Since August 9, 1945, the world has somehow dodged becoming a nuclear tomb, though at times that seemed inevitable. But don’t give up hope, it could still happen!
It certainly seems to be a vision embraced by the Baltimore band Nuclear Tomb, reflected not only in their own moniker but also in titles such as Terror Labyrinthian, the name of their new album, and “Fatal Visions“, the album’s second single following the title track.
The terrifying absurdities of our existence under the nuclear shadow, and a multitude of other self-created shadows, are also well-represented in Nuclear Tomb‘s music, which has been labeled “weirdo death thrash”, and we’ve got a fine example for you in our premiere today of the third single from the new album — “Parasitic (Live A Lie)“.
If you’ve caught either of the first two singles, you’re well aware that Nuclear Tomb are capable of whipping up head-spinning musical riots, using their very impressive technical skills to create savage and discombobulating whirligigs of sound — the kind of thing that makes people go, “what the fuck did I just hear?”
That’s not just because the music is so bizarrely intricate and brazenly unpredictable yet also viciously feral (both nasty and jubilant), it’s also because how these four perform their crazed machinations with such razor-sharp execution so frequently verges on the astounding. And when you can see how they’re doing what they’re doing, as in the video for the new album’s title song, it’s even more eye-popping.
That label “weirdo death thrash” is one way of signifying that Nuclear Tomb pull lots of different ingredients into their fast-paced sonic barrages. Those ingredients include the kind of old-school technicality represented by such deathly bands as early Pestilence and Sadus, but also proggy flourishes and what others have called “noisy punk experimentation” (and the influence of other weirdos such as Voivod deserve a mention too).
The exhilarating exuberance of the music is one of its hallmarks, but, to refer back to a point already made, another hallmark is how well-structured their jet-fueled madness is, with recurring riff-motifs and head-hooking drum patterns keeping things on track, just when it seems like everything’s going to fly off the tracks.
What we’ve tried to explain in the preceding two paragraphs is captured by that second single, “Fatal Visions“, which includes beautifully swirling leads and one hell of a guitar solo, as well as lots of blazing, contorting, and highly headbangable riffage and skull-smacking beats.
And now it’s time for our premiere of “Parasitic (Live A Lie)“, and we’ll turn first to vocalist/guitarist Michael for an introduction:
Musically, this is one of the most straightforward songs on the album. The goal was basically “Reign in Blood” with blast beats and some subtle tinges of our own weirdness thrown in. Lyrically it’s inspired by moments on Rush’s album Permanent Waves, calling out the posers who sacrifice artistic integrity for clout. “Art as expression, not as market campaigns, can still capture our imagination” – ‘Natural Science’ by Rush. Weirdo thrash is the law.
Of course, in the context of Nuclear Tomb‘s nuclear-powered roller-coaster rides, “straightforward” is a relative term. The boiling riffage sounds maniacal, and when the drums convert from a popping crack into a galloping and battering barrage and the bass starts humming like an asylum inmate lost in their own world, the music becomes even more wildly convulsive.
This song also features an attention-grabbing solo, whose wailing, spiraling, and white-hot exuberance adds to the feeling of vicious dementia — as do the raw and rabid vocals.
NUCLEAR TOMB is:
Michael Brown – Guitar/Vocals
Matt Ibach – Guitar
Amelia Morris – Bass
JD Lookabill – Drums
Terror Labyrinthian was engineered and mixed by Sebastian Phillips at Hotbox Audio Recording Facility, and it was mastered by Brad Boatright (Audiosiege). It includes additional lead-guitar performances by Demir Soyer, and features suitably demented artwork by Lucas Korte (Shoggoth Kinetics), with other graphic contributions by Matthew Scott and Giorgio Spevo.
The album will be released by Everlasting Spew Records on April 19th in CD, tape, and digital formats, and a vinyl edition is expected by the coming summer.
PRE-ORDER:
https://everlastingspew.com/
https://everlastingspewrecords.bandcamp.com/album/terror-labyrinthian
NUCLEAR TOMB:
https://www.facebook.com/NuclearTombLives