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Album Review – Nuclear Winter / Seagrave (2023)

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Zimbabwe-based Gary Stautmeister and his outer-ego Nuclear Winter attack again with their fourth full-length effort, dripping in symphonic atmospheres, powerful distorted guitar riffage and deep melancholic undertones.

Fusing thundering heavy rhythms with haunting choirs and dynamic electronic textures, the breathtaking Seagrave, the fourth full-length offering by Harare, Zimbabwe-based Melodic/Industrial Death Metal one-man army Nuclear Winter, unleashes a powerful wall of sound highly recommended for fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Wintersun, Rammstein and Lorna Shore, to name a few. Dripping in symphonic atmospheres, powerful distorted guitar riffage and deep melancholic undertones, while still maintaining the signature Progressive Metal elements by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Gary Stautmeister, Seagrave is the perfect follow-up to Nuclear Winter’s 2020 EP Stormscapes and the 2021 full-length opus Greystone, taking the listener on a voyage through darkening and cinematic realms.

Gary wastes no time and distills his fusion of the music by Fear Factory, Soilwork and Rammstein in the opening tune The Glimmering Landscape, where his harsh roars walk hand in hand with all background epic elements and his infernal riffs. Then we have Starward Longing, heavy but at the same time very melodic and orchestral, with Gary once again doing a great job with his galloping bass and drums, therefore generating a grandiose atmosphere for admirers of the genre; and there’s no time to breathe as Gary’s hybrid of Industrial, Symphonic and Death Metal comes crushing our souls once again in Fates Mysteries, showcasing his trademark roars and clean vocals, followed by Thy Shadows Fall, even more phantasmagorical, groovy and sinister than its predecessors with Gary adding nuances of Black Metal to the music through his devilish gnarls, sounding solid and electrifying from start to finish. After that we face The Grave is Wide, a lot more industrial and mechanized than its predecessors, feeling like some of the latest creations by Fear Factory but with more demonic vocals.

The Dusk and the Song is perfect for banging your head nonstop while enjoying the sinister ambience crafted by Gary through his whimsical vocals, classic riffs and pounding, industrialized beats, spiced up by all background elements; whereas blending the most electrifying elements of Industrial, Groove and Death Metal, Gary once again barks and roars in great fashion until the very last second in Pale Memories, a great song to be added to your workout playlist. Gary’s second to last breath of industrial and orchestral sounds is offered to us all in Black Waters, with his hammering drums and low-tuned bass bringing tons of groove to the overall result, before such electrifying metal party reaches its epic finale with his cover version for German pop group Bad Boys Blue’s hit House of Silence, from their 1991 album House of Silence (check the original version HERE), the perfect depiction of “Pop Metal” by Gary and his Nuclear Winter, adding his own metallic twist to the original song.

“Get ready for my latest Nuclear Winter album – Seagrave. With a deliberate focus on heavier sounds and a simpler approach to songwriting, Seagrave isn’t just about pure aggression. This album also showcases a bigger incorporation of choir elements that help add an epic dimension to the sound. The result I feel is a step forward from my previous work,” commented Gary about his newborn spawn, and you can show him your support and admiration by following Nuclear Winter on Facebook, by subscribing to the project’s YouTube channel, by streaming his multi-layered creations on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of Seagrave from the MDD Records’ BandCamp page. The music by Nuclear Winter is always in constant evolution thanks to the creative mind of Gary, with Seagrave representing another step forward in his career and, therefore, fueling our multi-talented Zimbabwean musician for a lot more of Nuclear Winter in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: The Glimmering, Thy Shadows Fall and Pale Memories.

Worst moments of the album: The Grave is Wide.

Released in 2023 MDD Records

Track listing
1. The Glimmering Landscape 4:26
2. Starward Longing 4:23
3. Fates Mysteries 4:00
4. Thy Shadows Fall 4:11
5. The Grave is Wide 4:19
6. The Dusk and the Song 4:25
7. Pale Memories 4:29
8. Black Waters 4:10
9. House of Silence (Bad Boys Blue cover) 4:19

Band members
Gary Stautmeister – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Nuclear Winter / Greystone (2021)

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Harare, Zimbabwe-based Melodic and Industrial Death Metal one-man army is back in action sharper than ever with his most powerful and detailed album to date.

