Karl Sanders
Encyclopedia
Karl Sanders is an American musician, most widely known as the founding member of the American Egyptian
-themed death metal
band Nile
. He was born in California, and lives in Greenville
, South Carolina
. Karl is endorsed by Dean Guitars
, and has two signature models by KxK Guitars. He is ranked 4 in the Decibel Magazine
ranking of the 20 best death metal guitar players of all time.
He has a vast knowledge of Egyptian mythology
, which heavily influences his work.
, Karl was in a thrash metal
band during the late 1980s called Morriah and played local shows with the young Morbid Angel
and other US death metal bands.
, however presented in an ambient/Egyptian folk format, rather than death metal.
His first solo full-length album, Saurian Meditation
, was released on October 26, 2004 under the Relapse
record label. A second solo album, Saurian Exorcisms
, was released on April 14, 2009.
's 2004 CD release, Demigod
, playing a guitar solo on the track "XUL". He also performed a guitar solo at the end of the track "God of Our Own Divinity" by Morbid Angel
, on their 2003 album Heretic
, as well as a solo on the song "The Final War (Battle of Actium)" on Ex Deo's
2009 album Romulus.
Karl also played on Grave
's 2010 album Burial Ground
on the track "Bloodtrail", and provided guest vocals for Nervecell's song "Shunq (To the Despaired... King of Darkness)" on their 2011 album Psychogenocide.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
-themed death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Nile
Nile (band)
Nile is an American death metal band from Greenville, South Carolina, formed in 1993. Their music and lyrics are inspired by Ancient Egyptian/Near Eastern mysticism, history, religion, and art, as well as stories by H. P. Lovecraft.- History :...
. He was born in California, and lives in Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Karl is endorsed by Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars is an American manufacturer of guitars. It was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois and is currently under the ownership of Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.- History :...
, and has two signature models by KxK Guitars. He is ranked 4 in the Decibel Magazine
Decibel magazine
Decibel is a monthly heavy metal and extreme music magazine published by the Philadelphia-based Red Flag Media. Since October 2004, Decibel has featured a plethora of extreme metal bands and musicians. Its sections include Upfront, Features, Reviews, Guest Columns and the Decibel Hall of Fame...
ranking of the 20 best death metal guitar players of all time.
He has a vast knowledge of Egyptian mythology
Egyptian mythology
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature...
, which heavily influences his work.
Early life
Before creating NileNile (band)
Nile is an American death metal band from Greenville, South Carolina, formed in 1993. Their music and lyrics are inspired by Ancient Egyptian/Near Eastern mysticism, history, religion, and art, as well as stories by H. P. Lovecraft.- History :...
, Karl was in a thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band during the late 1980s called Morriah and played local shows with the young Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked one Morbid Angel album in its “Top 40 greatest death metal albums”, with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1...
and other US death metal bands.
Other projects
Sanders began his own solo side project in 2004. Much of the music that he plays includes similar elements of his band NileNile (band)
Nile is an American death metal band from Greenville, South Carolina, formed in 1993. Their music and lyrics are inspired by Ancient Egyptian/Near Eastern mysticism, history, religion, and art, as well as stories by H. P. Lovecraft.- History :...
, however presented in an ambient/Egyptian folk format, rather than death metal.
His first solo full-length album, Saurian Meditation
Saurian Meditation
Saurian Meditation is the first solo album by Karl Sanders, the vocalist/guitarist of the death metal band Nile. It was released on 26 October 2004 through Relapse Records. The music is a full length exploration of the atmospheric interludes heard on Nile's previous albums, and still draws on...
, was released on October 26, 2004 under the Relapse
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
record label. A second solo album, Saurian Exorcisms
Saurian Exorcisms
Saurian Exorcisms is the second solo album by Karl Sanders, the vocalist/guitarist of the death metal band Nile. It was released on 14 April 2009 through The End Records. The music is a full length exploration of the atmospheric interludes heard on Nile's previous albums, and still draws on ancient...
, was released on April 14, 2009.
Equipment
According to Karl Sanders himself in the official Nile forum, the following is the equipment Karl Sanders uses to perform.Guitars
- DeanDean GuitarsDean Guitars is an American manufacturer of guitars. It was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois and is currently under the ownership of Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.- History :...
