Sixteen years and five albums after the Pennsylvania band’s formation, progressive death metal progenitors Rivers of Nihil are upping the ante with their 2025 self-titled album Rivers of Nihil. Traditionally, a self-titled record can signal a return to basics and/or a fresh beginning, and in 10 powerful songs, it’s clear that both those factors are in play. Founding bassist Adam Biggs became the band’s new lead vocalist/bassist in 2023; the same year marked the appearance of additional guitarist Andy Thomas (ex-Black Crown Initiate), whose vocals also play prominently on Rivers of Nihil. Producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland at Atrium Audio captured the new dynamics across more than 50 minutes of music. On June 15, 2023, the band released a new single, "The Sub-Orbital Blues,” the first track with Biggs handling lead vocals (following the 2022 departure of singer Jake Dieffenbach, and also their first featuring Thomas). A second single, "Hellbirds," dropped on October 19 of that year. On April 29, 2024, the band released the cut "Criminals" and an accompanying music video. Both “Criminals” and “The Sub-Orbital Blues” appear on Rivers of Nihil. The new album’s first single of 2025, “House of Light,” is a track the band believes “encapsulates the nature of what it is that we do perfectly while offering a different perspective on the sound with the new lineup,” explains founding member/guitarist Brody Uttley, who also plays piano and does the programming in the band. “Everything that our fans have come to love about our sound is demonstrated in this song with the new addition of Andy singing and Biggs on main vocals. It has the riffs, it has the big chorus, it has the prog, it has the solos, it has the sax. Just a real classic example of what we will do as a band in 2025.” Rivers of Nihil also showcases additional musicians, including Patrick Corona on alto saxophone; Stephan Lopez on banjo; McFarland on cello; and a slate of other guest vocalists. Further singles include “American Death,” a true-to-form beater that’s sure to slay live, and “Water & Time,” which Uttley says is Rivers’ “stab at writing a big chorus style synth-laden song. The main melody on synth came out so cool the band filled out the song with “metal band stuff” for the potent final version heard on Rivers of Nihil. Despite the fresh approach on Rivers of Nihil, the album fits neatly into the band’s discography. With Where Owls Know My Name (2018), Rivers of Nihil transcended all labels applied to them, and with its 2021 follow-up, The Work, they forged further into new territory. Metal Injection calling the latter album “by far the group’s most cohesive, ambitious, meditative, and varied effort, with greater uses of philosophical significance and transcendental respites.” The quartet’s 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 support slots on the Chaos and Carnage Tour (Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex, etc.), Lorna Shore, Between the Buried and Me, and shows with Killswitch Engage. And the roadwork continues even before Rivers of Nihil’s 2025 release. Rivers will bring with them three of the other biggest names in progressive death metal --Cynic, Beyond Creation, and Dååth -- for the European and UK  “Aggressive Progressive Tour,”  which kicks off February 28, 2025, in Germany. They’ll travel across seas once again for a slate of European festivals in August. And more touring plans for 2025 are expected to be announced soon.