NUCLEAR WINTER
Many have claimed that the first strike of a nuclear war will destroy the country that attacks, resulting in a nuclear winter, and leading to famine for decades. However, a major nuclear war will likely cause a nuclear winter that creates a dying planet, with soot blocking the sun, temperatures plummeting, and to harvest anything of significance will be impossible, bringing upon us the dawn of a new anarchy.
Tasmania can feel like that at times - the Winters are long and dark. The temperature, atmosphere, wilderness, bleak and horrific history, alongside the present and future landscape often converges on us all at once, making it the perfect place to create and listen to Black Metal.
Nuclear Winter formed around 2001. Their formation is not a unique story: a couple of dudes wearing Black Metal T-shirts meeting through a mutual friend, working casual jobs at supermarkets, and meeting other like minded metal heads, all of which leads to a killer Black metal demo. That demo was Cold Dark Wastelands, released in 2002. The difference between an ordinary raw, Black Metal demo and Cold Dark Wastelands is not only the mere weeks it took to write and record it, but how intense it is. Nuclear Winter captured the feeling of isolation, destruction and disgust perfectly. There is a tormented lack of pity that can be felt on the early versions of “Funeral Rite,” “Cold Black Wastelands,” and “Dying Planet.” The demo was a very assured release, and the passion was clear to hear. Nuclear Winter had an ability to create engaging and interesting Black Metal that felt real, organic and authentic. They are words often used, but rarely proven.
Nuclear Winter were influenced and inspired by the usual pre 2000’s Black Metal bands: Darkthrone had already released the legendary trio, Gorgoroth was another, but Nuclear Winter were harsher and rawer and colder and darker. The most obvious comparison is Ildjarn from Norway, channeling a raw and visceral hatred for humanity. Vocally, Nuclear Winter are almost without comparison. There is a purity, anger and utter contempt for any melody or harmony, but it goes deeper, and you can genuinely hear pure fire and blood. There is blood at their feet and they are staring it down, their instruments an extension of their souls.
There were a few lineup and instrumental positional changes throughout the duration of the band, and vocals were often shared. Justin (Aghag) joined before the recording of their debut full length, Pain Slavery and Desertion, and he died a few years after. The band never toured the main land of Australia, which adds to their underground status, however they did play some legendary local shows.
Tasmania has a rich Black Metal history, Striborg is perhaps the most internationally well known with his earlier albums being of the highest quality in the raw, cold mold. However, Pain Slavery and Desertion is one of the best extreme metal albums released in the early 2000s. It really does go head to head with the best of the best (First and Second Wave).
Cold Dark Wastelands was not a short demo, and the quality did not reflect its demo tag. Nuclear Winter Included most of that demo on Pain Slavery and Desertion, which was not really necessary, making the album a lengthy 47 minutes.
Pain Slavery and Desertion is consistent. From the opening moments of “Dusk,” Nuclear Winter are straight into it, and it rarely lets up. “Blood Will Mark the Earth” continues the savagery, and it is pure fire. The drumming is underrated, while it is not flashy, there are some nice variations, which offsets the consistently raw guitar sound. By the time you get through “Strength Through Cutting Flesh,” you realise that Nuclear Winter really mean it - it is authentic, which is something largely missing from modern Black Metal. “Devotion to Death” is almost catchy, and “Cold, Black, Wasteland” unleashes a truly painful vocal, the disgust is real, it is the dawn of a new anarchy. The savagery does not cease, “Dying Planet” and “The Fire Still Burns” proves that things are at their most visceral as they burn towards death.
Nuclear Winter released a split with Deathcamp in 2003, contributing four tracks (17 minutes) to that release - (more on Deathcamp in an upcoming article). Those four tracks are even more savage and sharp, vicious and hateful - I really like the guitar tone here. The band justifiably went dormant after the death of Justin, however they did reform with a few lineup adjustments and released Mortem et Interitum (Latin for death and destruction). The album is excellent, but its production is cleaner, but no less savage and intense. There is extra punch on tracks such as “Sadist” and “Signs of Terror” and “With the Dawn, Baptised in Blood” has a groove and chug to it that is very different for the band. The band were not happy with the recording, and it is the last we will hear from them. There are two other tracks online, “With Eternal Might” and “Perdition,” from 2020, which are both excellent songs, and would have fitted nicely on the split with Deathcamp.
Nuclear Winter were an amazing band, and an important part of the history of Tasmanian Black Metal. They are true and pure Black Metal, the way it should sound. You can find some tapes and CDs online, and I understand that Overuse will be releasing a vinyl of Pain Slavery and Desertion in late 2025 or early 2026, so definitely keep an eye on that here.
It will remain to be seen if we will ever see a Nuclear Winter, but if we do, I will be listening to Pain Slavery and Desertion as the soot covers the sun. Killer stuff.