NILE
Special Guests: Hideous Divinity + Intrepid + Pestifer.
Venue: SLAY, Glasgow
Date: 6th September 2024
Review & Photos: Dave Buchanan
Somehow, after over 20 years of listening to Technical Death Metal overlords Nile, I still hadn’t managed to see them live. But, after the announcement of this tour with Hideous Divinity, I knew, come hell or high water, I had to be there. And after an absolutely diabolical journey into Glasgow involving power cuts and kamikaze cyclists, I finally made it, albeit a touch late, to SLAY in Glasgow for a night of bludgeoning death metal.
Pestifer
Regrettably, due to my series of unfortunate events, I only caught the last 2 tracks from Belgian death metal mob, Pestifer. However, from what I heard, these guys have plenty of creative progressive death metal ideas to offer up, from rambunctious basslines to impressive gutturals from vocalist Jérôme Bernard. Although I didn’t hear enough to experience the full bhoona, I’ll definitely give these guys some attention going forward, and look forward to checking out their back catalogue. If you’re a fan of bands like Atheist or Cynic, then get these guys on your list.
Intrepid
Estonian Death Metal crew, Intrepid, were up next, and whilst not knowing anything about them, I must admit, these guys are definitely ones to watch! Channelling some early Decapitated meets Vader vibes, Intrepid’s take on death metal isn’t necessarily one I haven’t heard done before, but they do it damn well! Having only one album and a couple of EP’s in their back catalogue, the band pick and choose their set wisely, with tracks like Mesmerism delivering the crushingly heavy grooves and tight riffing the band have been sharpening over the past 8 years.
Bassist Siim Soodla is an absolute force to be reckoned with, providing a thunderous backbone to the Intrepid sound, whilst frontman Raiko Rajalaane’s 90s-esque gutturals are the perfect icing on the devastating cake the rest of the band whip-up.
I can’t say I know of many Estonian metal bands, but going on this live set alone, Intrepid are now firmly on my radar. I now just need a new Intrepid full-length ASAP! 
(3.5 / 5)
Hideous Divinity
Italian Technical Death Metal stalwarts, Hideous Divinity, were up next; a band that I was thoroughly looking forward to seeing after being pummelled by their latest album, Unextinct. And they did not disappoint. From the unsettling intro of Dust Settles on Humanity, you could tell Hideous Divinity were charged-up and ready to deliver the goods to this Glasgow crowd.
As they launch into The Numinous One, the riffs come fast and heavy, with a scorching performance from Edoardo Di Santo on drums to back them up. You can tell these guys have a ton of experience behind them, their execution is impeccable, highlighting incredible technical prowess and a machine gun tightness, but also seasoned stage presence. Vocalist, Enrico, absolutely commands the stage, igniting the crowd to go completely nuts in the pit. Tracks like Chestburst absolutely tear through the speakers like a runaway freight train, with bassist Stefano Franceschini managing to hit nearly every note on his 5-string.
As the band bring their set to a close, it’s clear to see they’ve gained a few new fans from tonight’s performance, and I doubt it will be long until they are back to U.K. shores to deliver more punishing ferocity 
(4 / 5)
NILE
Technical Death Metal titans, NILE, then take to the stage, and like a well-oiled machine they rip into Sacrifice Unto Sebek, from 2005s Annihilation of the Wicked, and take absolutely no prisoners in the process. It’s tight, it’s surgically precise, and the bottom end hits you in the chest like a bowling ball. I’m not surprised in the slightest, to be honest. NILE have been honing this craft for more than 30 years now, and they’ve only got even more detailed over time. Tonight they put all that experience on display, blasting through choice cuts from Black Seeds of Vengeance, In Their Darkened Shrines, What Should Not Be Unearthed, Vile Nilotic Rites, and of course, their brand-new album, The Underworld Awaits Us All.
I must admit, as much as I was looking forward to hearing tracks like Defiling the Gates of Ishtar, Lashed To the Slave Stick and Black Seeds of Vengeance, the new material sounds absolutely killer! To see the likes of To Strike With Secret Fang, Stelae of Vultures and Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down up close and personal were a real treat. I think, actually seeing them being played in person, added another level of technicality that I wasn’t prepared for. The fluidity of the solos, the transitional parts, the drum fills…it was just masterful. It also reinforced how good this current line-up is, a true force to be reckoned with, and Karl and the boys executed every twist and turn with ease, but, a special shoutout must be given to the powerhouse that is Dan Vadim Von on bass and vocals – what a presence! I honestly couldn’t take my eyes off him for the set.
It may have taken me over 20 years to finally see NILE live, but it was worth the wait to see them close with Black Seeds of Vengeance. It’s an album that takes me back to my early days of discovering so many great extreme metal bands, and to hear it delivered by the band at the top of their game, was something special 
(5 / 5)
