The only electric used was his Dean seven-string.īut these arrangements, inspired by Middle Eastern compositions, artists such as bağlama virtuoso Orhan Genceba and Palestinian oud trio Le Trio Joubran, and Sanders’ are exhilarating, meditative, hypnotic and confirmation – if needed – that Sanders remains one of the most imaginative players in extreme metal. What is it? Karl Sanders from technical death metal stalwarts Nile returns with his first solo album in 13 years, Saurian Apocalypse, and it is a doozy.

– Jonathan Horsley Alexander 23 – If We Were a Party It’s who they are.įor fans of: Manilla Road, Eternal Champion, Pagan Altar But that first lead break from Rizk let’s you know you are in good hands, players who can write this style and it isn’t pastiche because it’s just their lives. Can we first take a moment to appreciate the VHS (or is it Betamax?) production quality on the promo clip? That’s something. Standout guitar moment: It’s all magnificent. We’d expect nothing less of any band with Arthur Rizk and John Powers on guitar. The Philadelphia-based traditionalists walk that fine line between old-school Manilla Road theatricality, the sort of sound that’s mother’s milk to those with a Cirith Ungol patch on their battle-vest, and the OTT theatricality of the European power metallers.

This is burnished steel of the highest order, a band deserving of a wider audience but wholly in tune with underground mores. What is it? What with all these cultural archeologists digging around in the ‘80s metal scene for viral moments, there’s no time like the present for Sumerlands.

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