’s NB label debut finally in 2007, called »Ithyphallic«. A two month long blitzkrieg tour as support on Ozzfest in the USA brought the band to the attention of a much wider, diverse audience; gaining new NILE fans across a wide demographic and expanding the band into new touring opportunities worldwide.

After releasing their remarkable follow-up albums »Those Whom The Gods Detest« (2009) and »At The Gate Of Sethu« (2012), NILE are ready to unleash their new, eighth bone-crushing masterpiece to the masses now - »What Should Not Be Unearthed«.

The band had only one goal for their new record: “The goal for the new record was sheer epic brutality,” guitarist Karl Sanders jokes, but then he answers seriously: “Really though, the focus this time around is on brutal Heavy Metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like of an »Annihilation Of The Wicked« approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact. So we believe that we have a truly crushing disc to bring to metal fans. Although »Unearthed« is still full of the kind of undeniable musicianship people have come to expect from us over the years, it’s the songs themselves that will hit listeners over the head this time around.”

The production of »What Should Not Be Unearthed« was handled by the band at Sanders‘ own Serpent Headed Studios. All the tracking was done there too, except for the initial drum tracking, which was done with Bob Moore at Soundlab in Columbia. “It all went fairly smooth, although as we all know, no record is without its share of challenges,“ the guitarist tells. “Overall, though, I can say that this time around the recording/composing/rehearsing was a rewarding and enjoyable experience, and the band worked together as a team with a level of consistence and confidence in a way I’ve not seen since the golden early years of working with original NILE drummer Pete Hammoura.“ After all recordings were done, Neil Kernon in Chicago did the final mix of »What Should Not Be Unearthed«.

The artwork was created by Michal “Xaay” Loranc. “I excavated the theories of an elder ancient civilization which could give the origin to ancient Egypt,” Xaay starts to tell about the background of the cover. “That's why you can find a new ingredient in the band imagery, pointing at some higher obscure intelligence, eroding and covered with time. That trace of a dismal legacy is resembled in the outer structure which radiates from the block, sealing the unknown, and it's only an adumbration of what we will meet, once it is removed. The pyramid-shaped seal in the center doesn't contain a recipe for some camel stew or a pharaoh's dining menu. An experienced eye will notice hieroglyphs taken from the 'Book Of The Dead', or the Seven Islands of Amentet glyph - depicting the ancient underworld, and describing the elder reign of God-kings, which had ended circa 9850 B.C. (perhaps some similarity with that of Atlantis?).” But the main thing of the artwork is a winged scarab sign in the exact center: “We all know this most common Egyptian artifact giving protection... so the message is pretty clear... I hope it may become another fine element in band's repository for the NILE themed tattoos. To sum it up: This album is definitely not a box of candies. Keep in mind that opening the package means you will deal with the deadliest essence…”

Side A:

01. Call To Destruction
02. Negating The Abominable Coils Of Apep
03. Liber Stellae Rubeae
04. In The Name Of Amun

Side B:

01. What Should Not Be Unearthed
02. Evil To Cast Out Evil
03. Age Of Famine

Side C:

01. Ushabti Reanimator
02. Rape Of The Black Earth
03. To Walk Forth From Flames Unscathed

LINE-UP:

Karl Sanders | guitars, vocals
Dallas Toler-Wade | guitars, vocals
George Kollias | drums