Where Owls Know My Name

Where Owls Know My Name is the third studio album by Pennsylvania death metal band Rivers of Nihil. The album was released on March 16, 2018 through Metal Blade Records and was the band's first effort to chart on the Billboard 200, debuting at number 61 and selling 2,750 copies in its first week.[6]

Where Owls Know My Name
Studio album by
Rivers of Nihil
ReleasedMarch 16, 2018 (2018-03-16)
StudioAtrium Audio
GenreTechnical death metal, progressive death metal[1]
Length56:43
LabelMetal Blade
ProducerCarson Slovak, Grant McFarland
Rivers of Nihil chronology
Monarchy
(2015)		 Where Owls Know My Name
(2018)
Singles from Where Owls Know My Name
  1. "The Silent Life"
    Released: February 6, 2018 (2018-02-06)
  2. "A Home"
    Released: February 21, 2018 (2018-02-21)
  3. "Where Owls Know My Name"
    Released: March 7, 2018 (2018-03-07)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Metalinjection.net[2]
AngryMetalGuy[3]
Metal Storm[4]
Metal Hammer[5]

Information

In a May 2018 Reddit AMA, Utley and Biggs stated the following regarding the album's concept and lyrical content:

Owls is essentially the story of the last man on earth. He was made immortal by the planet itself (the conscious seed of light, as it were) to be the sole intelligent witness of the death of the planet. Really though this is all set dressing for the more emotional content on display here, so looking TOO closely at the lyrics for story purposes is probably a bit of a futile effort in my opinion. It's really just about loss and getting older and coping with the things you've done in your life. We'll be there as soon as we possibly can![7]

The saxophone on the album is performed by Zach Strouse. Uttley met Strouse several years before the release of Owls while recording Strouse's local metal band. While tracking Strouse's guitar, Uttley learned that Strouse was a performance major on saxophone and attending school for saxophone. Uttley was impressed by Strouse's performance at a local university soon thereafter. The two remained close and Strouse agreed to track saxophone for what would become "Owls", first recording for "The Silent Life" at Uttley's home, to rave reviews from the other band members. As a result, Strouse provided 3 solos for the album and atmospheric work on two other songs. Uttley pointed out when interviewed that the band didn't want to be known as "the sax band" and that they were rather simply incorporating new elements into their sound. Uttley also noted that Strouse himself is a death metal fan, and that he was wearing an Origin shirt while recording his solos.[8]

The song "Old Nothing" features a guest solo by former The Faceless guitarist and founding member of The Zenith Passage Justin McKinney.[9]

Album artwork was provided by Dan Seagrave, who provided artwork for the bands' two prior releases.[10][11]

Andy Thomas of Black Crown Initiate provides additional vocals on the title track "Where Owls Know My Name".[12]

Sarah Thomas, sister of Black Crown Initiate guitarist Andy Thomas, and girlfriend of Rivers of Nihil bassist Adam Biggs, provides additional vocals on "Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance)".[13]

Background and promotion

The band announced they had returned to Atrium Audio, where they had recorded their Sophomore effort Monarchy in September 2017, via their Facebook page. The band once again worked with Grammy-nominated producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland, who had produced both their debut EP Hirearchy and their second studio album Monarchy.[14][15]

In promotion of the album the band released three singles: "The Silent Life",[16] "A Home",[17] and the title track.[18]

The album was made available for streaming in its entirety on March 12 via WSOU.[19]

A music video for "A Home", produced by David Brodsky, was released on March 16.[20]

Track listing

All music is composed by Rivers of Nihil.

No.TitleLength
1."Cancer / Moonspeak"1:45
2."The Silent Life"6:35
3."A Home"5:19
4."Old Nothing"4:44
5."Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance)"8:34
6."Terrestria III: Wither"3:49
7."Hollow"5:14
8."Death Is Real"6:09
9."Where Owls Know My Name"6:43
10."Capricorn / Agoratopia"7:50
Total length:56:43

Credits

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.

Personnel
Rivers of Nihil
  • Jake Dieffenbach – lead vocals
  • Brody Uttley – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, programming
  • Adam Biggs – bass, backing vocals
  • Jonathan Topore – rhythm guitar
  • Jared Klein – drums, backing vocals
Additional musicians
  • Justin McKinney – guitar solo on "Old Nothing"
  • Zach Strouse – saxophone
  • Grant McFarland – cello
  • Sarah Thomas – vocals on "Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition and Dissatisfaction Dance)"
  • Sean Carter – trumpet
  • Andy Thomas (from Black Crown Initiate) – vocals on "Where Owls Know My Name"

Production
  • Dan Seagrave – artwork
  • Jordan Straub, Nick Shaw – additional engineering
  • Alan Douches – mastering
  • Carson Slovak, Grant McFarland – production, engineering, mixing

References
  1. Best Death Metal Album of Each Year Since 1985
  2. Pementel, Michael (March 15, 2018). "Album Review: RIVERS OF NIHIL Where Owls Know My Name". Angrymetalguy.com. AngryMetalGuy. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  3. "Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name Review". Angrymetalguy.com. AngryMetalGuy. March 15, 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  4. "Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name review". MetalStorm. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  5. loudersound
  6. "Metal By Numbers 3/28: Stone Temple Pilots soar to the top 10; Nihil annihilatesMetal Insider". Metalinsider.net. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  7. https://www.reddit.com/r/progmetal/comments/8ianhc/hi_were_rivers_of_nihil_ask_us_anything/dyqesmy/
  8. Jason, Shadie & Stan the Man (3 March 2018). "64. Between the Buried & Me / Rivers of Nihil Interviews, & Bolt Thrower Review". intothecombine.com (Podcast). Publisher. Event occurs at 1:20:04. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  9. "THE ZENITH PASSAGE Guitarist Shares Thoughts On Today's Technical Death Metal Scene". Metalinjection.net. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  10. http://www.danseagrave.com/detail/monarchy/
  11. http://www.danseagrave.com/detail/the-conscious-seed-of-light/
  12. "Rivers Of Nihil Premiere New Track "Where Owls Know My Name"". Theprp.com. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  13. Jason, Shadie & Stan the Man (3 March 2018). "64. Between the Buried & Me / Rivers of Nihil Interviews, & Bolt Thrower Review". intothecombine.com (Podcast). Publisher. Event occurs at 1:25:18. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  14. "Rivers of Nihil are in the Studio - MetalSucks". Metalsucks.net. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  15. "THINK LOUD STUDIOS Announces Grammy-Nominated Producers GRANT MCFARLAND AND CARSON SLOVAK (ATRIUM AUDIO, LLC) as Partners -". ventsmagazine.com. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  16. "Rivers of Nihil Announce New Album, Premiere New Song - MetalSucks". Metalsucks.net. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  17. "Changing Seasons: Rivers of Nihil Find "A Home"". Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  18. "Hear Rivers of Nihil's Cinematic 'Where Owls Know My Name'". Loudwire. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  19. "WSOU Presents New Music Mondays: Stream Rivers of Nihil's New Album Where Owls Know My Name - MetalSucks". Metalsucks.net. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  20. "Watch Rivers of Nihil's New Video for "A Home" - MetalSucks". Metalsucks.net. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
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