I have to admit something here, and it doesn’t do my already tenuous ‘metal’ credibility any good, that for a band that have been around since the mid to late 80’s, Nunslaughter are a band I have never…. ever heard of. Now, there could be several reasons for this, maybe I am not the most diligent and on top of my admin metal fa, and there is probably a shedload of bands out there that I have never heard of. Bands from Puerto Rico, peddling a Christian, pop, punk, grind oeuvre or a three piece from Ireland called, Fifteen Ton Piece of Charcoal, whose modus operandum is playing Pet Shop Boys covers via a repurposed lawn mower in the style of Carcass. You know, there are far too many bands in the world of the music we love, to ever be fully confident that you know them all. But, given I have been reviewing, attending, buying, and living the life of metal for close to 35 years, how is it that a band such as Nunslaughter, could have slithered past my peripheral vision? So, what in the name of the fallen Nazarene am I doing attempting to put together seven hundred words of semi coherent ramblings for a band that I have zero knowledge of? Well life is too short to be twatting about so why not? So, to this, the band’s latest release which, amazingly, is only their fourth full length effort, with the band preferring to release EPs and splits throughout their long career. You have to hand it to these Pittsburgh, Pennsylvanian death metallers, on having a career that endures over thirty years…kudos on pure longevity terms, but to have also kept an audience for all that time, you have to be doing something right…. right? And here’s the rub. There is in our world of ours, a very persuasive and completely understandable compulsion to look backwards.

Per example, myself and a mate and a fellow metalhead were sitting in a pub beer garden last week supping a couple of beers and engaging in what we like to term as ‘Metal Jukebox’, which is basically loading up Spotify on my phone and playing (at a less than appropriate volume) a song each for around three hours. At the beginning of said ‘event’ we try and outsmart each other with the latest, cutting edge, trendy, en-vogue band we have just heard of. Subsequently this gives way after ten minutes and we then revert to playing mainly thrash from the 1980’s until closing time. You can’t help yourself; the past has so many memories, its so evocative and morish and Nunslaughter, are mired in it in, like a page in time. This latest album represents another competent slice of, death/thrash, anti-Christian pudding that chugs along at 80mph and is decent enough. The playing is good, the production is vastly improved from previous efforts but still retains a grimy, dirty feel. It’s very of its time and it’s a good example of American styled death/black metal that does what it says on the tin, if that’s not being too on the nose?

It’s fine, it’s all very competent and does nothing to besmirch their obviously well earnt reputation, but nor does it move things forward and keeps it’s Hi-Tec Hi Tops planted firmly in the past. But that shouldn’t really be used a stick with which to beat Nunslaughter, having carved a niche from themselves they are content to continue to plough this particular furrow, and who the fuck am I to criticise? I can’t say that this album raised the hairs on the back of my neck, and I certainly don’t think I will be in a rush to play it again soon, but nor would I take any pleasure tearing this album to pieces. It’s a decent, solid, and heavy effort that will land well with Nunslaughter’s already well-established fan base. Will it win them any new fans? debateable, but as a standalone effort, there is much to enjoy, even if it’s not particularly reinventing the wheel.

(6.5/10 Nick Griffiths)

https://www.facebook.com/NUNSLAUGHTER

https://nunslaughter.bandcamp.com/album/red-is-the-color-of-ripping-death