1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
J - I joined in late 2011. We worked on the material that is now on Subjugation for about a year and a half before we began recording. Numerous logistic technicalities set us back, but we finally secured R as our vocalist in 2013 and were able to finish up the recording over the course of the next year. As far as a description of NF, I think the music speaks louder than words.
2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is present on the new recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
J - The material on Subjugation is intricate, yet simplistic. It is a stripped-down to basics audio assault. Being a band with only one guitarist, we use heavily distorted bass to fill the void. We are more concerned with conveying a certain atmosphere rather than showing off technically. We strove to achieve a production quality that was raw and represented our live sound, but still heavy. Many black metal releases are far too weak, production-wise, in my opinion. We recorded the drums and bass in one take to keep a sense of realness. Everything aside from guitars was tracked in our rehearsal space with minimal equipment. And a good amount of vodka.
D- It's our own take on what we see black metal as today. We mainly based it on warfare, and a no tolerance stance on religion, yes this includes no tolerance for satanism (same bullshit). Also trying our best to match the subject of each song to the feel that the instrumentation gives you. The biggest difference from our demo back in 2009 was our line-up, we added J on guitar and R as our main vocalist. With the added input our sound changed quite a bit.
3.This is the first release to be released since the demo in 2009, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap between releases?
D - Life happened. At that time it was just M and myself. We did lots of moving from place to place. Searching for a solid line-up was the main focus in that gap, once we acquired J on guitars back in 2011 we started writing what is now known as "Subjugation". We lost a lot of time on hang ups with the recording process, as well as working on several other bands at the same time. Eventually adding R to the roster also added to the time between releases, as we then began writing the lyrics.
4.You have some very violent lyrics, can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
J - Anti-theism, the decline of civilization, mankind's inherent ability to hinder and destroy himself, both through religion and warfare. R wrote the majority of the lyrics, but they are very much in line with all of our personal philosophies.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Nuklear Frost'?
D - Just wanted to keep it simple, and have a name that sort of has a feel of what we think our music represents.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
J - Recently we played a show in Minneapolis in a very intimate, filthy venue. It was our first live appearance since the release of Subjugation and our first show as a three piece. The vibe, setting and adrenaline made it the best show so far, for me.
D -I think we can all agree that our first show was our best experience to date. Opening for Absu was pretty awesome, overall it was a good show, no sound issues, no major fuck ups. As for stage performance I really have no idea. We don't get theatrical, we just play our music.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
J - Not currently. Realistically, we are barely known outside of Minnesota. Although there are people scattered around the globe that we would love to play for, it isn't realistic for us at this point. That said, we are working hard to make that happen.
D - We are taking time away from live shows to work on more logistical things with the band, maybe even write some more music. We won't be gone for long.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
J - Very positive. We wrote this music for ourselves, first and foremost. So it is just an added bonus when it is well received by the public. The feedback has been very encouraging.
D- We were pretty confident in our music, and the feedback we have gotten back from all over the world has been great so far. We just play music that we would want to listen to ourselves. Seems to be effective.
9.I have read that one of the band members was in Astral Blood, are any of the band members still involved with any other musical projects these days?
J - Yes, I'm working with Astral Blood for their upcoming EP. I am involved in several other projects, but none of them are relevant to Nuklear Frost.
10.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
J - Possibly. We are working with Myrkr (Russia) for the physical release of Subjugation. As far as promotion and distribution, we are interested. We have the ability to record and produce our own music and we prefer to keep it that way.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
J - Just as much as our sound evolves, it remains centered around what you hear on Subjugation. The basis for this is simply our vision of black metal.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
J - Blut Aus Nord is a huge influence for me. That may not translate into our material, but their music is greatly inspiring. Sargeist is another. As of late, I've been listening to a good amount of funeral doom (Evoken, Asunder) and Wolfbrigade's latest album.
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
J - I try to travel as much as possible when I can get away from work, both mundane and musical. It is necessary for me to stay grounded.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
J - We are honored that our debut has been so well received. It encourages us to hone our art. Thank you for the support and the interview!
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