• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Playing Technical Death Metal without turning your sound into Djent or Deathcore is a victory in itself, so this alone gives Rivers of Nihil some points in their third full-length. The Pennsylvania natives deliver the technique, speed and instrumental fluidity characteristics of Technical Death and incorporate traditional elements into the vocal lines and the overall songwriting quite decently. Where Owls Know My Name shows the band finally reaching their own musical identity and honesty, and while some passages can be rather annoying like the meaningless saxophone parts and the recurrent slow-tempo sections, the experience is enjoyable.

There is really no climax or even standout points here, as the album pretty much offers the same experience throughout its whole course, but these dudes have enough instrumental proficiency and ability to write leads and choruses that can keep you hooked for some time, so I would recommend this to hardcore Tech/Prog Death fans and to the casual listener looking for something other than the traditional approach on extreme Metal genres.