Nuclear Assault were among thrash metal's most socially aware groups, making room for serious subject matter (and occasional goofs) in their careening speed metal riffing. They also remained closer to the world of hardcore than most of their peers, and at their late-'80s peak released some of the most uncompromising (albeit, interesting) thrash metal offerings of the time. Sadly, because they lacked any truly commercial material, Nuclear Assault would never reach the mainstream acceptance of a Metallica, Megadeth, or even Anthrax (of the Joey Belladonna yore. After performing on Anthrax' 1984 debut Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker decided to jump ship and search for a more aggressive outlet (if you can imagine that) for his music. Subsequent to a brief reunion of sorts with Anthrax pals Scott Ian and Charlie Benante, and ex-Psychos singer Billy Milano for the hugely influential S.O.D. opus Speak English or Die, Lilker formed Nuclear Assault with vocalist and guitarist John Connely (also briefly a member of Anthrax in its formative years) in 1985. Guitarist Mike Bogush and drummer Scott Duboys (who would later join Warrior Soul) only lasted a few months before being replaced by guitarist Anthony Bramante and ex-T.T. Quick powerhouse drummer Glenn Evans. One of the Big Apple's few challengers (along with Anthrax and Overkill) to the Bay Area dominance of all things thrash metal, Nuclear Assault became immediate contenders due to the cumulative sum of its parts — not to mention, their extreme nature and their ability to back it up with solid musicianship. Produced by metal stalwart Alex Perialas, their first album, 1986's Game Over, was regarded as a breath of fresh air with its potent speed metal tinged with hardcore overtones. In the process, fans and critics alike instantly accepted it and the band was quickly off to the races.

The following year's The Plague E.P. was an even more intense aural experience, but also managed to introduce Nuclear Assault's dark sense of humor with an ode to Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil (fresh off his vehicular manslaughter rap) on "Butt Fuck" (later retitled "You Figure It Out"). With constant touring making up for their obvious commercial limitations, the band continued to hone their craft in the studio, beginning with 1988's greatly improved Survive and culminating in 1989's outstanding Handle With Care. The latter proved that the group could refine their political speed metal and songwriting without compromising their anti-establishment stance, and was supported by successful Euro tours with thrash titans Exodus, and later U.S. jaunts with Testament and Savatage. 1990s Live at Hammersmith Odeon video celebrated this great phase, and the band came off the road having won a healthy dose of new believers.

But just as they were begin to gather serious momentum, Nuclear Assault seemed to lose interest in the mission at hand. They faltered with 1991's disappointing Out of Order, which lacked the continuity of previous efforts and signaled the beginning of the end for the quartet. Lilker would soon quit to pursue his extreme death metal side project Brutal Truth. Due to inner-band squabbling of Connely and Bramante, the latter would eventually fall out and jump ship as well. A revamped lineup featuring Connely and Evans (rounded out by new guitarist Dave DiPietro and bassist Scott Metaxas) did make it back for one more round, releasing the somewhat more coherent Something Wicked in 1993. Consequently, Wicked's less radical power metal sound did little to rekindle the band's once high-standing presence on the scene and, in fact, ended up alienating most of their remaining hardcore fan base. Nuclear Assault's accelerated demise proved inevitable soon thereafter. Connely and Evans would both go on to form new projects in Nuclear Theory and the guilty pleasure C.I.A., respectively. Nuclear Assault has reformed and released their first new album in 10 years Third World Genocide. Dan Lilker returns!

CURRENT LINE UP:

John Connelly - Guitar, Vocals (Anthrax, John Connelly Theory)
Scott Harrington - Guitar (Aimed Aggression)
Glenn Evans - Drums (C.I.A., TT Quick)
Danny Lilker - Bass, Vocals (The Ravenous, Crucifist, Overlord Exterminator, Brutal Truth, Anthrax, Exit-13, Harter Attack, Hemlock, Holy Moses, Redrum, Stormtroopers of Death, White Heat, Extra Hot Sauce)

FORMER MEMBERS:

Anthony Bramante - Guitars (1985-1991), (2001-2002)
Erik Burke - Lead Guitar (Kalibas, Lethargy, Sulaco) (2002-2004)

On 1984 demo:
Mike Bogush - Guitars
Scott Dubois - Drums (Cities, Warrior Soul)

On "Something Wicked":
Dave DiPietro - Guitar (TT Quick, C.I.A.)
Scott Metaxas - Bass (M.O.D.) as guest

May 4th, 1997 reunion gig:
Eric Paone - Guitar (Candy Striper Death Orgy)

CLASSIC/MOST WELL KNOWN LINE-UP:

John Connelly-Guitar, Vocals

Dan Lilker-Bass, Vocals

Anthony Bramante-Guitar

Glenn Evans-Drums

NO COVER ART AVAILABLE

Demo(1984)

1.)Stranded In Hell

2.)Nightmares

3.)Cold Steel

4.)The Plague

5.)Cross Of Iron

6.)Vengeance

7.)Hang The Pope

Live, Suffer, Die (Demo 1985)

1.)Live, Suffer, Die

2.)Radiation Sickness

3.)Betrayal

4.)Demolition

5.)Hang The Pope

Brain Death (EP 1986)

1.)Brain Death

2.)Final Flight

3.)Demolition

Note: Was Later re-isssued with the Fight To Be Free EP on the same CD.

