Review: Nuclear Dudes ‘Skeletal Blasphemy’

Now, here we have an interesting project. Nuclear Dudes is the Covid-born, brainchild of Jon Weisnewski, the multi-instrumentalist behind not just one, but two of my favorite bands of the last twenty-five years. First, as the vocalist and bassist of Seattle, heavy punk crushers Akimbo, then as vocalist/guitarist of charging, stoner-tinged, sci-fi, mind-benders Sandrider.

Weisnewski, finding himself restless in the early days of the pandemic, and unable to link up with his Sandrider bandmates, began this genre-bending, one-man-plus-select guests electro, synth death, grind and metal project Nuclear Dudes. I enjoyed 2023’s Boss Blades, but found both 2024’s Compression Crimes 1, and this September’s Truth Paste stranded in my never-ending Bandcamp ‘wishlist’.

However, when I heard that Weisnewski was being joined by one of my all-time favorite drummers, Coady Willis (Murder City Devils, Big Business, Melvins, High On Fire) on Skeletal Blasphemy, I couldn’t resist jumping ahead a few records. The idea of these two musicians working together was too exciting of an aural prospect that I had to hear it as soon as I could get my hands on it.

Not surprisingly, and put simply, it fucking rules from the moment the electro-twinkles of opener and title track, Skeletal Blasphemy, instantly evaporate into an explosion of raging guitar with Weisnewski’s distorted, yet instantly recognizable vocals, and furious, pounding, octopus-armed drumming from Willis. This track is arguably the gnarliest album opener I’ve heard all year. Readers of a certain age will remember the Maxell Cassette advert of the ‘80s with the man sitting in the chair, listening to music, and being blown backwards. Well, that is exactly what I felt like playing this rager. It is like Akimbo but shot through some insane digital vortex that is swirling with grind and power violence. Unreal stuff.

However, Weisnewski and Willis are just getting started as after some trippy, electro wordplay, anchored by Willis’ familiar rhythmic rumble, Fully Clothed And Still Afraid erupts into the listener’s consciousness. Reminding me of some strange hybrid of Brann Dailor’s Arcadea, Pig Destroyer and Akimbo, but as if they were broadcast through some inter-dimensional portal. Nuclear Dudes proceed to pound their point home during the bridge with some of the most intense guitar and drum pummeling I’ve experienced all year.

Antisax is a manic, unhinged ripper that’s also strangely accessible, which has always been one of Weisnewski’s superpowers. As usual, Willis puts on a total clinic in heavy, intense, yet tasteful drumming, but when he locks in with Weisnewski for the crushing midsection, it’s as heavy as anything I’ve heard all year, while also being weird as shit, with all the electro insanity swirling throughout the song.

Skeletal Blasphemy is a creative masterclass while also being a heavy, pummeling mindfuck…

The amazingly named Victory Pants follows immediately and is possibly the most insanely pulverizing song in Weisnewski’s stellar discography. I mean, this fucker is an aggressive, vicious, electro-grind, face-ripper of the highest order. Again, it reminds me of elements of Pig Destroyer, but more insane, if that’s even possible. Additionally, in the almost three decades I’ve been listening to Willis’ drumming, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard him unleash like this, and it is a joy to hear.

Heading into the home stretch, we launch into the head-spinning intro to Tastes Like Medicine, but just as Nuclear Dudes tease another complete rager, Weisnewski again shows his keen songwriting skills. With some great, well-placed melodic, well, for him, vocal stylings that really serve the song well, while also showing us yet another layer to this project.

Bat Body opens with a lo-fi, garage rock beat, recalling Willis’s playing in the Murder City Devils, before detonating into a mind-warping, pounding, electro-grind, psychedelic head crusher, whilst These Machines churns with electronic, synth weirdness, and proggy epic-ness, evoking Mastodon in places. The album closes with the reality-warping The Octopus. A five-plus-minute journey into electro-trippy-ness, rolling rhythmic dynamism, set off by bursts of raging guitar that bring this record to its jaw-dropping conclusion.

Skeletal Blasphemy is a creative masterclass while also being a heavy, pummeling mindfuck. The record displays plenty of familiar sounds, but Nuclear Dudes have crafted a singular album, as there really isn’t anything else like this out there, at least not that I’ve encountered.

I’ve been following both their musical output for a long time – Willis since 1997 and Weisnewski since 2001. They are two of my favorite musicians who emerged from Seattle’s robust, fertile, and diverse music scene of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Skeletal Blasphemy stands as some of the best and most interesting music they have been involved in. Enthusiastically recommended.

Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Martin Williams