Nuclear Christ are the kind of Floridian death metal band that make you realize just how close Florida really is to Hell. The four-piece released their demo less than two weeks ago, signifying the entrance of a pristine and formidable new force of destruction in the underground. At five tracks plus a cover, their demo Twisted Idols for Nihilism represents some of the hottest, most unexpected material to erupt from the Sunshine State in some time. Of course, we had to reach out.
Nuclear Christ are a band with a unique past, we found out after contacting them.
According to Maleficio, the one-half of the band’s guitar assault squad, “Nuclear Christ is a project that has existed close to 20 years. Could never find a steady line up, I’ve jammed some of the material with many people over the years,” Malefico says. He names: “Chris Briggs from a band down here called Deviant Burial, Rick Smith From Caveman Cult, a few others, I have a rehearsal track somewhere with my bandmates from Devastator around 2012 which was going to be Nuclear Christ. Some of the songs and riffs I had ended up in my other band, Hexorcist. I had given up on Nuclear Christ entirely years ago. Upon revival, my first choice for a vocalist was Stewart George (ex-Abysmal) ,who is in Phalanx Inferno doing vocals these days.” Malefico says Nuclear Christ also consists of guitarist/bassist “Matteus (From Koroidia and now, Gnosis) and Severed Deity deserves all the credit for manifesting this project into reality due to their drive and conviction.”
Matteus remembers, “Over the years the band had went through a lot of line up changes but no shows or releases. Just the name with a lot of potential. Eventually, I met with Maleficio about bringing back the band, we talked about it for a year, then I showed him a couple of songs that I wrote and he really liked them. He said ‘that sounds like Nuclear Christ!’ We decided to get the ball rolling. Sooner or later we got Kryptic Kurser on vocals, followed by Severed Deity on drums, whom I played in bands with before Nuclear Christ.”
Looking back, Malifico says the name Nuclear Christ, “many many years ago (2002/2003 maybe) it just seemed like a name combination that wasn’t used yet. I may have also been listening to Nuclear Death and Demonic Christ at the time, haha! Not entirely sure, that was many years and drinks ago!”
Kryptic Kurser says, for their part: “Some names are just catchy and that makes one want to hear what’s behind it. I had been interested in participating with Nuclear Christ for a number of years and had spoken to Maleficio about this as far as 2010, but I was living in California at that time and the logistics didn’t work out. Maleficio’s comment about some of Nuclear Christ’s material ending up in Hexorcist was a catalyst for me at first. Personally, I couldn’t see why NC was unable to step forward but, what mattered is that we felt it had potential. The experience already there and the result of Nuclear Christ’s combined songwriting plus a theme and visual idea conceptions did work well in a way that, we were sure enough this was solid and could continue on.”
When it came to writing the demo, Matteus says, “I wrote the majority of the original songs in the demo with the exception of a track called ‘Blessed in Monuments – Dammed by Sacraments.’ Maleficio and I wrote that track together. I didn’t write ‘Remnants,’ [not streaming] as it is a cover of song written by Blood Feast but did the solos for that version which there were none in the original.The rest of the demo’s music was mostly written by myself with help in some parts by Severed Deity. I wanted to go for something chaotic, I pictured the world being in an apocalyptic disaster which is the perfect way to write cursing death metal! The name Nuclear Christ is what really fueled my songwriting for this demo. The lyrics were done by Kryptic Kurser and they locked in well with my ideas. I think ‘Ascension of the Demonaut,’ the demo’s first track, is a perfect example of that.”
Twisted Idols for Nihilism is currently available on pro-tape from Texas-based label Goat Throne Records. This mandatory releases come thanks to hard work put it by Nuclear Christ’s atomic vocalist Kryptic Kurser. “I handle all aspects of cooperation with labels,” they tell us. “Goat Throne was already familiar with Hexorcist and [Goat Throne] label boss, Aaron, liked them. He offered us the chance to have this one out on cassette when I sent it over to him for consideration. Originally, the songs were only going to be out on a split CD but, it seemed better to seek interest from metal fans in a dual manner as well. We have striven to make each release different for both labels: [Singaporean death metal label] Vrykoblast and Goat Throne Records. We are also looking for someone in Europe who might give it a listen and perhaps, partner with us and do a version unique to that part of the world as we have done with the other two.”
