Nuclear Cthulhu – Desecration (digipack CD)

Not a new release, but Heidens Hart took over distribution of this title. 45 minutes of goat stoner metal: disturbing, otherworldly doom and gloom. The album comes across as terrifying and alien as the incredible cover art. Featuring six destructive and grotesque takes on slow moving, hazy doom metal and five eerie interludes, Nuclear Cthulhu’s debut of Lovecraftian madness is bound to turn heads.

Review: “As if the blackened crawling of those tracks isn’t enough to firmly fixate your mind’s eye on some wretched Lovecraftian landscape, each track is followed by a short interlude. These short moments only serve to add to the unease. Despite the general discomfort these songs exude, there is an underlying catchiness to the music. This comes in the form of stonerized doom riffing, that employs crushing notes and plodding, head bobbing rhythms. That being said, there are a few moments of subterranean funeral doom-like dirges, that sound like the audible equivalent of attempting to swim the river Styx. In spite of the decrepit, glowering sound brought forth, the band’s song writing keeps the momentum moving nicely throughout.

While the members of Nuclear Cthulhu are no stranger to creating alienating works of black metal with Blackdeath, Desecration marks a first. Their self-described “goat stoner metal” is actually quite apt. Doom-laden, stoner riffing moves through the fog and haze, carrying the weight of the grotesquely deformed beings on the cover. This is uncomfortable in all the right ways. Desecration may take some time to grow on you, as it’s subtle horror is slow to reveal itself, but it’s certainly worth the time.”