Description

2016 release with and new liner notes by bassist / vocalist Lori Bravo and OBI-strip. Limited 1000 copies

Arizona-based Nuclear Death is one of the few thrash/death metal bands to feature a female vocalist, The trio originally formed in the mid-’80s, issuing several demo cassettes (1986’s Wake Me When I’m Dead, 1987’s Welcome to the Minds Of, and a pair in 1988, The Morbid and Vultures Feeding), before issuing their full-length debut in 1990, Caveat. Further albums followed throughout the ’90s, including such metallic gross-outs as Bride of Insect, Carrion for Worm, For Our Dead, All Creatures Great and Eaten, and The Planet Cachexial. This 2016 album features the band’s 1992 album “All Creatures Great And Eaten” paired with the band’s “For Our Dead” 1992 EP.

For Our Dead
Though they’re still as bizarre and heinous as ever, Nuclear Death’s short release in the nineties is another slight shift for the band. This EP recording is a step up from their last album “Carrion for Worm.” Instead of just ploughing forward like they had tendency to do on that release, the band concentrates on a few focal points, and within that brings out the most dark, disgusting and deserving aspects that they possibly could have with this release. This release, with the exception of the guitars being so low, has a better mix with the vocals and the drums getting some spotlight. Actually, the guitars at times seem like background noise with the other instruments picking up more of the pieces in its place. Not just the sound quality, but the riffs themselves are devoid of hooks and at most times higher notes, so your ears just kind of get used to them buzzing in the background. This release began to include some slower sections, which changed things up a little. Generally the song writing can be out of control one moment and then worked through the next. Essentially you get a decent balance of both sides. I recommend this recording but I think the next release takes these attributes and further exploits and maximizes their creativity even more so.

All Creatures Great And Eaten
This third album is the full realization of what Nuclear Death had been working toward since 1986. It incorporates the waves of dissonant distortion, the blazing grinding paces, the sludgy, agonizing breakdowns and most importantly eccentricities and oddities that move Nuclear Death’s third album from an enjoyable death/grind classic to a legendary, monolithic and unparalleled accomplishment. It takes a certain ear to appreciate something so under produced, harsh, filthy and abrasive, so as usual I issue a disclaimer forewarning sensitive ears: This stuff hurts. Oh boy does it hurt. Each song typically begins with hideous distortion ringing out and either shooting into a blazing fast grinding riff in a haze of murky fuzz or letting loose a pummelling, primitive slower and sludgier riff with chunky chords chugging and ringing out with an agonizingly dissonant tone (but don’t expect some Southern-sounding Eyehategod riffs). In the speedier sections the riffs are mostly tremolo picked with strange chords and buzzing repetitive rhythms that would almost be reminiscent of black metal if they weren’t heaped in a grinding maelstrom. The bass is mostly inaudible but plays into the low end fuzz adding a fuller and thicker sound especially in the pounding mid-paced riffs. In general the riffs are tinged with a sickly odd sound I will again and again describe as “dissonant”. Lori Bravo (bass/vocals) and Phil Hampson (guitar) really hit their stride on this album, making song after song and riff after riff of intensely harsh and disgusting filth. The drums are either violently pounding on the toms or blasting behind walls of distortion, but don’t let that fool you into thinking Joel Whitfield is some knuckle-dragging blast beating slouch. Ms. Bravo’s vocals are most especially of note. I can’t stress enough how integral her vocal style is to the sound and atmosphere of the music. She screams and grunts with speedy delivery during the fast parts and really lets loose when the slower riffs crawl in, terrifyingly belting out gut-churning screams in the most heinously bizarre tone over already sickeningly heavy, weird and violently pounding music. Nuclear Death were an innovative, strange and horrific band with an dark sense of humour behind their sickeningly morbid and disgusting themes. From the break-neck thrashing of “Bride of Insect” to the horrendous, hazy, sludgy and seemingly almost psychedelic “All Creatures Great and Eaten” Nuclear Death established a truly classic sound that remains untouched. Their final album as a trio stands as my favourite of the group (Lori Bravo continued using the name as a solo project for two albums), and is the perfect send off for the glorious merging of these three bizarre musicians. While it is highly abrasive, there’s no reason the seasoned old school death metal/grind fan wouldn’t enjoy it, so long as they can stomach the production. For the average listener, this stuff takes some getting used to and will generally repel more than it attracts. I give this album the absolute highest recommendation. Prepare to be engrossed in a murky bog of filth, corpses, hallucinations and horrific sights and sounds.

Track list:
1. The Corpse Tree-from For Our Dead
2. Days Of The Weak-from For Our Dead
3. The Third Antichrist-from For Our Dead
4. The Church Of Evil Minds Of Splatterday Saints-from For Our Dead
5. Bones Of The Lip-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
6. The Art Of Veins-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
7. Mindbleeder-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
8. Divine Perversion-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
9. Guinea Man-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
10. [No Title] -from All Creatures Great And Eaten
11. Aunt Farm-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
12. A Dark Winter Psalm-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
13. All Creatures Great And Eaten [Part 1]-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
14. All Creatures Great And Eaten [Part 2]-from All Creatures Great And Eaten
15. [No Title]-from All Creatures Great And Eaten