In my opinion only IMMOLATION might reach the intensity of the new NILE release and fight for the title ‘Death Metal album of the year 2002’ simple as that. I’m so glad I finally wrote all the reviews that had been piling up at home cause now there won’t be anything blocking my CD player but NILE. Hey, “Black Seeds…” already became one of my alltime favourites (not only) in the Death Metal department and “In Their Darkened Shrines” even beats NILE’s last masterpiece! It’s even more crazy, more evil, more breathtaking. Apart from that: no big changes. Still, NILE stands for extreme Death Metal and they’re still one of the most original bands on earth. There are other bands dealing with ancient Egypt as well, take NECRONOMICON, for example, but no other band even comes close to the perfection NILE deliver. Just listen to the sick lead on the 11 minute epic track ‘Unas Slayer Of Tee Gods’ (which also includes the main theme from the old CANDLEMASS classic ‘Well Of Souls’, just in case no one should notice that… – Frank), the raging drums, the concept of changing lead grunts and those authentic sounding instruments one connects with the middle east, etc.! Even though “In Their…” lasts for almost one hour, this record (available on vinyl as well) doesn’t get boring at all, whereas other Death Metal albums sometimes tend to sound monotonous after only 20 minutes. There is everything from mighty doomy passages (like on ‘Sarcophagus’ or ‘I Whisper In The Ear Of The Dead’) up to incredibly fast and tricky blast parts (like almost everywhere). In case you’re at least a little into Death Metal you have to buy this album for the pharaohs of Death shall conquer! Don’t you dare and miss them on tour in October!!!