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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
A
one man band project, hailing form India... an unusual start for sure, but with
George Kollias guesting on drums this record was always going to be worth
checking out. Overall, I very much enjoyed the heavier elements of this album-
even the metalcore tendencies were well executed and sublimely played and
arranged. The more commercial choruses and ballad sections did not appeal to me
much, but there will be something here for metal fans of all sub-genres. An
interesting record with a very eclectic approach.
“This Burden is Mine” CD//DD track listing:
1). How the Mighty Have Fallen
2). An Unforgiving Truth
3). When the Hope Wither and Dies
4). This Burden is Mine
5). Frail Fallible
6). The Failures of Man
7). Where Worlds End
8). The Last Jester Dance
9). From Rubble and Ruin
The Review:
A
one man band project, hailing form India... an unusual start for sure, but with
George Kollias guesting on drums this record was always going to be worth
checking out. The first track blasts, riffs and manages to turn into a ballad
(?!) over the course of seven minutes of metal. It sets the tone for the rest
of the record. It is an eclectic mixture, that's for sure. Metal, at all times,
but never sticking to one sub-genre for too long. “An Unforgiving Truth”, for
example, strays very close to radio friendly goth tinged metal- with clean
vocal and all. Naturally, it then changes tack to a more death/doom approach
for a bridge and so on. The material features keyboards in the mix, clean and
growled vocals, lead guitar work, some great riffing and, of course, masterful
drumming.
The
changes and kitchen sink approach can be bewildering, but it certainly makes
for an unpredictable record which is full of surprises- the title track is a
maudlin kind of ballad, the kind of which Judas Priest used to write, until the guitars
inevitably kick in and the tempo lifts and the track takes on a heavier
approach. The metalcore type riffing of “Frail Fallible” and the rather
overwrought vocals and lyrics are not really my cup of tea, but none of these
elements stick around long enough for it to be a problem. The likes of “Where
Worlds End”is far too commercial sounding for me (and
features horrible synths- to my ears, anyway). Again, though, just around the
next corner is a change or a track that will suit; “From Rubble and Ruin”, for example, is a fine album track that
finishes the record with weight and aggression in the right measures.
Overall,
I very much enjoyed the heavier elements of this album- even the metalcore
tendencies were well executed and sublimely played and arranged. The more
commercial choruses and ballad sections did not appeal to me much, but there
will be something here for metal fans of all sub-genres. An interesting record
with a very eclectic approach.
This is the death metal equivalent of the Olympics- faster, bigger and the pinnacle of human endeavour in the chosen form.Suffice it to say that this is a superb technical/brutal death metal album of towering musicality. I am now a confirmed fan and will seek out their other records for sure. What an achievement this record is- death metal and then some.
‘What Should Not be Unearthed’ CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Call to Destruction (5:45)
2. Negating The Abominable Coils Of Apep (4:14)
3. Liber Stellae - Rubaeae3:48)
4. In The Name Of Amun (6:49)
5. What Should Not Be Unearthed (6:58)
6. Evil To Cast Out Evil (5:37)
7. Age Of Famine (4:11)
8. Ushabti Reanimator (1:30)
9. Rape Of The Black Earth(4:35)
10. To Walk Forth From Flames Unscathed (6:36)
Nile is:
Karl Sanders | guitars, vocals
Dallas Toler-Wade | guitars, vocals
George Kollias | drums
The Review:
Nile are one of death metal's biggest names and can justifiably be described as having progressed and even reinvigorating the genre. They play technical yet very brutal death metal- hyper fast, Egyptian themed, blasting death. All the ingredients are there. Since the late 90's to the present day they have been leading the way in their own niche and affecting the greater world of death metal as a result. So why have I never got into them?!?! I have no idea, is the short answer. I have “In Their Darkened Shrines” and while I have enjoyed it on occasion, I just never ventured further into their discography. A foolish move, as this latest opus makes perfectly clear. From the opening of ‘Call To Destruction’ it is clear that this is a band at the top of their game. My initial thoughts? Fuck. George Kollias is FAST! The songs are not catchy, exactly (ha!) but is a showcase of what the band does best; Egyptian themed death metal of impossible dexterity.
‘Negating The Abominable Coils of Apep’ does the same again- alternating between half intelligible death growls and impossibly low grunt vocals. There are so many time changes and percussive shifts that it is difficult to follow- even for someone who listens to a lot of death metal. Karl Sanders' riffs are finger breakingly complex- so many twists and turns and often combing rhythm and melody (no easy feat, I'm sure). There is also a tambourine overdub on this one- perhaps showing that Nile go for production as well as brutality.
‘Liber Stellae- Rubaeae’ sees Kollias blasting at a speed most won't reach and the riffs both chugging and screaming away. This is the death metal equivalent of the Olympics- faster, bigger and the pinnacle of human endeavour in the chosen form. Ironically, I suppose this is akin to death metal on steroids. The rolling groove comes into play here as Sanders intones “I feel nothing because I am nothing”. It is intense stuff.
‘In The Name of Amun’ starts atmospherically and really brings the Middle Eastern vibe. It is a creepy and cold start to what becomes a frenzied hurricane of blasts and riffs. Again, the drums are incredibly quick. Even twenty years ago, the speeds reached (comfortably) here would be unthinkable. I really cannot praise Kollias enough for his abilities. Remember, in 1980, Motorhead were the fastest band in the world. In 1983, Metallica were. Slayer kicked things up a few notches before Napalm Death hovered into view and then blasts became fairly de rigeur for many death and grindcore bands. Black metal did not push that envelope any further, really, with the exception of the very speedy Hellhammer in Mayhem. With Kollias, though, there is a drummer that can make even Pete Sandoval's 90's pacing appear pedestrian- and Pete “The Feet” was considered pretty untouchable at the time.
