Torture Tunes
Nukem
The Unholy Trinity
Lately I’ve been finding it hard to get into new thrash bands. Most of these kids worship at the altar of Bay Area Thrash, but lack the true heart and spirit of what made the big 4 so good in the first place. Luckily, I’ve found a new thrash band that bucks the trend big time and proves that they can be individuals and still pay homage to their heroes.
Hailing from San Diego, Nukem blasted onto the scene in 2012; armed to the teeth with aggression and riffs exploding from their asses. I remember befriending Steve Brogden on Face Book and he put this bug in my ear about the band he had. Of course I was curious as hell and waited patiently for the band to release some music. It might have taken four years to accomplish this feat, but lo and behold – The Unholy Trinity is spawned from the moshpits of hell!
They got a record deal with Sleaszy Rider Records out of Greece and have cut eleven songs of pure molten madness. Led by vocalist/gutarist Steve Brogden (former member of Cage) and joined by bassist Don Lauder and drummer Norm Leggio, the trio march forth like demented soldiers bent on bringing down the house in every town they invade. The songs and lyrics of Nukem will have you fist pumping and headbanging in no time flat and a killer new thrash band is set to become a household name sooner than you think.
Brogden is a cat who can really tear you a new one with that raging throat of his. His vocal style is almost a melding of Rob Urbinati (Sacrifice) and John Kevill (Warbringer); a mixture of tonal savagery guaranteed. You can really hear his delivery come at you loud and clear on “Warwolf” and “The Atomic Age”; plus that voice is assuaged by a cacophony of guitar sounds to compliment the full throttle assault. The relentless chug of “The Deceiver” quickly becomes music to my ears and “Bloodseeker” provides enough crunch and aggression with the guitars to fuel the moshpits for hours at a time.
Nukem
The Unholy Trinity
(Sleaszy Rider Records)
Written by: Ken Gallant
9 out of 10
The big surprise on this release is a cover of Black Sabbath’s “T.V. Crimes” which turns into a real stomper of a tune and faithful rendition of the Dio era song. “D.O.I” is an all-out thrasher and probably the heaviest song on the record. Then you get a track like “Lethal Injection” that blisters with intensity throughout, and makes way for “Nukem All” where I hear bits of early Slayer. The gang vocals and thunderous pounding of the skins help drive the song, while the leads captivate these ears. Then the final song “Suspicious Minds” proves that a jokey song once sung by Elvis Presley, can easily be turned into thrash goodness and I whole heartedly applaud Steve and the boys for this bold selection as a cover song.
Ultimately, Nukem has arrived so convincingly with this debut, proving these vets can take the typical thrash formula; subvert it; remix it and reformulate it into a sound all their own. So what’s not to like about an album that goes for the juggler vein, rips it open and washes you all over with spraying blood. Nukem has done this with The Unholy Trinity and by golly I’m lovin’ the smell of crimson.
Kenneth Gallant, HMS
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