Game Over (1986)

1.)Live, Suffer, Die

2.)Sin

3.)Cold Steel

4.)Betrayal

5.)Radiation Sickness

6.)Hang The Pope

7.)After The Holocaust

8.)Mr.Softee Theme

9.)Stranded In Hell

10.)Nuclear War

11.)My America

12.)Vengeance

13.)Brain Death

Note: Is re-issued with The Plague on the same CD

The Plague (EP 1987)

1.)Game Over

2.)Justice

3.)Butt Fuck

4.)Nightmares

5.)The Plague

6.)Cross Of Iron

Note: Re-issued with Game Over on the same CD. Butt Fuck was titled You Figure It Out on later releases of the album.

Fight To Be Free (EP 1988)

1.)Fight To Be Free

2.)Equal Rights

3.)Stand Up

Note: Was later re-issued with the Brain Death EP on the same CD.

Good Times, Bad Times (EP 1988)

1.)Good Times Bad Times

2.)Hang The Pope (Live)

3.)Lesbians (Live)

4.)My America (Live)

5.)Happy Days

Survive (1988)

1.)Rise From The Ashes

2.)Brainwashed

3.)F#

4.)Survive

5.)Fight To Be Free

6.)Got Another Quarter

7.)Great Depression

8.)Wired

9.)Equal Rights

10.)PSA

11.)Technology

12.)Good Times, Bad Times

Note: Good Times, Bad Times is a Led Zeppelin cover. This is their masterpiece. Although, this band has never made a bad album.

Handle With Care (1989)

1.)New Song

2.)Critical Mass

3.)Inherited Hell

4.)Surgery

5.)Emergency

6.)Funky Noise

7.)F# (Wake Up)

8.)When Freedom Dies

9.)Search & Seizure

10.)Torture Tactics

11.)Mother's Day

12.)Trail Of Tears

Out Of Order (1991)

1.)Sign In Blood

2.)Fashion Junkie

3.)Too Young To Die

4.)Preaching To The Deaf

5.)Ressurrection

6.)Stop Wait Think

7.)Doctor Butcher

8.)Quocustodiat

9.)Hypocrisy

10.)Save The Planet [instrumental]

11.)Ballroom Blitz

Live At The Hammersmith Odeon (1992)

1.)Intro/New Song

2.)Critical Mass

3.)Game Over

4.)Nightmares

5.)Butt Fuck

6.)Survive

7.)Torture Tactics

8.)Trail Of Tears

9.)Mother's Day

10.)My America

11.)Hang The Pope

12.)Lesbians

13.)Funky Noise

14.)Good Times, Bad Times

Note: This show was actually recorded during the Handle With Care Tour on 10/4/1989.

Something Wicked (1993)

1.)Something Wicked

2.)Another Violent End

3.)Behind Glass Walls

4.)Chaos

5.)The Forge

6.)No Time

7.)To Serve Man

8.)Madness Descends

9.)Poetic Justice

10.)Art

11.)The Other End

Assault & Battery (1997)

1.)Happy Days

2.)Enter Darkness

3.)Leaders

4.)Hang The Pope

5.)Radiation Sickness

6.)Hypocrisy

7.)Behind Glass Walls

8.)No Time

9.)Hour Shower

10.)Sadam

11.)Preaching To The Deaf

12.)Hang The Pope

13.)Ping (Live)

14.)Torture Tactics (Live)

15.)Fight To Be Free (Live)

16.)Trail Of Tears (Live)

17.)Ping Again (Live)

18.)Butt Fuck (Live)

Alive Again (Live) (2003)

1.)Rise From The Ashes

2.)Brainwashed

3.)F#

4.)New Song

5.)Critical Mass

6.)Sin

7.)Betrayal

8.)Radiation Sickness

9.)Game Over

10.)Butt Fuck

11.)Trail Of Tears

12.)Hang The Pope

Third World Genocide (2005)

1.)Third World Genocide

2.)Price Of Freedom

3.)Human Wreckage

4.)Living Hell

5.)Whine And Cheese

6.)Defiled Innocence

7.)Exoskeletal

8.)Discharaged Reasons

9.)Fractured Minds

10.)The Hockey Song

11.)Eroded Liberty

12.)Long Haired Asshole

13.)Glenn's Song

Note: Their first new album in over 10 years.