Nunslaughter, Angelic Dread
It’s been seven long years since Nunslaughter released their last full-length, Hex unto the world. Was the most prolific band on hiatus? Where they too busy crucifying the righteous? Nope. In that span, this band of blasphemous bastards unleashed roughly 68 EPs, splits, compilations and live albums. Let’s just say, they’ve been pre-occupied. And to make up for it, not only is Angelic Dread pretty fucking kick ass, but it’s also a double disc release packed to the burning rim with 31 evil, malicious tracks.
There are just too many songs on this release to go through them all and, honestly, if you’ve heard one Nunslaughter album, you’ve pretty much heard them all and that ain’t a bad thing. This isn’t a band that is prone to alter their demonic presentation to follow trends or keep up with modern society. These guys have been slinging the same, raucous, thrashing mayhem from the start and there ain’t no end in sight. So sit back, crank Angelic Dread to the tits and bang like there’s no tomorrow.
For those interested in a few highlights from this combined hour and then some of sacrilege, let’s start with CD one. The album opener and title track sets the tone immediately with blackened thrash and an unrelenting pummel. There’s more than enough anti-religious hatred in this single song to make any fan happy. The off kilter “Twisted Spirit” is fun, as is thundering and galloping “Inner Beast.” “God” is classic Nunslaughter through and through, complete with catchy as fuck, growl-along vocals. “Infested” is as feral as the band has ever sounded and “Coffins and Crosses” injects a little bit of a groove into the malevolence.
As far as the second disc of Angelic Dread is concerned, it’s just more and more evil goodness to satiate your demented needs. “Emperor in Hell” is a burly song with a bit more power than previous songs. Both “The Bog People” and “Healing the Possessed” are chugging, slow burning monsters that serves a nice change of pace while “Phantom” delivers the chaotic hoof beats of the four horsemen as they hunt down their next victim. “Black Horn of the Ram” is short, but vicious as all get out and “Atheist Ways” churns the bowels with some solid low-end riffage. “Driving Out the Demons” is a hell of a song and shouldn’t be missed.
Once, if, you make it through all 31 songs, perhaps you’re more enlightened; perhaps even swayed to join the darkness. Me, I was just happy as fuck to have another Nunslaughter album in my grimy hands. Angelic Dread is exactly what fans of the band needed in a full-length, that is, if they’ve missed the plethora of other releases the barbaric bastards have been gracious enough to release in the mean time. Hail Satan.