Nixil/Drouth |Toward Dead Temples |Self-Release

Release Date April 24^th, 2026
Format Vinyl/Cassette/Digital
Genre Black Metal, Black/Death Metal
Country USA

Hailing from the grim streets of Baltimore, Nixil have spent the last few years carving out their own cursed space in the metal underground. On the other side of the country, Drouth operate out of Portland, delivering a vicious strain of blackened death metal. Now, these two American hordes have linked up for a split release titled "Toward Dead Temples". Joining forces for this aural assault and a subsequent West Coast tour in May, Nixil and Drouth unleash five tracks of pure devastation.

Nixil kick off "Toward Dead Temples" with three blazing tracks, starting with "Never Rise Again". The Baltimore musicians summon a storm of icy tremolo picking and relentless blast beats. The vocals rip across the mix with a raspy, throat-shredding delivery. The riffs on "Bloody Footprints On The Path Of Bones" take a darker turn, weaving dissonant chords into an unrelenting barrage of speed. The musicians build serious tension, letting the guitars bleed out sinister melodies while the drums keep a merciless pace. "I Am Not Here" closes out their side, offering more of their trademark black metal assault to end their portion.

When Drouth takes over for the second half, the sonic attack shifts gears. The Portland crew step heavily into the death metal side of the spectrum with "Cathartes Aura", delivering crushing riffs and gut-wrenching gutturals. The drumming here is an absolute weapon, driving the guitars forward like a runaway freight train. On "The Outer Church", they incorporate a viola courtesy of Eva Vonne, adding a haunting, mournful layer to the suffocating instrumentation. The transition between the high-speed onslaught of Nixil and the heavier approach of Drouth makes the entire run flow smoothly.

The production on "Toward Dead Temples" serves both bands well, capturing the raw intensity of their performances. Nixil’s tracks, handled by J. Robbins and James Plotkin, maintain a chilling atmosphere with enough low-end rumble to back up the freezing guitars. Drouth’s contributions, recorded by Billy Anderson and mastered by Justin Weis, feature a thicker, cavernous mix that suits their death metal approach. The varying studio techniques give each band a distinct identity, keeping the listening experience highly engaging. It is a loud, furious release that sounds thoroughly monstrous from the opening seconds to the dying notes.

"Toward Dead Temples" is a highly effective team-up between two underground forces. Nixil deliver top-tier black metal fury and Drouth bring massive death metal firepower to the table. Some moments blur together during the fastest sections and a couple of riffs drag just a fraction too long. Still, the destructive energy on display is undeniable, making it a very strong addition to any extreme metal collection.

Score: 7.0