NILE's KARL SANDERS undergoes multilevel spinal fusion surgery
23-10-2026
NILE guitarist/vocalist Karl Sanders is recovering after undergoing a “multilevel spinal fusion surgery” in his neck. He is expected to be well enough to join his bandmates on their “Underworld Europe 2026 Tour”, which is scheduled to kick off on November 29 in Athens, Greece.
Sanders shared the following message via social media: “Quick update for fans, students, and friends: On October 1, I underwent multilevel spinal fusion surgery in my neck to address serious issues that had been getting progressively worse.
“Disc degeneration, decades of headbanging, a martial arts injury 11 years ago, and a long stretch of stress have taken a toll on my health. I’d been dealing with pain from pressure on my spinal cord and nerves, but when I developed constant numbness in my right hand this year, I knew I couldn’t put it off. Scans showed severe narrowing around my spinal cord, along with signs of injury to the cord itself. My doctors made it clear that surgery was necessary. Without it, I was facing further permanent damage, including a very real risk of paralysis.
“During the procedure, the damaged discs and bone pressing on my spinal cord were removed. Donor bone was placed between multiple vertebrae, which were secured with a metal plate and screws. So there’s officially a little more Metal in me now. \m/
“The surgery went well, and I’m putting in the work on recovery. The neck and shoulder pain is easing, and my throat is healing. I’m walking 2–3 miles a day, doing Occupational Therapy for my right hand three times a week, following my doctor’s instructions, and playing LOTS of guitar.
“Eight weeks to the day after surgery, I’ll be back on the road for our European tour. I’m looking forward to getting back out there.
“Making music is what I love, but it’s also how I make my living, and metal doesn’t come with paid medical leave.
“I won’t be doing any more onstage headbanging, but that’s OK. I have done more than my share of headbanging during my career, and I am thankful that I can still actively tour and Make Metal for the fans.
“Thanks and see you on tour soon!”
In September 2025, NILE recruited Adam Roethlisberger as the band’s new bassist/vocalist. Roethlisberger made his live debut with NILE on September 12, 2025 at the opening show of the band’s U.S. tour with Canadian extreme metallers CRYPTOPSY in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Dan Vadim Von announced his departure from NILE on August 20, 2025, writing on his Instagram: “Decided to leave NILE to concentrate on other commitments. Thanks to all who attended the shows during my tenure as frontman, you were the best part of it.”
Roethlisberger was a member of VITRIOL for over a decade, but exited the band in the fall of 2024, reportedly due to a “long and difficult working relationship” with VITRIOL guitarist-vocalist Kyle Rasmussen.
NILE‘s tenth album, “The Underworld Awaits Us All“, came out in August 2024 via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded with the lineup of NILE founding mastermind/guitarist Karl Sanders, longtime drum master George Kollias, vocalist/guitarists Brian Kingsland and Zach Jeter, and bassist Dan Vadim Von.
Watch “Under The Curse Of The One God”, “To Strike with Secret Fang” and “Chapter For Not Being Hung Upside Down On A Stake In The Underworld And Made To Eat Feces By The Four Apes” below.
NILE‘s Karl Sanders comments on the new track and lyric video: “We are really happy that fans will finally have a chance to hear ‘Under The Curse Of The One God’. It’s a ferocious and brutal NILE track, steeped in Ancient Curses. Many thanks to Ingo Sporl for once again wielding his uniquely creative visual artistry to help bring our music to blasphemous life.”
Watch the previously released “To Strike with Secret Fang” and “Chapter For Not Being Hung Upside Down On A Stake In The Underworld And Made To Eat Feces By The Four Apes” below.
Previously, NILE shared a short video of founder Karl Sanders (guitar, vocals) and Lewis as they were putting the finishing touches on the band’s tenth LP. The clip was accompanied by the following caption: “We are DONE mixing the new NILE album! This album sounds killer – We have put our hearts and souls into this record, and we believe that the amount of time, effort, and detail that went into it shows through the music. \m/”
Once again produced and recorded at Sanders‘s own Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, the band returned to “Vile Nilotic Rites” engineer Mark Lewis (CANNIBAL CORPSE, DYING FETUS, WHITECHAPEL) for mixing and mastering.