V Nile Custom - Dean 79 V
- Dean ML
- KxK Spear V
- KxK Double-Neck V
- Godin Glissentar
- Godin ACS Slim Solidbody Classical
- Handmade Turkish bağlama saz
Amps
- MarshallMarshall AmplificationMarshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
JCM 2000 DSL 100 heads - Marshall 1960 a/b cabs with Celestion G12K-100 speakers
Other Equipment
- RolandRoland Corporationis a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
GP-8 - Lexicon Digital Reverb
- Roland GR-1 Guitar synth
- Roland PK-5 Midi Pedals
- Customized Dell Vostro *SonarCakewalk SonarCakewalk SONAR is a digital audio workstation made by Cakewalk for recording, editing, mixing, mastering and outputting audio. The latest versions of the software are SONAR Home Studio 7, SONAR Home Studio 7 XL, SONAR X1 Producer Edition, SONAR X1 Studio Edition, SONAR X1 Essential Edition, and...
and Kontact software - M-audio Interface
- Glyph Porta Drive
- MotuMOTUMOTU can refer to:*Mark of the Unicorn, a music-related computer software and hardware supplier.*Masters of the Universe, a toy and media franchise by Mattel....
interface - Radial Tonebone Plexi Pedal
- Radial Direct Boxes
- Radial JD-7
- Monster cable
Guest appearances
Sanders guested on BehemothBehemoth (band)
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
's 2004 CD release, Demigod
Demigod (album)
Demigod is the seventh studio album by Polish blackened death metal band Behemoth. The album was recorded during May and July in 2004 at the Hendrix Studios and was released on October 25, 2004. Daniel Bergstrand mixed the record at the Dug out Studios in Uppsala, Sweden during July and August in...
, playing a guitar solo on the track "XUL". He also performed a guitar solo at the end of the track "God of Our Own Divinity" by Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked one Morbid Angel album in its “Top 40 greatest death metal albums”, with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1...
, on their 2003 album Heretic
Heretic (Morbid Angel album)
Heretic is the seventh studio album by the death metal band Morbid Angel. This would be their last under Earache Records, as the band decided not to renew its contract, and the last to feature bassist/vocalist Steve Tucker....
, as well as a solo on the song "The Final War (Battle of Actium)" on Ex Deo's
Ex Deo
Ex Deo is a Canadian death metal band formed in 2008 in Montreal, Quebec. The band is a side project of Kataklysm frontman Maurizio Iacono, based on the history of the Roman Empire.-History:...
2009 album Romulus.
Romulus (album)
Romulus is the first and debut full-length album by Canadian death metal band Ex Deo. The album was released on June 19, 2009 through Nuclear Blast Records...
Karl also played on Grave
Grave (band)
Grave is a Swedish death metal band that formed in 1986 by vocalist and guitarist Ola Lindgren, who is their only constant member. The band had particular success in the early 1990s, and their first four albums, Into the Grave, You'll Never See..., Soulless and Hating Life, cemented their...
's 2010 album Burial Ground
Burial Ground
Burial Ground is the ninth studio album by Swedish death metal band Grave, released in June 2010.-Track listing:# "Liberation" - 3:40# "Semblance In Black" - 7:50# "Dismembered Mind" - 6:10# "Ridden With Belief" - 7:57# "Conquerer" - 4:44...
on the track "Bloodtrail", and provided guest vocals for Nervecell's song "Shunq (To the Despaired... King of Darkness)" on their 2011 album Psychogenocide.
Discography
| Release date | Album details | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2004 | Saurian Meditation Saurian Meditation Saurian Meditation is the first solo album by Karl Sanders, the vocalist/guitarist of the death metal band Nile. It was released on 26 October 2004 through Relapse Records. The music is a full length exploration of the atmospheric interludes heard on Nile's previous albums, and still draws on... |
Relapse Records Relapse Records Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
| April 14, 2009 | Saurian Exorcisms Saurian Exorcisms Saurian Exorcisms is the second solo album by Karl Sanders, the vocalist/guitarist of the death metal band Nile. It was released on 14 April 2009 through The End Records. The music is a full length exploration of the atmospheric interludes heard on Nile's previous albums, and still draws on ancient... |
The End Records The End Records The End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |