Nuclear Assault

Nuclear Assault is a thrash metal band formed in 1984. After performing on Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Dan Lilker was sacked from the group and decided to pursue a more aggressive style of music. He and former Anthrax vocalist and guitarist John Connelly formed Nuclear Assault. Joined by guitarist Mike Bogush and drummer Scott Duboys (later of Cities, Cycle Sluts From Hell and Warrior Soul and cousin of heavy metal manager Eric Greif), they recorded the first two demos, including the songs Stranded in Hell, The Plague, and Hang the Pope. The group's first live performance was at the Union Jack in South River, New Jersey in late 1984. Guitarist Mike Bogush was later replaced by Anthony Bramante. Anthony's first live performance with the group was at L'amours in Brooklyn, New York in April of 1985. Shortly after the performance, Scott left the band, and was replaced by drummer Glenn Evans. After recording the Game Over album in April 1986, the band signed a multi-album contract with Combat Records, including a European tour with Agent Steel and Atomkraft. Feeling constrained by their deal with Combat, the band signed with Miles Copeland and I.R.S. Records for 1988's Survive. The album ranked 125 on the Billboard charts, and Nuclear Assault set off on a 180-day world tour in the United States and Europe; first by opening for Slayer, and later headlining, with British group Acid Reign in tow. The next album, 1989's Handle with Care, would see the band at their peak. With more hectic touring, including a trip to Japan, Nuclear Assault were rising to the top of their career. In a nod to Motörhead, the band released their first live album, Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, in 1990, but internal troubles were causing problems for the band. Constant touring and recording was taking its toll on the band, and there was rumor that the band might split. The recording of Out of Order was problematic. Lead songwriter John Connelly was conspicuously absent from the recording process. He only sang on five of the songs, played guitar on one(quo-custodian his only full writing credit), leaving Evans and Lilker to do most of the recording alone. After the release of Out of Order bassist Lilker left to pursue Brutal Truth in 1992. The band enlisted Scott Metaxas on bass and toured across the United States and Europe before longstanding guitarist Anthony Bramante left the band. In 1993, the band released one more album, entitled Something Wicked doing one last European tour with guitarist Dave DiPietro before breaking up in 1995. Nuclear Assault later reunited for one gig in 1997 before parting ways a second time in 1997. They reformed once again in 2002 to release a live album entitled Alive Again followed by several European tours first with Testament and Death Angel, then with Exodus and Agent Steel. A new studio album entitled Third World Genocide followed in 2005, with yet more touring, including a South American tour with Sodom. The band broke up again in 2008.