The Pennsylvania quartet drops a self-titled sonic sledgehammer that’s equal parts crushing, cinematic, and unexpectedly soulful.
Man, oh man — y’all aren’t ready for this one.
The new self-titled LP from Rivers of Nihil is out now via Metal Blade Records, and believe me when I tell you: it hits like Negan with his bat in The Walking Dead. Only instead of Glenn’s head, it’s your ears taking the beating — and you’ll be thankful for it.
Right from the jump, the one-two-three punch of “Despair Church,” “Water & Time,” and “House of Light” floored me. It’s rare to get a trio of tracks that land this hard back-to-back, but these absolutely slay — like a deer hunter on a weekend run with the crew.
And yes, let’s talk about the sax.
Rivers of Nihil has been leaning into the brass more in recent years, and “The Logical End” takes that thread and charges the field like Saquon Barkley from the 1-yard line. It’s bold. It’s unexpected. And it works.
The album closes with the epic “Rivers of Nihil,” a track that not only cements the record but seals its legacy. This is easily one of the best albums of 2025.
Adam Biggs (bass, vocals), Andy Thomas (guitar, vocals), Brody Uttley (guitar, piano, keys, programming), and Jared Klein (drums, vocals) have delivered something truly special.
Rivers of Nihil is giving us a gift. Cherish it, metalheads — because this one is amazing.
Standout Tracks: All of them
– THE MAESTRO
