Brody Uttley

Sixteen years and five albums into the Pennsylvania band's career, progressive death metal progenitors Rivers of Nihil are upping the ante with the self-titled album Rivers of Nihil. Traditionally, a self-titled record can signal a return to basics and/or a fresh beginning, and in 10 powerful songs, it's clear that both those factors are in play. Founding bassist Adam Biggs became the band's new lead vocalist/bassist in 2023; the same year marked the appearance of additional guitarist Andy Thomas (ex-Black Crown Initiate), whose vocals also play prominently on Rivers of Nihil.

Rivers' fifth Metal Blade album "deserves the 'self-titled' treatment. I feel like these songs are the perfect blend of all our albums, with all the fat cut away," says founding member/guitarist Brody Uttley. "There are more technical songs that call back to The Conscious Seed of Light and Monarchy sound, but with a more mature understanding of how to pace a song. There's a fair bit of the Owls and The Work-type experimental stuff, but with a more refreshed perspective on those styles for the current era of the band." Producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland at Atrium Audio captured the dynamics across more than 50 minutes of music, sonically marking the genesis of the band's new era.

On June 15, 2023, Rivers released a new single, "The Sub-Orbital Blues," the first track with Biggs handling lead vocals (following the 2022 departure of singer Jake Dieffenbach, and also their first featuring Thomas). A second single, "Hellbirds," (not on the album) dropped on October 19, 2023. On April 29, 2024, the band released the cut "Criminals" and an accompanying music video. Both "Criminals" and "The Sub-Orbital Blues" appear on Rivers of Nihil.

The new album's first single of 2025, "House of Light" (out Feb. 6, 2025) is a track the band believes "encapsulates the nature of what it is that we do perfectly while offering a different perspective on the sound with the new lineup," says Uttley, who also plays piano and does the programming in the band. "Everything that our fans have come to love about our sound is demonstrated in this song with the new addition of Andy singing and Biggs on main vocals. It has the riffs, it has the big chorus, it has the prog, it has the solos, it has the sax. Just a classic example of what we do as a band in 2025."

Rivers of Nihil was created in a very "rock n' roll" manner."On 2021's The Work I wrote a lot of the record on the piano and then the band filled in the gaps, but on this new record I wanted to make sure that this stuff would hit hard live with just the four of us before adding in all of the sparkly auxiliary 'frosting' on top," explains Uttley.

Rivers of Nihil also showcases additional musicians, including Patrick Corona on alto saxophone; Stephan Lopez on banjo; McFarland on cello; and a slate of other guest vocalists. Further singles include "American Death," a true-to-form beater that's sure to slay live, and "Water & Time," which Uttley says is Rivers' "stab at writing a big chorus style synth-laden song. The main melody on synth came out so cool the band filled out the song with 'metal band stuff'" for the potent final version heard on Rivers of Nihil.

Despite the fresh approach on Rivers of Nihil, the album fits neatly into the band's discography. With Where Owls Know My Name (2018), Rivers of Nihil transcended all labels applied to them, and with its 2021 follow-up, The Work, they forged further into fresh territory, with Metal Injection calling the latter album "by far the group's most cohesive, ambitious, meditative, and varied effort, with greater uses of philosophical significance and transcendental respites."

The quartet's musicianship has been honed to a fine point thanks to an unrelenting touring schedule over the past few years, including headline tours of the U.S. and EU/UK, as well as support slots on the Chaos and Carnage Tour (Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex, etc.), Lorna Shore, Between the Buried and Me, and shows with Killswitch Engage.

The roadwork resumed in 2025 even before Rivers of Nihil's release with a tour featuring other titans of progressive death metal--Cynic, Beyond Creation, and Dååth-on the European and UK "Aggressive Progressive Tour." Life on the road for Rivers is a treat for fans and band members alike. "For the most part, it's very mellow, with a lot of laughs and a lot of ball-busting. Andy, and I have been friends for over 15 years, and Jared has been in the fold since 2017," Uttley says. And that everything old is new again vibe is encapsulated in the title track, which is the album's last song. "Rivers of Nihil" sums up the band, but not in the expected way. "The name 'Rivers of Nihil' implies this dark nihilistic hopeless thing," Uttley says. "But lyrically the song is actually about letting time slip by you and not giving into the darkness."