Band:	Nixil
Album:	From The Wound Spilled Forth Fire
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	August 2023

01. Collapsing The Poles
02. In Thrall
03. A Door Never Closed
04. From The Wound Spilled Forth Fire
05. Abyss Unto Abyss
06. The Way Is The Grave

Warning: fire hazard! Nixil can set you alight with their flamin' hot black metal energy!

As is so often the case for me, I found myself drawn to this album because of its striking cover art. Reminiscent of Demigod's Slumber Of Sullen Eyes, it depicts a shirtless man sitting in a lotus posture. At his feet, a human skull and bones. His hands and head: a vortex of fire. Now, before my mind roams to further associations (if you're curious, give Neurosis's "Burning Flesh In Year Of Pig" a listen), let's talk about the music at hand. Formed in 2019, Nixil are a quintet of musicians hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, USA. As all of them have experience playing with a different previous band, one can expect that they not only have the honed talent to perform some great music, but each of them also can bring various ideas to the table. This, I believe, is evidenced in their sophomore album, From The Wound Spilled Forth Fire, as it demonstrates a top-notch black metal performance that is lush with interesting ideas.

Nixil have a prominent central theme of magick and gnosis. The album is concerned with breaking free from oppression — largely in a spiritual sense, but also in a political way, as Nixil state that they are devout anti-fascists. As soon as the first track, "Collapsing The Poles", starts, I'm immediately reminded of the intro of Acherontas's Vamachara, as both begin with an atmospheric incantation of the four cardinal directions. A ferocious piece of tremolo-picking starting at the 50-second-mark might be my favorite riff on the album, as it perfectly introduces the black metal ferocity that is to come. Next are the wretchedly snarling blackened vocals, which remind me of the performances of Æther Realm or Melechesh (I can perfectly imagine the singer rasping the names of "Tiamat" and "Nergal", for example). Fittingly, both of these bands also share themes of the occult, whether it's the tarot cards for Æther Realm or Mesopotamian mythology for Melechesh. Musically, the album sounds like a blend of Vitriolic Sage and Acherontas, meshing vicious riffing and eerie melodies, all the while creating an ambience that's supported by lyrical themes of rituals and visions.

As with their first album, Nixil have leaned into their punk origins and have recorded this album live instead of meticulously mixing together separately performed instrument tracks. Given that the band earned great amounts of popularity from their live shows in 2021, it's no surprise that their method of playing together is highly effective and engaging. On every song here, one can sense the energetic dynamic with the musicians playing off each other and working seamlessly as a collective. This quintet offers an entertaining mix of headbang-inducing intensity and melodic lead guitar-work while creating an overall foreboding, mystical aura.

In my opinion, while "Collapsing The Poles" is a true attention-grabber and somewhat overshadows the following two tracks, I believe Nixil show the height of their complex songwriting skills in the last three songs of the album. Alternating between calm, slow sections underscored by intimidating snarls, more furious and catchy musicianship, and hypnotizingly melodic riffs, the second half of From The Wound Spilled Forth Fire demonstrates the impressive meloblack mastership of Nixil. With this whirlwind of menacing energy on display, led by creative guitar-work and supported by an unnerving atmosphere, it is apparent that Nixil have the talent and craftsmanship to achieve greatness in the future. Looking forward to more!