Rivers of Nihil

Rivers of Nihil is an American technical death metal band from Reading, Pennsylvania. They are currently signed to Metal Blade Records. To date the band has released two EPs and four studio albums. Their most recent release is 2021's The Work. Their 2018 album Where Owls Know My Name^[1] debuted at number 61 on the Billboard 200,^[2] selling 2,750 copies in its first week.^[3]

Rivers of Nihil was formed in 2009. They recorded their first EP Hierarchy later that year with Century vocalist Carson Slovak, who produced numerous works by other bands such as August Burns Red, Texas in July, and Black Crown Initiate (Slovak would later work with the bands on their second and third studio albums, adding writing credits to "Terrestria III: Wither" on Where Owls Know My Name).^[4] During this period the band opened shows for bands such as Decapitated, Decrepit Birth, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, and Misery Index.^[5]

In 2011, the band worked with producer Len Carmichael to record their second EP Temporality Unbound.^[6] The album would spawn a music video for the song “(sin)Chronos".^[7]

In February 2012, MetalSucks referred to Rivers of Nihil as the "best new Death metal band you'll hear this year".^[8]

On December 10, 2012, Metal Blade Records announced that they had signed Rivers of Nihil to a record deal, and released a demo for the song "Rain Eater". The label also announced that the band would be working with Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal and Morbid Angel to record their first studio album at Mana Recording Studios in Tampa, Florida.^[9] The band released the album in the United States on October 15, 2013. The album artwork was created by Dan Seagrave, who would handle the artwork on the band's next two albums as well.^[10]

Rivers of Nihil returned to Atrium studios to work again with Slovak on their second full-length studio album, Monarchy, which was released on August 21, 2015.^[11] The album sold 1,175 copies in its first week.^[12] On August 17, 2015, the band made Monarchy available for streaming in full.^[13]

On September 7, 2017, the band announced via their Facebook account that they had returned to the studio, once again working at Atrium Audio, and working again with audio engineers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland.^[14] The band recruited The Kennedy Veil's live drummer Jared Klein to track drums.^[15] On March 16, 2018, the band released Where Owls Know My Name as well as a music video for the song "A Home".^[16] Metal Injection gave the album a perfect 10/10 score.^[17]

On September 24, 2021, the band released their fourth album, titled The Work. It was elected by Loudwire as the 22nd best rock/metal album of 2021.^[18] Topore left the band in April 2022.^[19] On October 20, 2022, the band announced that they had parted ways with lead singer Jake Dieffenbach.^[20]

On June 15, 2023, the band released a new single, "The Sub-Orbital Blues". It marked the band's first new music with Biggs handling lead vocals, and also their first featuring ex-Black Crown Initiate guitarist Andy Thomas.^[21] The band released a second single, titled "Hellbirds" on October 19.^[22]

On April 29, 2024, the band released a single titled "Criminals" and an accompanying music video.^[23] The band released an instrumental version of the album "The Work" on July 19.^[24] In October of 2024, Metal Blade Records announced that Rivers of Nihil would be re-releasing a remixed, remastered version of their debut EP Hirearchy on November 8.^[25]

Former touring musicians

• Kyle Schaefer – lead vocals (2023) ^[26]
• Zach Strouse – saxophone (2022) ^[27]

Timeline

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