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...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI.
..::OPIS::..
Nuclear Assault´s first full-length was released in 1986. Unbelievable, I was just 18 years old. But in contrast to me, it has not lost its juvenile appearance. Shit. In any case, all dams began to break as soon as the first tones of "Game Over" filled the room. Equipped with a perfect sound that combined power and pressure in a flawless manner, the band celebrated its very fresh kind of thrash metal. It was enriched with some elements of hardcore and punk, but any kind of primitiveness did not show up. The basic framework was definitely built by thrash. For example, the guitarists had the permission to perform some furious solos and the songs as a whole were not reduced to the essentials. Stormy high speed eruptions like "Radiation Sickness", insane outbursts of anger ("Hang the Pope") and dangerous mid-tempo numbers such as "Betrayal" merged harmoniously into the overall design. The songs of the first category played the dominant role. Driven by the precise drumming of Glenn Evans and the restless bass guitar of Danny Lilker, the band impressed with neckbreaking tracks. With the exception of the nonsensical "Mr. Softee Theme", every single song revealed an unstoppable force, albeit John Cyriis and his agents of steel did not play a part in this context.
Especially the bass guitar benefitted from the highly effective sound of the vinyl. Lilker delivered the menacing element of Nuclear Assault´s sound so that there was nothing left to be desired in terms of heaviness and fierceness. But his bass performance was not the only trump card of the band. Despite its raging approach, the guys showed an unexpected talent in respect of writing catchy choruses. In unity with the sharp and edgy riffs, they led to an extremely explosive mixture. And there was a further surprising feature. Each and every song scored with a perfect flow. I was amazed to see that the band skimped on breaks without neglecting the necessary tension and liveliness. Every member of the group received song credits and if you think that I would like to call them perfect songwriters, then you are right. (Only two years later, I had to realize that they were not as perfect as I had thought.) Pieces like "After the Holocaust" or "Brain Death" would had been highlights on almost every other thrash album. But on "Game Over", they were just very good tracks which were surpassed by brilliant killers such as "Sin" or "Radiation Sickness", "Stranded in Hell" or "Vengeance". These fast-paced songs were belligerent, irresistible and glittered with the maximum degree of dynamic. But the entire debut distinguished itself through its individual character and its charisma.
The visual design of the album went hand in hand with its excellent sonic content. Ed Repka, the undisputed grand master of cover artworks, had created an apocalyptic scenario. It marked one of his best works, in any event as long as we do not have to face this situation in reality. The inner sleeve collage payed tribute to the predominant trend of the mid-eighties and the varied lyrics were printed on the other side of the inner sleeve.
"Brain Death", the final track, stood out because of the playtime of more than seven minutes. It marked a comparatively epic ending and served as the ultimate proof that Nuclear Assault belonged to the metal scene and not to the punk community. The instrumental part after the second chorus has often been blamed for repetitiveness since the release of the album. I understand this position. Nevertheless, I disagree. The song was neither too long nor boring and its repeatedly performed guitar lines were fantastic. With regard to all these strengths, this debut was and still is nothing less than a milestone. At the same time, it is the reason why I never lost the interest in the activities of the band. I am therefore delighted that they release a new four track EP in July. The teaser on Youtube sounds great and makes me curious for more. Nevertheless, one thing is certain. "Game Over", which was released on the same glorious day as "Reign in Blood", will remain unrivaled. However you look at it, the chemistry between the band members and the fascinating energy level cannot be reconstructed. 1986 is long ago.
Felix 1666
1986 had some of the finest thrash albums of the 80's, that year saw the release of classics such as Master Of Puppets, Peace Sells, Reign In Blood, Possessed By Fire, Into The Dark Past, and Hate, Fear & Power. New York based thrash band Nuclear Assault however released one of the best albums that year. It was their debut "Game Over", released on Combat Records, let's see what this record has to offer...
The record begins with the instrumental "Live, Suffer, Die" which contains some killer riffs. Guitarist and vocalist John Connelly is a fucking awesome vocalist, and is a riff machine. His vocals are among some of the most recognizable in all of thrash. Lead guitarist Anthony Bramante absolutely rips! His solos are fast, furious, and fit the music well. He along with Connelly are a awesome guitar duo. The bass legend Dan Lilker's bass is amazing here, especially on "Hang The Pope". His bass is highly audible, and he stands out. Drummer Glenn Evans does great on drums, he pounds those drums with such force, he also changes it up every now and then. Overall, he is good drummer.
As for the highlights, "Betrayal" is definitely one of the best. The main riff is downright venomous, and Connelly's vocals are at it's best here when he sings these lines...
"I always thought you were my friend
But it seems that in the end
You're a backstabbing fool
I always trust you with me
You're the mistress of deceit
You're a backstabbing fool!"
Those are actually all the lyrics for the song, Connelly sounds great on this track. "Hang The Pope" is only 46 seconds, but is one of the other highlights. HANG THE POPE, HANG THE POPE HANG HIM WITH A FUCKING ROPE! This song is arguably grindcore, after all Dan Lilker went on to play some grindcore in his band Extra Hot Sauce. "Brain Death is the album's epic, clocking in at 7 minutes! It begins with an amazing clean intro, followed with some fast riffs and awesome vocals. This track is packed full of riffs, there are many of them. This is a great way to close out the album.
"Game Over" was one of the defining albums in thrash during the 80's. The album had some slight crossover influence, but overall this is old school thrash. The reason why I rate in 94% is because I feel that maybe one or two songs here are not so memorable. Overall this album is still a classic though, and I highly recommend it to fans of Anthrax, Stormtroopers of Death, Cryptic Slaughter, and Fatal Agent.
ThrashFanatic
..::TRACK-LIST::..
Game Over
1. Live, Suffer, Die 1:08
2. Sin 3:25
3. Cold Steel 2:41
4. Betrayal 3:01
5. Radiation Sickness 2:49
6. Hang The Pope 0:46
7. After The Holocaust 3:44
8. Mr. Softee Theme 0:25
9. Stranded In Hell 3:39
10. Nuclear War 3:47
11. My America 0:29
12. Vengeance 2:51
13. Brain Death 7:16
The Plague
14. Game Over 2:38
15. Nightmares 3:57
16. Butt F**k 2:59
17. Justice 4:19
18. The Plague 4:55
19. Cross Of Iron 3:39
Half Live At The Hammersmith Odeon April 10th, 1989
20. Game Over 2:29
21. Nightmares 3:56
22. Butt Fuck 3:51
23. My America 0:38
24. Hang The Pope 0:49
..::OBSADA::..
John Connelly - lead vocals, guitar
Anthony Bramante - lead guitar
Danny Lilker - bass
Glenn Evans - drums
Additional musicians:
Chad McGloughlin - guest performance on 'Brain Death'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAkRecto-RY
SEED 14:30-23:00.
POLECAM!!!
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