December 2019’s Sort-Of Music Review

The last month of 2019 sees us closer to home for this music review. Hailing from Perth, Australia, and coming to me via Apple Music’s For You New Music Mix (what an amazing sentence), we have Nucleust. And after hearing their I Am Ocean single, I stopped, went back to the start of the track, pressed play and then added this EP to my collection.

Its not often where you hear one song from a band and immediately love the entire album that track is from. But thats exactly what happened with I Am Ocean. After the title track, I listened through this very brief, 5 track, EP.
And then listened to it again.
And then went back for my third listen, and each time found something new to love about this 4 piece from down under.

And the best part – you can’t even hear their Aussie accents! They’re that good! For an up and coming band, and especially one coming out of Perth, the producing and mastering of this album is world class. I am blown away by its production. If you put this up next to any of the big players, you’d be hard pressed to find a difference. I am actually in awe. Seriously, well done guys!

So this band seems to sing about all sorts of things – as their website puts it “…from social, political and real world issues, the band is committed to express the importance of their message.” And its just the right amount of heavy. Not white noise and yet not something you can put on in the office. The music, the singing, the growling – all layered in a way that pulls you in, and demands your attention. And do I detect a hint of some progRock there? I believe I do.

I tried to listen to this EP while doing documentation at work, and failed miserably. It pulled me into the music and away from my task at hand, without any effort on my part. My mind overcome with the wall of sound Nucleust presented me. I quickly turned to better documentation music in order to keep my job.

In order to get across just how amazing this album is, listen to the title track and surrender to the ebb and flow. The song reaches out a hand and as soon as you grasp it, it pulls you in – the melody like waves, pushing and pulling you. I can think of no other way to describe it than demanding your attention.

The only downside to this EP is that five songs go by way too quickly. I am waiting with anticipation for their full length album. Its sure to be amazing!

Each song on this EP shows off a different facet of the band, and shows how their sound wraps around the message they are trying to get across. Rather than conforming their message to their sound. The sign of some truly talented musicians, in my opinion.

Now go, put on this EP! Spend the next 21 minutes being absorbed into the sound that is Nucleust. Proof that Australia’s metal scene is alive and very, very healthy.

I hope to catch these guys on their next tour, and get a physical copy of I Am Ocean and get it signed. And maybe a shirt. And get that signed too.
I seem to be in real danger of becoming a fan… Oh dear. What ever will I do.