Nuclear Assault

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Nuclear Assault was an American thrash metal band formed in New York City in 1984. Part of the mid-to-late 1980s thrash metal movement, they were one of the main bands of the genre to emerge from the East Coast along with Overkill, Whiplash, Toxik, Carnivore, and Anthrax,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the last of which was co-founded by Nuclear Assault bassist Dan Lilker, who had been canned from Anthrax shortly after the release of their first album. Nuclear Assault released five full-length albums and toured relentlessly throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, and broke up in 1995. The band reunited briefly in 1997, and permanently from 2001 to 2008 and again from 2011 to 2022.

Nuclear Assault released six studio albums, in addition to two live albums, four EPs and one compilation album. Their most successful records are Survive (1988) and Handle with Care (1989), which peaked at Nos. 145 and 126 on the Billboard 200 chart, respectively.<ref name="charthistory">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Other than four new songs in 2015 on the EP Pounder, the band did not release any more full-length studio albums after 2005's Third World Genocide, but continued to perform live sporadically over the following years before calling it quits once again in 2022.

HistoryEdit

Early career (1984–1985)Edit

After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bassist Dan 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,<ref name="Allmusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> who had been part of an early version of Anthrax.Template:Citation needed They were joined by guitarist Mike Bogush and drummer Scott Duboys. They then recorded the first of two demos, which included the songs "Stranded in Hell", "The Plague", and "Hang the Pope".<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

The group's first live performance was at the Union Jack in South River, New Jersey, in late 1984.Template:Citation needed Bogush was later replaced by Anthony Bramante.<ref name="Allmusic" /> Bramante's first live performance with the group was at L'Amour in Brooklyn, New York, in April 1985.Template:Citation needed Shortly after the performance, Duboys left the band and was replaced by drummer Glenn Evans formerly of New Jersey–based band T.T. Quick.<ref name="Allmusic" />

First three albums and rise to fame (1986–1990)Edit

Nuclear Assault's second demo Live, Suffer, Die was recorded in 1985 and they began touring the United States consistently. The band signed a multi-album contract with Combat Records and recorded the Game Over album in April 1986, released to critical acclaim later that year.Template:Citation needed Game Over was followed by an extended play called The Plague, which was released to coincide with a 1987 European tour with Agent Steel and Atomkraft.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later, feeling constrained by their contract with Combat, the band signed with I.R.S. Records and released Survive in 1988.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album reached number 145 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart<ref name="Billboard">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Nuclear Assault set off on a 180-day world tour<ref name=":0" /> in the United States and Europe; first as an opening act for Slayer and later headlining with British group Acid Reign as a support act.<ref name="MusicMight">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Survive soundtrack was featured in the underground film on I.R.S. Media Blood & Concrete. The band's next album, 1989's Handle with Care, would see the band at their commercial peak, hitting the U.S. chart at number 126,<ref name="Billboard" /> and peaking in the UK Albums Chart at No. 60,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">Template:Cite book</ref> with more touring, including a trip to Japan and a U.S. tour opening for Testament and Savatage.<ref name=":0" /> The band released their first live album, Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (Nuclear Assault album), in 1990,<ref name="Allmusic" /> but internal troubles were causing problems for the band.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Two more albums, departure of Lilker and split (1991–1995)Edit

Constant touring and recording was taking its toll on the band, and there was a rumor that the band might split.<ref>Template:Citation Template:Cbignore</ref> The recording of Out of Order was problematic as all four members were in the process of making solo projects.<ref>Template:Citation Template:Cbignore</ref> Lead songwriter Connelly was conspicuously absent from the recording process.Template:Citation needed He only sang on five of the songs and played the guitar on one ("Quocustodiat" was his only full writing credit), leaving Evans and Lilker to do most of the recording alone.Template:Citation needed Out of Order was poorly received, and during the subsequent tour in 1991 to 1992, there was some line-up shuffling – Connelly moved to vocals only for a time with second guitarist Dave DiPietro joining in 1992. Founding member Lilker departed to concentrate on Brutal Truth and longtime guitarist Bramante followed by the end of the year.Template:Citation needed

Undaunted, Connolly, Evans and DiPietro recorded Something Wicked for IRS/EMI in 1993 with new bassist Scott Metaxas, the title track featuring in the film Warlock: The Armageddon. Reviews again were somewhat unfavorable, as Nuclear Assault struggled to adapt to a less thrash-friendly music scene.Template:Citation needed After touring Europe and the US for much of 1993 the band returned with a new line up of Dave Spitz on bass and a returning Bramante,<ref>Template:Citation Template:Cbignore</ref> joining Connelly and Evans for more North American touring before slowly coming to a halt in early 1995.The band contributed their take on Die Hard for a Venom tribute album in 1995 before calling it a day.

