After the somewhat lacklustre production and distinct lack of "oomph" on previous album "In their Darkened Shrines" - it is instantly noticeable on Nile's latest effort "Annihilation of the Wicked" that the production values have been given a swift kick up the backside. The sound, whilst being resoundingly heavy and immense, also manages to be clear and precise - something that is often a godsend with a musical style that features so much going on at once. So, has the music been injected with the same lease of life as the production, and indeed the rather gorgeous cover-art?

Well, yes - in places, but equally in some parts - no. Despite the addition of new bass player and vocalist "Jon Vesano", Karl Sanders and co. are generally sticking to their tried and tested formula - more ferocious and intensely traditional death metal with that added Egypt flavour. Unfortunately if you are going to stick to a formula, you at least need to make things interesting - or indeed set the bar a little higher to get the attention of the listener.

"Annihilation's" main downfall is it's inconsistency. When it hits the mark, like on the title track itself, or indeed the album closer "Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten", then it really does hit the spot - with a ten-ton hammer. Unfortunately for every delightfully crushing moment there are almost as many "heard it all before" moments. The album actually gets off to a disappointing & plodding start. Whilst the first few tracks are indeed fast and intense - they contain nothing that you haven't heard Nile do better on previous occasions. Bereft of interesting riffs, something to grab your attention or just anything out of the ordinary - what can be heard is just the usual wall of guitars and blastbeats without anything to truly lift it above "just more death metal" status. Indeed, the best of the more common "fast" tracks comes in the form of the already widely downloaded track "Lashed to the Slave Stick" with its brutal guitar hook and demonic chorus. (Available for download from the band's website).

Prooving quite rightly that speed isn't everything, the truly exceptional moments of this album only ever shine when Nile slow it down a notch or two - prooving with three slow burning, grinding, and crushingly heavy epics ("User-Maat-Re", "Annihilation of the Wicked" and "Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten") that they truly ARE the masters of their trade. You can't help but think - if the Pharoah's played this sort of music whilst preparing for war, there'd be a lot more pyramids on your local high street these days. The unbeleivably epic album closer is worth buying the CD alone.

It's lucky then, that the quality of this release is at it's highest peak during all the tracks that run to at least ten minutes each - and while there are definitely a couple of other worthwhile tracks - there are several songs here that are by no means bad, just sadly not very interesting. Having said that, you can't expect 100% wheaty goodness 100% of the time - and the 5 extraordinary songs on offer from this 10 track album still clock in at a running time of over 35 minutes - the same length as the new "System of a Down" album..... Read into that what you will!!

Standout Tracks:  Von Unauss Kulten, Lashed to the Slave Stick, Annihil of the Wicked.

Overall Score:   7 /10