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New 2019 recordings from this long-running crust/hardcore band out of Portland. Single-sided 12".
Our take: Nu-Kle-Er Blast Suntan started in Augusta, George in the 00s, and at some point they resurfaced in Portland, where they’re still based. When they were in the southeast, I got to see them a few times and I always thought they were an underrated band. I’ve always had a taste for hardcore punk with progressive elements, and Nu-Kle-Er Blast Suntan has stuck with that basic idea through years of punk trends. This latest release is a one-sided 12” that features one long track. According to the band, they were writing a new album when COVID forced them to pause, so they let this piece out into the world. The track is killer. The basic foundation is crusty hardcore punk, but throughout the track gets spiced up with unexpected vocalizations, countless rhythmic changes, and interesting lead guitar work filtered through what must be an impressive collection of effects pedals. Despite the track’s length and scope, it never feels pretentious or “epic.” Like the Subhumans’ “From the Cradle to the Grave,” it hardcore punk with a lot of thought put into how the short bursts of power and speed fit together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. If you dig on groups like Crow, Grave New World, and Lebenden Toten, I urge you to help rescue this band from the “underrated” category.