LIVE REVIEW: Rivers of Nihil @ Rebellion, Manchester

When RIVERS OF NIHIL released Where Owls Know My Name last year, little did the Pennsylvanian metallers know that they would become one of the hottest names within technical and progressive metal. The album’s expansive and adventurous nature whilst remaining a mightily heavy sound was met with critical acclaim and hailed as one of 2018’s best releases. Flash-forward a year later, and despite already touring this side of the Atlantic in support to REVOCATION at the end of last year, the band are back on our shores to celebrate their landmark release with a performance of said record in its entirety.

The attention may be focused majorly towards RIVERS OF NIHIL, but tonight’s billing is comprised of four bands and ORBIT CULTURE have the task to kick off proceedings. Blessed with a healthy attendance right from doors opening, the Swedish death metallers hit the ground running and give a solid opening bout throughout their short time on stage. Riffs oozing with ample grooves from guitarists Richard Hansson and Niklas Karlsson come thick and fast, whilst Karlsson‘s growled vocals cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter. It’s a strong start to the evening and with a warm reception, ORBIT CULTURE can rest assured that tonight is a job well done.

Rating: 7/10

There aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to describe MØL. Since the release of last year’s debut album, Jord, the Danish blackgaze outfit seemingly are going from strength to strength, blowing audience’s minds at every venue they perform at. This tour marks a welcome return to our shores the band, and following festival performances at this year’s ArcTanGent, 2000trees and last year’s Damnation Festival, it becomes apparently clear that the wind are very much in their collective sails. From the instant MØL take to the stage, the quintet create a mesmerising, and equally destructive, atmosphere that is maintained throughout their set. Frederik Lippert and Nicolai Hansen are the architects for this as their guitar-work ebbs and flows naturally from passages of tranquil bliss in the melodic-heavy leanings of Bruma to the rampaging black metal-eqsue riffing in Jord.

Speaking of Jord, the song itself perfectly captures this finely-balanced flow in a bottle. Serving as the finale to a wonderful set, the way the track organically subsides from monolithic heaviness to passages of tear-jerking beauty is moving enough on record, but live, it’s impact is all the more powerful. Whilst the band were firing on all cylinders, frontman Kim Song Sternkopf adds another string to his bow with an effortless performance in fronting the band. A natural born frontman, he not only delivers his shrieks and growls to tremendous effect but commands the stage in a way that makes it near-impossible to take your eyes off him. From prowling the stage to diving into the crowd to get up close and personal with the crowd, a nice personal touch for the band’s blossoming UK fanbase, Kim‘s stage presence only enforced MØL‘s already stupendous live impact. Judging from the sheer deafening applause upon their conclusion, it’s fair to say that MØL will only go from strength to strength.

Rating: 9/10

BLACK CROWN INITIATE have been growing in strength considerably since their inception six years ago. 2016’s Selves We Cannot Forgive was an acclaimed success within the tech and progressive communities of heavy music, the band are a firm favourite and live, they reward the good faith from the community with a tightly knitted performance of precise yet crushing execution of their brand of progressive death metal. Their five song set covers the breadth of their discography and each expansive track displays a wealth of talent from the quintet. Andy Thomas continuously dazzles with impressive guitar-play and his execution of his clean vocals are absolutely spot on, Nick Shaw‘s hefty bass-tones keep the heaviness cranked up to the absolutely maximum and new boys Ethan McKenna and Sam Santiago‘s confident stage-presence gives the impression that they’ve been apart of the band for years, not months.

James Dorton however, is a different beast entirely, as his stage presence is as menacing as his guttural vocal blasts. Acting as the perfect counter to Thomas‘ splashes of clean deliveries, Dorton injects a payload of ferocity into the proceedings and his occasional departure from the stage during the band’s more instrumental-leaning passages allow the crowd to fixate their attention to the impressive musicianship. In a set that rarely lulls, BLACK CROWN INITIATE impress throughout and with new single Years In Frigid Light sitting comfortably between their older material, it seems that their collective flame will continue to burn bright.

Rating: 8/10

If this was any other show, you could leave satisfied with what BLACK CROWN INITIATE, MØL and ORBIT CULTURE brought to the table, but this all pales in comparison when it comes to RIVERS OF NIHIL. Given the monumental chance to hear Where Owls Know My Name performed in its entirety, there is huge anticipation towards tonight’s headliner and given the swirl of anticipation in the air, when the band hit the stage, you just get the feeling that you are about to witness something truly special.

Indeed, special is the acceptable word when it comes to describe how RIVERS OF NIHIL translated their magnum opus to the live stage. An opening salvo of an older cut, Soil & Seed, caught those expecting to hear the unsettling synths of the album’s introducing number, Cancer / Moonspeak, off guard, but in fact gave an early indicator towards the band’s technical chops but from there, the focus directed firmly towards Where Owls Know My Name and the band more than delivered the goods. The Silent Life explosively kicks the celebrations off to a fabulous start as heads bang aplenty to the crunching mid-tempo chug from Brody Uttley and Jon Topore‘s guitars which compliment Jared Klein‘s ample double bass from the drums. Frontman Jake Dieffenbach makes an instant impression with his solid vocal execution and as the music subsides into that glorious instrumental passage, a deafening roar greets the arrival of Zach Strouse who executes the saxophone elements to their sound perfectly.

After a truly remarkable opening, RIVERS OF NIHIL continue to work their way through their latest studio endeavour and the execution is simply flawless. A Home‘s technical flourishes in the guitar department show the sheer skill within the band’s repertoire, especially as the solo is performed to absolute perfection, Old Nothing packs enough destructive force to level the building and the way in which Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance) flowed from moments of sheer technical madness to slick jazz-esque instrumentals was a sight to behold. Throughout their execution of performing the album in its entirety, RIVERS OF NIHIL showed that they not only have the ability to not only replicate their expansive sound, but they have the ability to deliver it in a manner which came across so superbly well live. It is a tremendous achievement indeed.

In a performance of sheer technical and progressive brilliance, RIVERS OF NIHIL not only excelled on the live front but served a reminder to just how incredible Where Owls Know My Name is as an album itself. The benchmark has been set for progressive-leaning death metal, they are the frontrunners, and judging from their execution of their craft as well as the thunderous applause they receive upon their conclusion, they will take some catching.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: