Karl Sanders

It's no secret Nile's frontman is fascinated with Egyptology, and on his darkly mysterious second solo record, this gifted guitarist uses Middle Eastern instrumentation and meditative atmospherics to subjugate the spine-chilling theme of exorcism. Performing each instrument (including Turkish lute and Glissentar) himself, Sanders has produced an eerie, mostly instrumental score begging to supplement a major motion picture on ancient Egypt. Picture endless deserts with "Rapture of the Empty Spaces," and experience impending doom at the foot of the Sphinx with "Kali Ma."