Nuclear Assault

Nuclear Assault is an American thrash metal band formed in 1984.

History

After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker, a founding member of the group, was fired by the band. He decided to pursue a more aggressive style of music and formed Nuclear Assault with guitarist/vocalist John Connelly,^[1] who had been involved in an early version of Anthrax.^[2] They were joined by guitarist Mike Bogush and drummer Scott Duboys (later of Cities, Cycle Sluts From Hell and Warrior Soul).^[1] They then recorded the first of two demos, which included the songs Stranded in Hell, The Plague, and Hang the Pope.^[3][4]

The group's first live performance was at the Union Jack in South River, New Jersey in late 1984.^{[citation needed]} Guitarist Mike Bogush was later replaced by Anthony Bramante.^[1] Bramante's first live performance with the group was at L'Amour in Brooklyn, New York in April 1985.^{[citation needed]} Shortly after the performance, Duboys left the band and was replaced by powerhouse drummer Glenn Evans formerly of New Jersey based band T.T. Quick.^[1]

The second demo "Live Suffer Die" was recorded and the band began touring the United States consistently. The band signed a multi-album contract with Combat Records and after recording the Game Over album in April 1986, the band secured a European tour with Agent Steel and Atomkraft.^{[citation needed]} Later, feeling constrained by their contract with Combat, the band signed with I.R.S. Records and recorded Survive in 1988.^{[citation needed]} The album reached number 145 on the US Billboard 200 chart^[5] and Nuclear Assault set off on a 180-day world tour^{[citation needed]} in the United States and Europe; first as an opening for Slayer and later headlining with British group Acid Reign as a support act.^[6] The next album, 1989's Handle with Care, would see the band at their commercial peak, hitting the US chart at number 126,^[5] and peaking in the UK Albums Chart at #60,^[7] with more touring, including a trip to Japan and a U.S. tour opening for Testament and Savatage.^{[citation needed]} The band released their first live album, Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, in 1990,^[1] but internal troubles were causing problems for the band.^{[citation needed]}

Constant touring and recording was taking its toll on the band, and there was a rumor that the band might split.^{[citation needed]} The recording of Out of Order was problematic.^{[citation needed]} Lead songwriter John Connelly was conspicuously absent from the recording process.^{[citation needed]} He only sang on five of the songs and played the guitar on one (Quocustodiat his only full writing credit), leaving Evans and Lilker to do most of the recording alone.^{[citation needed]} After the release of Out of Order bassist Lilker left to start the band Brutal Truth in 1990.^[1] The band enlisted Scott Metaxas on bass and toured across the United States and Europe before longstanding guitarist Anthony Bramante left the band.^[1] In 1993, the band released one more album, entitled Something Wicked doing one last European tour with guitarist Dave DiPietro^[6] before breaking up in 1995.^{[citation needed]}

Nuclear Assault later reunited for one concert in 1997 (put on by Eric Paone of 'Candy Striper Death Orgy' in New Hampshire) before parting ways a second time.^{[citation needed]} Then, two more shows the following year with Eric Paone on bass guitar in New England.^{[citation needed]} They reformed once again in 2002 to record a live album entitled Alive Again followed by several European tours, first with Testament and Death Angel, then with Exodus and Agent Steel.^[6] A new studio album entitled Third World Genocide followed in 2005, with yet more touring, including a South American tour with Death Angel.^[6]

They made a guest appearance at the Maryland Deathfest on May 25, 2008.^{[citation needed]}

Nuclear Assault are still active and appeared at the Metal Merchants Festival in Oslo, Norway, in January 2011.

The Los Angeles thrash metal band Bonded by Blood released a cover of Nuclear Assault's "Critical Mass" which was available as an exclusive bonus track for the first 150 CD pre-orders of their third album, The Aftermath, released July 3, 2012.

Discography

Studio albums

• 1986: Game Over
• 1988: Survive
• 1989: Handle With Care
• 1991: Out of Order
• 1993: Something Wicked
• 2005: Third World Genocide

EPs

• 1986: Brain Death
• 1987: The Plague
• 1988: Good Times, Bad Times
• 1988: Fight to be Free (Single)

Live albums

• 1992: Live at the Hammersmith Odeon
• 2003: Alive Again

Compilations

• 1995: Assault & Battery

Demos

• 1984: Nuclear Assault demo
• 1985: Live, Suffer, Die

VHS/DVDs

• 1989: Handle With Care European Tour '89 (VHS)
• 1991: Radiation Sickness (VHS, Re-released on DVD in 2007)
• 2006: Louder Harder Faster DVD

Music videos

• Brainwashed
• Critical Mass
• Long-Haired Asshole
• Price of Freedom
• Trail of Tears
• Something Wicked

Members

• Dan Lilker - bass (1984-1992, 1997-1998, 2001-2008, 2011-present)
• John Connelly - vocals/guitar (1984-1995, 1997-1998, 2001-2008, 2011-present)
• Scott Harrington - guitar (2005-2008, 2011-present)
• Glenn Evans - drums (1984-1995, 1997-1998, 2001-2008, 2011-present)

Former members

• Mike Bogush - guitar (1984)
• Scott Duboys - drums (1984)
• Anthony Bramante - guitar (1985–1991, 2001–2002)
• Dave DiPietro - guitar (1993)
• Scott Metaxas - Bass (1993)
• Eric Paone - bass (1998)
• Eric Burke - guitar (2002–2004)
• Karl Kochran - guitar
• Dave DiPietro - guitar

References

External links

• Nuclear Assault – official website
• Nuclear Assault on Myspace