Nunslaughter – Satanic Chaos Legions

Artist: Nunslaughter
Country: USA
Label: BLKIIBLK Records
Formats: LP / Cassette Tape / CD
Year: 2026

For a band that has been around more or less since 1985 and is known as the metal band with the most releases, it is perhaps worth noting that ‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ is only Nunslaughter’s sixth full-length album. Perhaps even more remarkable is that the band has barely changed its musical direction over those nearly four decades of existence, earning them the title of the most stoic band within the Extreme Metal spectrum. There have been times when people have chuckled at Nunslaughter; too simple and downright old-fashioned. Nunslaughter simply shrugged it off and carried on, for the handful of people who remained loyal to the band.

The fact that the band has now signed with one of the very biggest labels in the world (take a moment to let this sink in: Nunslaughter are now label mates with acts such as Foreigner and Journey) is therefore, without a doubt, an incredible achievement. This is certainly not down to the band alone. Although Nunslaughter have always remained true to their own musical identity and the primal aesthetic of death metal, which in itself deserves more than just appreciation, it is certainly also down to Hells Headbangers Records for bringing the band out of the depths of Extreme Metal. The American label has supported them in Nunslaughter’s endless series of 7” releases, produced in stunning and unique editions where no expense was spared, and has also released their last three full-length albums.

The fact that Nunslaughter, of all bands, signed with BLKIIBLK Records (part of the Frontier Records Group) – and are thus being promoted and marketed alongside bands such as Megadeth, Forbidden and Biohazard, has raised quite a few eyebrows. Their decision to leave their long-term partners at Hells Headbangers Records was also the subject of online debate. However, all the sceptics and conspiracy theorists can breathe a sigh of relief: ‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ is an album that sounds just like the old days. This is Nunslaughter as we’ve known them for so many years, with an album that once again captures why they’re such a crowd favourite.

‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ is yet another example of how you can still create thrilling Old School Death Metal even within such a limited musical framework. Much of it boils down to great, sharp songs, most of which are under three minutes long and, in a few cases, barely exceed the one-minute mark. The formula is just as simple: a minimum of riffs set against a backdrop of maximum catchiness. Add to that Don of the Dead’s instantly recognisable vocals, and you’ve got a classic new Nunslaughter album. But is that all there is to it?

Not quite. Anyone who has followed the band over the years will no doubt have noticed that things have certainly changed within the Nunslaughter camp. Following the tragic loss of long-serving drummer and underground favourite Jim “Sadist” Konya in 2015, many fans held their breath. But after a period of reflection, Nunslaughter returned a year later with a new line-up. That took some getting used to, as Jim Sadist was a defining figure for the Nunslaughter institution; he’d introduce all the songs during live shows and, with his iconic red trousers, was always easy to spot after the show and up for a chat. Without detracting from his undeniable legacy, Nunslaughter’s resurrection has certainly given us the band’s best musical offering to date. The current line-up in particular (Don of the Dead: vocals, Tormentor: guitar, Wrath: drums and Malum: bass) is more than impressive. It is therefore a perfectly valid claim that ‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ is the best Nunslaughter album thus far.

On this latest offering, Nunslaughter sound more vibrant than ever. Not only are the riffs and drums far tighter than before, but above all, the band’s existing skill in writing strong songs with minimal resources has been taken to an even higher level. Simplicity reigns supreme, but in an ingenious way. Within the aforementioned limited confines of Old School Death Metal, ‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ is brimming with dynamism. A track like ‘Peukharist’, with its dark atmosphere, comes suspiciously close to something that could be called Black Metal. In contrast, however, there are the three short and incredibly fierce closing tracks on the album, of which ‘Listen To The Lies’, with its running time of 1:03, can be regarded as the ultimate aggressive highlight.

It can sometimes be very difficult to choose favourite records from the discography of beloved bands; for me, as a long-time fan of Nunslaughter, it’s hard to place ‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ within their discography – that simply takes a bit more time. But I wouldn’t be surprised if, in the end, this turns out to be the album I’ll return to most often. Despite all the sentiment and fond memories, ‘Satanic Chaos Legions’ feels like the most complete and impactful album Nunslaughter has ever made. Regardless of whether that proves to be the case in the future: what other band can claim to have produced such a strong album some 40 years after their formation?