Nuclear Assault's classic lineup later reunited for one concert in 1997 (put on by Eric Paone of Candy Striper Death Orgy in New Hampshire) then, two more shows the following year with Eric Paone on bass guitar in New England before parting ways a second time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nuclear Assault in the 21st century (2002–2022)Edit

The classic lineup reformed once again in 2002 to perform at the Metal Meltdown and Wacken festivals<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and subsequently recorded a live album entitled Alive Again, Bramante leaving for the last time and adding guitarist Eric Burke in time for several European tours, first with Testament and Death Angel, and then with Exodus and Agent Steel, both in 2003.<ref name="MusicMight" /> A new studio album entitled Third World Genocide followed in 2005, with yet more touring, including a South American tour with Death Angel.<ref name="MusicMight" /> and a headlining European tour. The band released the Louder, Faster, Harder DVD before more US touring in 2006.

From 2007 to 2012 Nuclear Assault occasionally played shows, returning to Japan and South America along with a guest appearance at the Maryland Deathfest and at the Metal Merchants Festival in Oslo, Norway, in January 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2013, it was announced that Nuclear Assault was working on a new album, which was due for release in 2015. They instead released an EP on June 1, 2015, titled Pounder, which featured "four killer old-school thrash" songs written by Dan Lilker and John Connelly.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The band embarked on the "Final Assault" tour to support the EP in 2015 to 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By 2022, however, Nuclear Assault had continued to perform live sporadically, mostly in South America as well as both the East Coast and West Coast of the United States.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On November 20, 2022, Nuclear Assault announced on social media that they had again broken up.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MembersEdit

Official members

John Connelly – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1984–1995, 1997-1998, 2001–2008, 2011–2022)
Dan Lilker – bass, backing vocals (1984–1992, 2001–2008, 2011–2022)

Scott DuBoys- drums (1984-1985) https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Nuclear_Assault/121 Derek Lord-Drums (1984) https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Nuclear_Assault/121

Glenn Evans – drums (1984–1995, 1997–1998, 2001–2008, 2011–2022)
Anthony Bramante – lead guitar (1984–1992, 1994-1995, 2001–2002)
Dave DiPietro – lead guitar (1992–1995)
Scott Metaxas – bass, backing vocals (1992–1995)
Erik Burke – rhythm guitar (2003–2005, 2013–2022)

Touring musicians

Eric Paone – bass (1998)
Dave "The Beast" Spitz - bass (1994-1995)
Nick Barker – drums (2017-2018)
Andrew (Drew) Verstraete – drums (2019–2022)
Karl Cochran - lead guitar (2003)

Nuclear Assault Party.San 2016 03.jpg

John Connelly
Nuclear Assault Party.San 2016 05.jpg

Glenn Evans
Nuclear Assault Party.San 2016 04.jpg

Dan Lilker
Nuclear Assault Party.San 2016 02.jpg

Erik Burke

TimelineEdit

<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:02/01/1984 till:11/20/2022 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1985 ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1985 Legend = position:bottom orientation:horizontal

Colors =

id:vocals   value:red         legend:Lead_vocals,_rhythm_guitar
id:guitar   value:green       legend:Lead_guitar
id:bass     value:blue        legend:Bass,_backing_vocals
id:drums    value:orange      legend:Drums
id:album    value:black       legend:Studio_album

LineData =

layer:back
 color:album
  at:10/07/1986
  at:06/13/1988
  at:11/23/1989
  at:09/10/1991
  at:02/23/1993
  at:08/29/2005

BarData =

bar:Conelly      text:"John Conelly"
bar:Bramante     text:"Anthony Bramante"
bar:DiPietro     text:"Dave DiPietro"
bar:Burke        text:"Eric Burke"
bar:Harrington   text:"Scott Harrington"
bar:Lilker       text:"Dan Lilker"
bar:Metaxas      text:"Scott Metaxas"
bar:Evans        text:"Glenn Evans"

PlotData =

width:11
bar:Conelly      from:start      till:03/01/1995 color:vocals
bar:Conelly      from:03/01/1997 till:11/01/1998 color:vocals
bar:Conelly      from:03/01/1997 till:11/01/1998 color:guitar width:3
bar:Conelly      from:03/01/2001 till:10/01/2008 color:vocals
bar:Conelly      from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:vocals
bar:Lilker       from:start till:04/01/1992 color:bass
bar:Lilker       from:03/01/1997 till:11/01/1998 color:bass
bar:Lilker       from:03/01/2001 till:10/01/2008 color:bass
bar:Lilker       from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:bass
bar:Metaxas      from:04/01/1992 till:03/01/1995 color:bass
bar:Bramante     from:start      till:04/01/1992 color:guitar
bar:Bramante     from:03/01/2001 till:11/01/2002 color:guitar
bar:DiPietro     from:04/01/1992 till:03/01/1995 color:guitar
bar:Burke        from:11/01/2002 till:11/01/2005 color:guitar
bar:Burke        from:07/01/2013 till:end        color:guitar
bar:Harrington   from:11/01/2005 till:11/01/2008 color:guitar
bar:Harrington   from:01/01/2011 till:07/01/2013 color:guitar
bar:Evans        from:start      till:03/01/1995 color:drums
bar:Evans        from:03/01/1997 till:11/01/1998 color:drums
bar:Evans        from:03/01/2001 till:10/01/2008 color:drums
bar:Evans        from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:drums

</timeline>