This is the ultimate slap in the face to Trey Azagthoth. Nile have created a complex, multi-textured scenario of violence that will take extreme metal to the next level. And Morbid Angel should've been doing this ages ago. Epic isn't a strong enough word to describe In Their Darkened Shrines. African choirs, countless foreign instruments such as sitars, tablas, tempuras, kettle drums, "Tibetan Doom horns," Egyptian chants and the odd interwoven bit of acoustic riffery make for a varied and assertive junket through ancient Middle Eastern tales, current politics aside. And the instrumental elements aren't just ashes from the cremated corpse sprinkled sparingly, but actual in-depth, but frightful additions. 'The Blessed Dead' leads the fury and shockingly has that Pestilence - Testimony Of The Ancients-era feel to it with a menacing choir rippling the tapestry in a sonic boom. 'Unas Slayer Of The Gods' ("the ninth and last Pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty") begins acoustically before the floodgates open with the wrath of Tony Laureano's pounding. 'I Whisper In The Ear Of The Dead' (inspired by Nectanabus, the last native Pharaoh of Egypt who was rumoured to be a great sorcerer and necromancer) commences with a gurgling spoken word which culminates in a haunting, bloodied peak. It's all way over the top as the lead and rhythm tracks are seamless and the subtle time changes are effortless. The concise production ties it all together with deliberate reason. The title track is split into four parts (inspired by none other than H.P. Lovecraft), beginning with the 'Hall Of Saurian Entombment', a four-minute march of death as it were. Essentially 'In Their Darkened Shrines' is the tale of a "rebellious Serpent Cult who are plotting to overthrow Pharonic rule" and it emerges as a grandiose piece of work. There are plenty of holes to be filled in this story to actually grasp the concept, but that is truly up to the listener to develop. And like all great works of art, this record leaves a great deal to the listener to weed through. Space doesn't permit a full translation, if indeed it could even be done. Through intelligence and power, Nile gives death metal hope. Avant-garde? Damn right. But you know damn well there ain't a Cold Lake in their future.