NUCLEAR WINTER, a solo act from Zimbabwe, released "Stormscapes" on March 29, 2020. Gary's vision with this EP is a mix of sounds from heavier to lighter. In true form, the band is self-described as Melodic Industrial Death Metal. NUCLEAR WINTER also boasts some lyrics that have a definite dark, theatrical sound which very much plays into its industrial side. I feel some pieces of this puzzle need readjusting though, as parts of it lack that flow. There is potential here as there are parts I do like. Let me discuss.

"Hearts of Stone" - Melodic guitar, the intro has a catchy beat. Gary sings both growly and clean vocals, mixing things up a bit. I like the clean parts best, the vocal depth in the deeper parts sounds a bit of a stretch for his vocal ranges. Blast beats are maintained throughout the song and the melody itself is good. "The Wide Water" - I'm left a bit confused on the vocal entry here as it just seems out of place, I do like the haunting background vocals though. I think the background vocals mix well with the almost chanting quality to the song. Overall, this one hits a bit slower than song number one.

"The Northern Winds" - Blast beats roll right into the meat of the song. Speed plucking galore in this track, yet the main vocals seem to work a little better in this song. There is a flow here that was lacking in previous tracks. This plays as a decent song. The chorus adds to the intensity of the rest of the song, and it comes across as produced well. "New York, New York" - A song lamenting about the famous U.S. city bearing the same name. This song has a very theatrical, nearly a dark Broadway type sound to it. Written well, I think this song works well to showcase the mixed sounds Gary is trying to express in his chosen sound here.

Overall, could this use some improvement? Definitely. However, is it also worth taking the time and effort to continue tweaking those things? Also definitely. There is promise here, even though not all tracks have the flow needed to make it a remarkable sound. A friend in a band once told me that bad reviews are a given and you use them to help grow. I hope my words encourage growth, not loss of hope. Keep on playing Gary!