ALBUM REVIEW: The Work – Rivers Of Nihil
Pennsylvanians RIVERS OF NIHIL have never fit neatly into any particular genre box; possibly they could be loosely described as progressive death metal but this simply fails to do justice to their sensory assault. Their previous record, Where Owls Know My Name was a sprawling opus, heralded by many as one of the finest metal records not only of the year but of the decade. Its expansive soundscapes, progressive mindset and many twists and turns, along with the inclusion of saxophones in part, was groundbreaking and left many questioning where they could possibly go from there.
They’ve opted to answer that question by posing their own – by asking listeners if they’re willing to do the work. The Work in this case, refers to both the title of the album and its themes; addressing that no matter your walk of life, no matter the path trodden, there is always a great deal of effort that goes unseen to achieve the desired ends. Guitarist Brody Uttley has said that this album feels more like a place than a thing. While that statement might not make sense initially, it’s arguably true. The Work and all its constituent parts transport you to many places; some uncomfortable (see the seething, almost dissonance of Breathing Black Clockwork) and some more familiar, such as the classic rock-inspired guitar melody that possesses Wait in its final moments.
Our journey begins slowly and serenely, with The Tower (Theme From “The Work”)’s soft vocals and piano. This isn’t so much disrupted as changed with the entry of minimalist bass and drums as well as their customary saxophone. The presence of said sax is very different here than on Where Owls Know My Name; before it felt that there were specific moments designed for it, a separation almost. With The Work, it’s far more organic as the band chose instead to simply ask Zach Strouse – who has contributed saxophone to their albums before – to write what he felt worked and would reinforce the songs in his own way. So while the saxophone is present across more of the album, there’s not really any moment where it features as the main focus, with the exception being the outstanding The Void From Which No Sound Escapes. The song morphs and changes as it progresses, from a synth-led opener to a towering, maximalist midpoint before abruptly moving into the sax-led section. Somehow the band accomplish this without it ever sounding forced or incongruous, a testament to their phenomenal writing ability.
An example of the sheer sonic variety on display here is in the maximalist MORE? a song that’s followed immediately by Tower 2, a short lament that then sets the scene for the sprawling Episode. There’s simply so much going on with The Work that it feels reductive to attempt to boil it down to any one style, or any particular moment, especially not the gargantuan, 11-plus-minute epic that is Terrestria IV: Work, which encompasses ambient, almost free jazz instrumentals, blackened death metal and doom all in its opening four minutes.
With The Work, RIVERS OF NIHIL have crafted an album that is both indisputably them but also hits very differently to its predecessor, without sacrificing any quality or creativity along the way. It’s a monument to their refusal to be pigeonholed, to be reduced to any one genre or scene, as well as to their relentless desire to push the envelope creatively, with the end result an album that is incredibly rewarding – if you’re willing to do the work.
Rating: 9/10
The Work is set for release on September 24th via Metal Blade Records.
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