Sanders says about the album: “We are very happy to be sharing with fans NILE‘s 10th album. We worked overtime making this record as killer as we could — because we sincerely felt fans deserved our best efforts. ‘The Underworld Awaits Us All’ — and we will see you there.”
“The Underworld Awaits Us All”‘s mind-bending art was once again envisioned and created by Michał “Xaay” Loranc, with reference to the cycle of life and judgment at its end.
“The Underworld Awaits Us All” track listing:
01. Stelae Of Vultures
02. Chapter For Not Being Hung Upside Down On A Stake In The Underworld And Made To Eat Feces By The Four Apes
03. To Strike With Secret Fang
04. Naqada II Enter The Golden Age
05. The Pentagrammathion Of Nephren-Ka
06. Overlords Of The Black Earth
07. Under The Curse Of The One God
09. Doctrine Of Last Things
10. True Gods Of The Desert
11. The Underworld Awaits Us All
12. Lament For The Destruction Of Time
The Underworld Awaits Us All will be available in the following formats:
-2LP Gatefold GOLD (Napalm mail order only – limited to 300) – NEW!!
-2LP Gatefold MARBLED ORANGE RED BLACK w/ 24 Page Vinyl Booklet and Slipmat (Napalm mail order only – limited to 200)
-2LP Gatefold SPLATTER DARK GREEN YELLOW (Napalm mail order only – limited to 300)
-2LP Gatefold CLEAR (North American indie stores only – limited to 500)
-2LP Gatefold CLEAR w/ signed card (limited North American Newbury Comics exclusive)
-2LP Gatefold BLACK
-6 Page CD Digipak
-6 Page CD Digipak w/ signed card (limited North American Newbury Comics exclusive)
-6 Page CD Digipak & Anubis Bust (limited to 500) – SOLD OUT in North America, only 50 left in international store!
-Cassette Tape Edition YELLOW (Napalm mail order only – limited to 200)
-Digital Album
Last October, NILE announced its new touring lineup. Joining Sanders and longtime drummer George Kollias are Dan Vadim Von (MORBID ANGEL, INCANTATION) on bass/vocals and Zach Jeter (HIDEOUS DIVINITY, OLKOTH) on guitar/vocals.
In June 2023, mastermind Karl Sanders spoke to Headbangers Latinoamérica about the progress of the recording sessions for NILE‘s tenth studio album. Asked how the studio work is coming along, Karl said: “Very well. (NILE drummer) George (Kollias) finished all his drums. He did an amazing job. When people hear this, they are not going to believe that it’s a real live human doing all this stuff. But it’s George. People who have seen him live and in the flesh can believe. So he’s done probably the best album of his career with this new NILE record. Now it’s our turn playing guitars.”
In July 2022, Sanders told Guitar World magazine that he and his bandmates had 10 songs written for the follow-up to 2019’s “Vile Nilotic Rites”. Earlier that same month, NILE announced the departure of bassist/vocalist Brad Parris.
NILE‘s current lineup consists of Sanders handling guitars and vocals, Kollias on drums, and Brian Kingsland, who joined the group in 2017, on guitar and vocals. Julian David Guillen is the band’s touring bassist and vocalist.
Originally hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, international death metal legends NILE have become one of the most revered names in the worldwide heavy metal scene today, combining extreme traditional and technical death metal styles with their trademarked blend of Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern soundscapes and historical mysticism.
“Vile Nilotic Rites” was released in November 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded and produced by Sanders at Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, with the exception of the drums which were recorded at Esoteron Music Studios in Athens, Greece with engineering handled by Jim Touras and George Dovolos. The album was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis at MRL Studios. For the album artwork, the band returned to artist Michal “Xaay” Loranc who had worked with the band for over 10 years.
In September 2021, NILE announced that it had signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records.
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