3.5rating

nuclear-winter-greystone-2021After the success of his 2020 EP Stormscapes, Harare, Zimbabwe-based Melodic/Industrial Death Metal one-man army Nuclear Winter is set to unleash the project’s third full-length opus, entitled Greystone, where the band’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Gary Stautmeister recorded, wrote and produced everything by himself, giving the whole album a very personal touch. “I’m very happy to have completed this new album titled Greystone. I was aiming to produce something heavy but also more electronic than my previous EP. It was quite challenging mix-wise because each song uses a slightly different sound on the drums/bass/guitars, but I feel the overall production is an improvement from my previous work, and the songs are now hopefully more distinct from each other. I especially like Corridor of Shells – which is about a battle in which the surrendering army brings shame to their country,” proudly commented Gary about his new “baby”.

And Gary doesn’t waste a single second and begins shredding his guitar mercilessly in the opening tune The Wastelands, all boosted by the song’s futuristic background elements, therefore reminding me of some creations by the iconic Fear Factory. More of his fusion of Industrial and Death Metal comes in the form of the visceral and somber Stygian Awakening, with Gary growling like a demonic entity while at the same time generating an interesting paradox with his own clean vocals, resulting in a headbanging, epic and progressive creation by this Zimbabwean lone wolf; whereas Gary’s metallic bass jabs will hit you hard in the head in The Harvest Moon, another whimsical, multi-layered creation that travels through the realms of Progressive, Death and Melodic Metal flawlessly. It’s quite impressive how his music is so dense and detailed taking into account he’s only one single musician, and in Orwellian Future his undeniable talent becomes even clearer as he’s capable of bringing some welcome hints of electronic music to the song’s overall heaviness.

Time for Gary to invest in a more rockin’ sound in Corridor of Shells, where our one-man band kicks some serious ass with his riffs and solos while crushing his drums with tons of intricacy, sounding very atmospheric and therefore living up to the legacy of modern-day Industrial Metal. The Wavering Shadows beings in full force showcasing strident riffs, epic keyboards and hammering drums, keeping the album at a high level of obscurity and insanity, with Gary firing truly demonic, Black Metal-inspired gnarls, while he will put you to dance under the moonlight in Hidden Shrine, showcasing elements from 80’s electronic bands the likes of Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys and New Order added to the project’s core essence. The second to last explosion of Industrial Death Metal by Gary, entitled Graveyard Sculpture, continues his path of devastation and insanity, with the machine-like drums walking hand in hand with all futuristic keys; and The Failing Dawn, the closing tune of the album, might not be as impactful as its predecessors, but it still showcases Gary’s own “darkness versus light” vocal duel and his always visceral riffage.

nuclear-winter-2021In a nutshell, as aforementioned, it’s truly impressive how Gary manages to sound like a full-bodied band even doing all by himself, and in Greystone we must all admit he outdid himself in terms of creativity, punch and heaviness, offering us fans of heavy music what’s perhaps the best metal album that has ever been recorded in Zimbabwe, and even if Zimbabwe might not be considered a true metal country that still means a lot. Hence, don’t forget to show Gary your support and admiration by following him and his Nuclear Winter on Facebook and on Twitter, by streaming all of his wicked compositions on Spotify, and above all that, by purchasing your copy of Greystone from the MDD Records’ BandCamp page (or click HERE for all locations where you can stream or buy the full album). As he keeps evolving as a musician (and as a producer), let’s wait and see what’s next in the career of Mr. Gary Stautmeister, and until then we can keep enjoying all tracks from the excellent Greystone in the name of Heavy Metal and Rock N’ Roll.

Best moments of the album: Stygian Awakening, Corridor of Shells and The Wavering Shadows.

Worst moments of the album: The Failing Dawn.

Released in 2021 MDD Records

Track listing
1. The Wastelands 4:00
2. Stygian Awakening 4:12
3. The Harvest Moon 3:58
4. Orwellian Future 3:43
5. Corridor of Shells 4:20
6. The Wavering Shadows 4:07
7. Hidden Shrine 4:40
8. Graveyard Sculpture 3:13
9. The Failing Dawn 4:08

Band members
Gary Stautmeister – vocals, all instruments