NAGASAKI SUNRISE – Distroyer LP

Marching out of Portugal armed with a katana sword, Nagasaki Sunrise pick up where they left us with their head-turning 2021 debut Distalgia, and they show no sign of slowing down. On the heels of their recent split album with Battlescars, this sophomore full-length carries on the heavy metal / punk fusion they excel at. They may wear their influences on their sleeves, they unmistakably sound like no one else – those vocals in particular are instantly recognizable and give Nagasaki Sunrise that extra pinch of epicness. Think Motörhead, Discharge, Venom, English Dogs, Black Uniforms, NWOBHM and classic heavy metal twin guitar harmonies aplenty, and Japanese hardcore of the Burning Spirits persuasion. Call it metalpunk, in one word, as if both genres were bound to meet and melt. Mostly up-tempo backed with a cruising, steady D-beat, they occasionally slow it down to mid-paced burners (“Bayonet Man”), emphasizing their hard rocking tendencies. Those guys can play and both axemen aren’t shy on the tight fretboard gymnastics. The lyrical content of the band mostly revolves around the WWII Pacific War, and they provide the perfect soundtrack for it. They even expand to the Vietnam War (“Apocalypse Now!”) and the Tunguska event in Siberia as well. Ten tracks that reek of denim and leather, bristles, studs, and acne. Long live the loud! (Luc Akerbeltz)