Since thrash metal records began, there’s been something special about South American bands: something enigmatic, exotic and, above all, angry.
Chile’s Nuclear certainly have all that good stuff going for them, but sadly Slayer were expressing rage in exactly the same way, circa 1986-1990.
The influence feels shot through Nuclear’s very core, from the super-speedy King/Hanneman-patented riff progressions to Matias Leonicio’s vocal delivery. Which might be forgiven if this were Nuclear’s debut instead of Album Five. If anything, Formula For Anarchy is more Slayer-y than its predecessor Jehovirus, which at least had the decency to chuck in the odd Metallica riff. On the plus side, Nuclear’s musical rut is somewhat mitigated by their relentless brutality and increased velocity. Tracks like Self Righteous Hypocrites and Left For Dead are blistering, and there’s no question that the band’s tightness and technical abilities have progressed. Now we need their own creative personality to bloom, as promised by, say, Confront or the hardcore-influenced blitzer, Tough Guy.
