Rivers of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name

Rivers of Nihil has always been a band that I have been aware of, and often in the same music-circles of bands that I enjoy. That is not to say that I have ever had any grudge with the band. Simply put, I have never given them much of a chance besides a few select songs off their debut release, “The Conscious Seed of Light.” On a whim I bought the 2018 release from the band "Where Owls Know My Name" on vinyl from a seller on eBay. I figured the price was right and this record would be a great chance to sit down and fully take on what the band has to offer.

"Where Owls Know My Name" or simply "WOKMN", from here out, is a beast with many heads on its shoulders. Highlighting elements of Jazz fusion, progressive rock, industrial, funk, hard rock and even Nu-metal. The number of different instruments on this album is quite impressive.

With the inclusion of saxophone, cello, and female vocals on the track "Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance), to incorporation of both forementioned horned instruments with the inclusion of trumpet on "Terrestria III: Wither" (The third installment of the Terrestria series, continuing from each of their prior releases). The horned instruments on the album create a strong mood that the record engulfs itself within. While not overly complex, the horned and other unusual instruments do very well at adding spice and atmosphere that I could not seeing the record without. However, the controlling backbone of this complex album is a strong concentration on technical metal.

Guitars and bass are the foundation in which every song on "WOKMN" is written, clear from the feverish basslines on the track “A Home” to the bouncing and winding riffs on “Hollow”. The band is capable of installing frenzy and power when they wish to. Drummer Jared Klein supplies a great showcase of his technical skills on this record. The opening beats on the song “A Home” provide a healthy dose of intricate fills and technical proficiency. Lead Vocalist Jake Dieffenbach typically uses the same mid-range strategy throughout the bulk of the record with occasional highs interlaced throughout select tracks, which add needed variation to the records variance. Most of the lyrics on this record seem to have roots in introspection and human nature from the lens of someone who wishes for greater human intelligence.

WONMK has a great flow in terms of song placement, never spending too long on a quiet section, nor too long on a faster pace. The album never sits on an idea for too long for the track to become too sluggish or too spastic.

Rivers of Nihil kick off the record with a somber key-based “Cancer / Moonspeak” with interlaced spoken word passages. The following track “The Silent Life” sets a general tone for the rest of the album however with a great representation of what to follow. Where owls... takes dive into the funky side of the record on the track “Subtle Change (Including...)” holding grooves that could have easily been found on a parliament record, just with more distortion. The closing track, “Capricorn / Agoratopia” sets the stage for a colossal and deeply personal message wrapped in luscious guitar solos and darkened saxophones.

Where the record falls short is the similarity between a great deal of the tracks. By themselves, the songs hold strong, but in the context of a whole album the riffs seem to lose their sense of independence. When listened to in one setting, songs seem to blend into one another which creates the difficulty of dissecting one idea from another. With obvious breaks of saxophone and synthesizer, the guitar work on the album is more or less consistent from song to song. With this being said however, it is not a great enough disturbance on the overall record to cause grave issue.

Overall, Rivers of Nihil have proven themselves to be a band that is not locked into the stereotypes of the metal genre that they find themselves in. With deeply passioned lyrics that have a powerful in-sync orchestra behind them “Where Owls Know My Name” is a true thought-outside-the-box that is often omitted from the extreme metal landscape.

Favorite Songs: The Silent Life, A Home, Death is Real, Subtle Change (including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance)

Overall: 85/100