‘What Should Not Be Unearthed’ takes us to the half way point- the songs range from the approximately four minute mark to around the seven minute mark, so ten tracks will not be short changing you. Such is the bewildering nature of the material here, that a little goes a very long way indeed.
‘Evil to Cast Out Evil’ features a great pace to start and nice line in riffing too. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album- being as it is a little easier to follow and rings the changes. Naturally, the pace picks up just shy of the two minute mark. There is a lovely time shift again before three minutes rolls around and the strong refrain from earlier in the track is repeated. This is cracking stuff and really ushers in the second half of the album superbly.
‘Age of Famine’ has a creepingly evil feel to it- really slow and nasty and again this change marks its card as a stand out and keeps the listener interested as the album progresses. Again, I really liked this one as it has all the ingredients of great death metal. ‘Ushabti Reanimator’is a one and a half minute instrumental piece featuring lush acoustic sounds and eerie atmospherics. Again, the album starts to mark itself out as a record of two personalities; impossible speed and dexterity showcased alongside atmospherics and time changes. Naturally, after the preceding experimentation, ‘Rape of The Black Earth’pins its colours to the mast with speed, aggression and brutality.
‘To Walk Forth From Flames Unscathed’ is a six and a half minute closer and showcase of the band's formidable skills. It will get your head banging that is for sure, as well as confounding you with time changes. The track twists, turns and rolls as it progresses. The closing one minute plus is a superb outro as well- rolling pit orientated neck snapping stuff! It is an interesting undertaking to review this record- as I have only heard one other Nile album, I have no idea how it stacks up against the rest of their discography. Suffice it to say that this is a superb technical/brutal death metal album of towering musicality. I am now a confirmed fan and will seek out their other records for sure. What an achievement this record is- death metal and then some.
01. Echoes of Divinity 02. Invictus 03. The Passage 04. Aeons of Burning Galaxies 05. Shall Rise/Shall Be Dead 06. Voices 07. Treasures of Nemesis 08. Apocalypse 09. Epitaph 10. Through Empty Eyes of Light 11. Buried under the Flames
In the world of extreme metal, George Kollias needs no introduction. He sits in an elite class of metal drummers, where speed and 4-limb independence are taken to the limits of human ability. If there were an Olympics of extreme metal drumming, he would be vying for the gold against heavyweights like Derek Roddy, Gene Hoglan, or Flo Mounier.
Outside of that world, the conversation goes something like this:After I put on track 3 of ‘Invictus’ during a road trip, my friend's response: "Whoa that drumming is insane! What band is that?"
Me: "George Kollias."
Friend: "Cornholio?"
Me, laughing: "No man, it's the drummer from Nile, George Kollias."
Friend: "George Cornholio?"
Me: "Forget it..."
If you don't get this pop culture reference, you've never seen the show Beavis and Butthead, and I feel bad for you. Also, that is a real conversation I had last weekend.
But this brings up a valid point, why not name the project something more-- metal?
After doing some research, I discovered that George has an extensive fan base and they rabidly love his music. It started with his instructional videos on YouTube, which have millions of views.He recently got an enormous response to his self-recorded songs, which he intended only to be backing tracks for his drum instructional videos and live clinics. The fan response was so positive, that he decided to take the songs to the next level, adding vocals, better production, guest musicians, and releasing the songs as a full-length album on Season of Mist, which is available now.
Without a doubt, the guy is an incredible drummer, but when "super musicians" like this put out a solo album, the music too often takes a backseat and serves merely as an accompaniment to showcase their virtuoso musicianship. Not so with ‘Invictus’, the debut solo album from George Kollias!This album is a face melter. Not only is the musicianship top notch, the songs are an excellent collection of beautifully composed, blistering technical death metal. The vocals sound fresh and inspired, the guitars are blazing, and the drums are exactly what you want from George Kollias: a perfect blend of envelope-pushing technical wizardry and head-nodding musicality.
For his solo debut, George plays all the instruments and does most of the vocal tracking, with various guests appearing throughout the album, including members of Nile and Rotting Christ.To prove that the album is not just about blast beats, the opening track is a creepy intro with spoken word, followed by the title track, which begins as a relatively sparse and downtempo song that then builds step by step into a magnificent blast beat assault.
Track 3, ‘The Passage’, hits you like a brick wall before breaking down into a hand percussion interlude, then slamming right back into double bass mayhem.What I also like about this album are the atmospheric sound textures peppered throughout. They give the ear a break from the intense blast beats, add another layer of sonic texture, and serve to link the songs into a cohesive, flowing album.‘Invictus’ is a 55-minute ride from hell on the back of a motorcycle driven by a post-apocalyptic warlord. The songs take mind-bending twists and turns, from crushingly slow to some of the most intense blast beats ever recorded.
The album is more than a vehicle for George Kollias's phenomenal drumming, the song writing is excellent and the album stands on its own.He could easily have named this band an actual band name, and possibly reached more listeners... do the words George Kollias sound very metal? I think if you were to ask George or any of his fans, the response would be, "Who gives a fuck?" This album is a personal achievement for George and a labor of love between a humble musician and his fans. I have a feeling we will be hearing more from him down the road sooner rather than later.
Whether you are a musician who wants to get schooled by some of the most technical playing on the planet, or if you're a genuine metal head who just loves heavy and extreme music, definitely check out this album, which is downloadable for free on his website, or available on CD and LP. I'll be getting this one on vinyl for sure!
