Pennsylvanias progressive death metal progenitors Rivers of Nihil make their first voyage to Aotearoa New Zealand.
The quartets 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 touring with Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex, Lorna Shore, Between the Buried and Me, and touring with titans of progressive death metal Cynic, Beyond Creation, and Dååth.
Life on the road for Rivers is a treat for fans and band members alike. For the most part, its very mellow, with a lot of laughs and a lot of ball-busting. Andy (Guitar, Vocals), and I have been friends for over 15 years, and Jared (Drums) has been in the fold since 2017 says founding member/guitarist Brody Uttley. Founding bassist Adam Biggs became the bands new lead vocalist/bassist in 2023, which upped the ante and led to the release of self-titled album Rivers of Nihil (2025). Traditionally, a self-titled record can signal a return to basics and/or a fresh beginning, and in 10 powerful songs, its clear that both those factors are in play. I feel like these songs are the perfect blend of all our albums, with all the fat cut away, says Uttley.
River of Nihil have riffs, big choruses, the prog, the solos, the sax and now it will have Aotearoa New Zealand
