Rivers of Nihil
Rivers of Nihil have changed a few important things without losing the strange mix that makes them interesting. Adam Biggs takes over lead vocals on this self-titled album, while guitarist Andy Thomas adds clean singing and another songwriting voice. The result feels like a band working out what this lineup can do together.
The Sub-Orbital Blues is a strong introduction. The heavy sections have a clear physical drive, and the melodic passages feel connected to them. Biggs gives the harsher vocals plenty of presence, with Thomas providing a useful contrast when the songs open up.
Criminals makes good use of that tougher approach. Its sharp riffs and darker vocal details give it an identity of its own. There's a lot of technical playing throughout the album, but the strongest songs give you a clear reason to follow it. The movement between voices helps considerably.
House of Light shows the more accessible side. The melody gives the song a firm centre, with the progressive details adding to it rather than taking over. It makes a good entry point for listeners who like the idea of technical death metal but don't particularly want to spend fifty minutes feeling lost.
The saxophone is still here too. It works especially well in Despair Church and Water & Time, where the different instrumental voices have space to interact. The guitar playing remains a major attraction, and Evidence gets a particularly effective lift from the clean vocal arriving inside its frantic arrangement.
There are moments where the more conventional structures make the music feel less individual. A few choruses settle into a familiar pattern, and the short closing title track doesn't make quite the final statement the album seems to promise. Those are limitations in the writing, rather than the band's ability to play it.
Overall, this is a strong introduction to the current Rivers of Nihil. The new voices work, the heavier material has bite, and the unusual touches have a place within the songs. The band have plenty of room to develop, and this lineup gives them good reasons to keep exploring.
