Artist: Nuke
Album: Self Titled
Label: Hells Headbangers
Release Date: September 15, 2016
Format: Vinyl Record
This slab of vinyl contains pure metal bliss, and I have had nothing but the smile of a little kid across my face since it arrived at my porch stoop. Pure thrashing dirty metal released on sick green vinyl, along with sweet artwork throughout, featuring a 90’s 16 bit aesthetic. Upon opening, I found myself sitting back with the artwork as the album ripped at full blast – fun details are found throughout.
Sound wise Nuke is what I think of as classic metal. Thrashy, dirty, and fast, but with a twist of sci-fi drug fueled adventure wasteland to encapture it all. The audio mix puts the vocals just over the driving guitars, while the rest rides just below, again exemplifying that classic sound. Vocals dominate while guitars blister shreds and leads over the thrashing drums.
The second track, “Metal Inferno,” has a chorus I find myself wanting to sing along to, great leads and catchy fun hooks. Closing my eyes I can easily transport myself to a smelly bar in Detroit, Nuke is onstage and there I am soaking in all the energy. I can see the leather clad long haired sing alongs and shenanigans! The next track, “Marching Undead,” leads in with a wall of chaos and driving drums that keep pounding and shrieking for 3 minutes plus. Solos and vocals saturate the top end while the drums keep the forward momentum. Again – pure metal bliss is found!
The fourth track, “Hellrider,” brings another super fun chorus, and the guitar riffs on this track are some of my favorite on the album. I can almost feel the thick guitar sound, consisting of full out chugging parts that transition into a heavier thicker riffage. Complicated and classic. I hear so many classic bands in the sound that “Nuke” creates, with pure worship of everything that is metal! You could list on and on, but really, they take it all bottle it up and puke out pure Nuke. Each track on this album brings its own features, “Dead Space,” which is fifth, features an almost orchestral sound from the guitars, really giving the drums a chance to shine out. There are tight intricate beats that perfectly accent what the strings are putting down. Two minutes in the vocals come in, bringing another great chorus.
“Murder Troops” is the last track on the record. The drums are, again, the forefront, blasting their way through this track. Lots of great drumwork is found throughout this track as well. The guitars and vocals, again, ride in that classic metal punk sweet spot – snotty, heavy and rich in solo flourishes and other embellishments.
Nuke are from Detroit. I have had the fortune of seeing some of these guys in some of the other bands they perform in, however, I have yet to Catch Nuke. These dudes love what they do and it shows. The worship of all things metal shines through these songs. The package itself has that wow factor. Even my 15 year old approved as he sat down for a good 20 minutes looking over the artwork while I was blasting this in my kitchen. 
