Nuclear Power Trio are two things; 1 – a trio of despot dictators feared and vilified the world over, and 2 – a trio of superb musicians who are building on the momentum generated by their debut E.P “A Clear and Present Rager” with their debut full-length release “W.A.P (Wet Ass Plutonium)”. Bringing a blend of instrumental progressive metal with heavy fusion elements, Donny (Guitars), Vlad (KGBass) and Kimmy (Supreme Drummer) marry a myriad of approaches to their music on this new release, incorporating jazz, Latin, flamenco, neo-classical and synthwave into their progressive approach. Add in guest contributions from the legendary Chris Broderick (ex-Megadeth, In Flames) and Scott Carstairs (Fallujah), the dictators who also moonlight in Cephalic Carnage, Job For A Cowboy, Havok and Allegaeon have put together one hell of a project here, so let’s see what the autocratic agenda is all about.

Musically, this release clocks in at just under 40 minutes in length so it manages to avoid the pitfalls which many instrumental releases suffer from – things dragging on a little too long and many tracks seeming to blend together. It consists of 9 highly diverse tracks which as mentioned above, play host to a wide array of musical styles and influences, ranging from your typical slick leads and ripping riffs to out-right funk bass and jazzy flows, saxophone solo trade-offs, harp based shredding and massive synth lines which evoke memories of 80’s action films, hazy night-time cityscapes and classic arcade action. With arrangements on the tracks getting as complex as the current geo-political situation, this is a release which can be taken casually or immersively for your listening experience.

With plenty of tongue in cheek humour on the track names, you can tell that NPT are a group who both like to have fun and create some serious music. The opening and titular track opens up with a massive synth and air raid siren boom before it comes alive in spectacular fashion. With a ripping funk-loaded melodic bassline taking the lead, you cannot help but get hooked on the impressive display of proficiency. Tight and intricate, the delivery can be compared to that of Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne/Soften The Glare in how fluidly it flows and how effortlessly it shifts in style and delivery without going off the rails.

“Apocalypse Mao” wins my vote for best song title and it has some heavy and intense riffs, along with some great synchronised guitar and bass melodic work, duelling lead melodic sections and superb tempo changes from flurries of intensity to smooth and flowing. “Nyteflix and Chill” has a more Latin flavour to its sound. With slick synth and brass instrument augmentation, the funky bassline compliments the staccato guitar work in the verses before it opens up more as the track progresses, showing off some incredible chemistry between Donald and Vlad akin to that of Paul Gilbert and Billy Sheehan.

“Air Force Fun” lives up to its name. It is a high octane ripper of a track featuring some seriously fast paced sequences, massive synth and guitar leads and a fucking harp which shreds through arpeggios! Yes, neo-classical meets synthwave and adrenaline pumping metal… It’s all very silly, and it’s extremely fun. “Snark Side of the Un ” brings back the big funk vibes with some solid rhythm section work courtesy of Kim Jong Un and some spicy sounding wah-laden guitars which add a massive element to the sound and compliment the bass’s thumping and rumbling. “!Vamos, Brandito!” Adds in the flamenco styling and it is one of the standout moments of the release. The masterful guitar work with the hypnotic percussion is mesmerizing. Add in the melodic work of the bass, popping and slapping in and out with some huge atmospheric synth lines, the cleaner sections of the track are phenomenal, and when it comes more alive with some big metal riffing, the cutting delivery of the guitars is sweet as hell, not to mention the virtuoso performances of the stringed instruments.

“Anti-Saxxers” is a jazzier affair with some sweet saxophone work. Smooth and flowing initially, it suddenly explodes to life with a dynamic bassline and features some superb call and response arrangements from the guitar and saxophone, including some wild wailing spots and seriously funky, rapid-fire slap bass riffage. “Critical Bass Theory” is one of the major moments of the release and it is probably the most metal moment of the album. With its synthwave meets metal approach, it packs in plenty of memorable and infectious hooks, featuring soaring, three-point harmonies between the guitar, bass and synth. It loads in some seriously heavy riffs, pounding drums and fantastic call and response work between all the instruments. It is a hugely dynamic track which showcases some of the best compositional work on this album. Closing track “Red Scare Bear Stare” brings in some more neo-classical touches to the sound. With its opening arrangement of guitar and bass reminiscent of a solo-piano piece in how the two instruments interact and combine, it soon shifts into a more traditional progressive metal instrumental which has some Petrucci-esque vibes. Solid riffing and drums give a good platform for the bass and guitar soloing and when both of these aren’t tearing up the fretboard, the way they command the melodic direction of the track is executed well, making sure it is paced perfectly so things don’t linger too long or end up directionless.

In all, you can tell that Nuclear Power Trio are a formidable musical force when they aren’t destroying the fabric of the world in their day jobs with their undermining of their countries constitutions, invading sovereign states or launching missiles into the sea for shits and giggles. Instrumental releases aren’t for everyone, but ‘Wet Ass Plutonium’ is worth a listen no matter what you are into. It is 9 tracks of fun and proficiency which will amaze you and leave you wanting more.

(8.5/10 Fraggle)

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https://nuclearpowertrio.bandcamp.com/album/wet-ass-plutonium