Matteus says the blood-spitting ferocity of Twisted Idols for Nihilism was captured at “a place called Dark Lake in Fort Lauderdale run by Adam Lvcifervs.” Matteus confirms: “We went in full-throttle, recording with no click track and tracking everything in one take.” Hails! “Adam was really fun to work with;” Matteus continues, “he knew what the band needed to sound the raw way you hear it on those recordings. He had really good gear, and a great setup for drum recording. We will record with [Adam Lvcifervs] again for the next release for sure!”
Adam is a good friend of mine,” Malefico says, telling us, “we did a few recordings under the name Lvcifervs. He’s an esoteric and eccentric madman. He himself was in a few bands back in the day with our mutual friend Doug Humlack Lichdom, Spiritus Infernus, Hibernus Mortis and Acrimonium. The guy is a massive talent with electronics. Once upon a time back in the 1990s, Acrimonium was sharing rehearsal space with this weird punk rock band and they messed with his PA so he re-wired all their gear to explode when they turned it on! He has a short fuse (no pun intended!) working with him is a real pleasure although he has little to zero patience.”
“I had known Adam for a number of years but had not had contact at all for a long time,” Kryptic Kurser tells us. “When I was informed that he was going to produce these recordings, I felt secure during the session that it would be good because he understands heavy sounds and is a technical kind of guy. He has a very good understanding of different styles in metal, is extremely helpful and he will engage with you in getting to understand what it is you want and work hard to give you a killer product. Knowing that we will work with him again, is what gives us a good start in getting all the moving pieces together for planning. I composed the demo’s outro, ‘The Perpetual Endbringer’ and he captured a good atmosphere for that during the final mix.”
The outro is really sick!
Kryptic Kurser goes on to tell us about the demo’s artworks. “Nizin Lopez created the covers used in both the CD and cassette versions of Twisted…” Nuclear Christ’s vocalist says, “I don’t think that Nuclear Christ would be the same if not for Nizin’s influence. I would say that his ‘visual aggression’ approach to abstract apocalyptic visions he created, mixed with knowledge coming from his own personal studies, helped forge our colorful miasma of hate. Nizin Lopez’s artwork can be seen in Morbid Angel and Deicide’s releases among others. We are fortunate that we have pieces commissioned to him for use in Nuclear Christ. Twisted Idols for Nihilism is having a Vrykoblast CD release with a different cover than the one seen on the cassette version from Goat Throne Records. We will feature more of his artwork in our next release.”
Now that the demo is finally released and the band’s potential is finally being realized, Matteus says the most reward experience has been: “For Maleficio’s benefit, I think, for getting this name out there after so many years of trying to bring it to life. For us as a band, I would say reading what people have to say about it, it’s been great nothing but great responses!”
“The feeling of completion is what I’d say matters,” says Kryptic Kurser. “I am overjoyed that a number of people found our compositions to their liking. Things, of course, have changed a little in the last few years but seeing it as a whole that despite it all, we are alive and still here to do this tells me that we have put to use whatever little time we have left alive in this world. Hope it’s not too dramatic to put it in those terms!”
In these times? No way.
“Right now, we’ve just been promoting our release with Goat Throne Records,” says Matteus. According to Matteus the Singaporean imprint of their demo will be a split CD from the aforementioned Vrykoblast. “They are going to put the demo out on CD, but it’s a split with Vrykolakas and yes, it’s the same guys. They have their own label and have several releases under their belt. Our side will be the same songs on the demo with the difference that a rough version of ‘Ascension of the Demonaut’ is on the cassette version only. This tape version only had 100 copies made.” He says, “For the next release we’ll be taking it a step further. For example, writing crazy and insane mixed together songs, haha! It’s a challenge we’re willing to accept.”
Kryptic Kurser tells us lately they’ve been working on the music video for the demo opener, “Ascension of the Demonaut.” They say, “The video is just a precursor to the efforts planned to begin soon. Like Matteus, said we do plan on more creations. Vrykoblast’s plans have been slowed down some due to factory issues beyond their control. For now, it seems the release of the split CD will be seeing the light of day around July this year.” They continue: “For our second release, at this moment it is going under the title of ‘Venenum Dei.’ The musical direction will continue to be in the vein of what we have shown. When it is heard, you know it is Nuclear Christ. We have been asked as to the status of NC playing live. For now, we feel that a second release is needed to make that a bit more solid and to have sufficient material on hand.”
My brother in Nuclear Christ, you need to go support this new hellish death metal band.
