Monday, December 31, 2012

Nuclear Winter - Warborne Assault (EP) Review



Band - Nuclear Winter
Country - Bangladesh
Genre - Thrash Metal
Release - Warborne Assault
Type - EP
Label - Wartorn Records
Date of Release - 17th January, 2013



Tracklist
1 - Nuke 'Em Back To The Stone Age
2 - Father Of All Bombs
3 - Sacred Warfare
4 - Idol Of The Blinds
5 - Not A Step Back (Order No. 227)

Total Playing Time - 15 Minutes 


Thrash is not a very easy genre to make a mark in. One can argue that all the major innovations in the style were done in the 80's, the decade that gave birth to the genre. However true that may be, it must be stated that thrash in the modern day is a genre that is full of copy-cats that lack originality and just want to do the same thing that the next band is doing. To put it bluntly, most thrash bands just look the same and sound the same. In fact, the most unfortunate thing is that I can pick a random band from Spain and pair them up with a band from Canada, and they could have both been from the same den in the west coast of the USA. 

Nuclear Winter are not just another ripple in the endless stream, however. Right from the outset, the band differentiate themselves with their dark sounding, gritty production that manages to be clean at the same time. The guitar tone bursts out the gates like a battering ram, crashing into everything and beating the opposition into submission, while the drumming provides a constant barrage of bullets to aid the assault. The bass has a healthy clunky tone that is a bit behind in the mix but is not without its own presence as it adds another layer of heaviness to the overall mix, and helping create the ultimate aura of endless warfare taking place before our very eyes.. or ears, in this case. Speaking of war, the vocal performance by Reza is akin to a general barking orders from the trenches, but never hesitating to fire some rounds himself. 

The music is played out at breakneck tempos throughout, sometimes giving way for a mid-tempo approach, but never ever slowing down. The riffage leads the way forward, armed with the great tone as mentioned earlier, with the tight rhythm section giving the aggression a contained and compacted feel. The overall effect is devastating, when the sounds of war break through your speakers. In the midst of all this high speed metal madness, a guitar solo drops in and makes its presence known every now and then to keep this Bangla blitzkrieg marching forward. It is really something to behold, and if you don't sing along to the choruses when you witness this band live... you shouldn't be at the gig in the first place. I know I will personally go apefuckingshit when I some day am blessed enough to see them live.

The songs are all well balanced. The first track, the promo single, starts off in crushing fashion and eventually leads way to the band's trademark fast tempos and barking vocal style. Father Of All Bombs is a short but sweet effort clocking in around two minutes with some interesting riffage and an addictive chorus section. This song will have you guzzling beer can after beer can while smashing your heads against the stage. The next two songs – Sacred Warfare, and Idol of the Blinds – are notably more nefarious in nature, with some harsher vocal styles on display as well as some riffs that wouldn't be out of place on a death/thrash song. These two songs make it clear to the listener that this band brings variety to the table as well, before the EP finally closes off with a sick crossover influenced track in Not A Step Back (Order No. 227). This last one finishes as soon as it begins, leaving behind a mass of collateral damage in its wake. 

Musically, you would be pretty ill-informed to claim that this band is a Sodom worship band just after reading their name. Their influences upon the initial listenings, vary from the aforementioned German thrash masters to acts such as Destruction, Exodus, Sacred Reich, Sacrifice and Morbid Saint. However they are not any generic retro-homage to 80's acts. At the end of the day, Nuclear Winter just provide an eclectic mix of elements of their favorite bands, and manage to create their own sound in the process.





Putrid Ascendancy strongly recommends!! 

9/10

Monday, December 3, 2012

REVIEW : One Hand One Foot and a Lot of Teeth - DEATH BY DAWN

Release Date - May 22nd, 2006 Label - STF records

Country - Münster, North Rhine-Westphaliap

Death by Dawn is a very overlooked band in the thrash death genre leaning closer to thrash. With vocals by Martin Van Drunen we all know that part is well taken care of. the music is not his normal forte except maybe Comecon stuffs. the production is pretty raw and the album is equally as comparable to their demos, earlier and later. I hear a bit of punk and hardcore influences at times as well. When I listen to this album I wonder how something so fucking awesome could be so overlooked, especially with the caliber of musicians and vocals. STF was a relatively small label so I am thinking they might have not pressed many but its a shame. any fans of thrash/death in the vein of Comecon or Pestilence.

The nicotine lobby is by far my favorite track on the album just because of the brutal beginning and the vocals. there isn't a bad song on the album and if you haven't heard this you are missing a very solid album. I do not do in depth reviews or embellish as I leave that for you to decide.this is basically just to get your attention to listen to a very fucking good album you might not know about.
4.5/5



Tracklist



1. Divorced, Conicted, Fired 03:41

2. A Day Without the Band 06:17

3. Profit 04:16

4. Parliament of Decadence04:56

5. The Nicotine Lobby 05:48

6. The Deceiver Silenced 04:34

7. Welfare Paradise 04:50

8. State Paranoia 04:03

9. Not Afraid to Die 08:29 
 
 Reviewer - Jeff  Fischer