Nuclear Assault - Game Over/The Plague (Combat) 1986/1987

1. "Live, Suffer, Die" [instrumental] (1:05)
2. "Sin" (3:22)
3. "Cold Steel" (2:41)
4. "Betrayal" (2:58)
5. "Radiation Sickness" (2:47)
6. "Hang the Pope..." (0:43)
7. "After the Holocaust" (3:42)
8. "Mr. Softee Theme" [instrumental] (0:25)
9. "Stranded in Hell" (3:35)
10."Nuclear War" (3:44)
11."My America" (0:31)
12."Vengeance" (2:47)
13."Brain Death" (7:14)
14."Game Over" [instrumental] (2:36)
15."Nightmares" (3:56)
16."(You Figure it Out)" (2:54)
17."Justice" (4:17)
18."The Plague" (4:54)
19."Cross of Iron" (3:38)

Use to own both of these on vinyl. Both are classics, but I always particularly liked the humerous "(You Figure it Out)." Freaking hilarious. Regardless, this was faster and heavier than anyone else.

Nuclear Assault - Survive (Combat) 1988 1. "Rise from the Ashes" (3:04) 2. "Brainwashed" (2:40) 3. "F#" (2:36) 4. "Survive" (2:58) 5. "Fight to be Free" (4:22) 6. "Got Another Quarter" (0:19) 7. "Great Depression" (3:30) 8. "Wired" (3:03) 9. "Equal Rights" (2:58) 10."P.S.A." (0:08) 11."Technology" (3:13) 12."Good Times, Bad Times" (2:14)

Classic promo photo 1988

Very similar to the first album but with better production and more memorable riffs. "Brainwashed" and "Equal Rights" are my two favorites off this one. The cover of Led Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times" is fun, but not neccessarily essential. Pretty much THE classic album from the Nuclear Assault catalog.

Nuclear Assault - Fight to be Free/Brain Death (Under One Flag) 1988

1. "Fight to be Free" (4:22)
2. "Equal Rights" (2:58)
3. "Stand Up" (2:44)
4. "Brain Death" (7:14)
5. "Final Flight" (2:24)
6. "Demolition" (4:20)

This was a sweet find. I told a friend of mine in Germany that I was looking for this ep. It was a bit of luck that within the next week he found a copy in a used cd store for almost nothing. It seems this little ep is almost impossible to find. Sometimes you just get lucky. As for the music on this EP, well, it's prime Nuclear Assualt. Thrash metal at it's best.

Nuclear Assault - Handle with Care (Relativity) 1989 1. "New Song" (2:57) 2. "Critical Mass" (3:18) 3. "Inherited Hell" (3:29) 4. "Surgery" (2:44) 5. "Emergency" (3:19) 6. "Funky Noise" [instrumental] (0:50) 7. "F-Natural (Wake Up)" (2:57) 8. "When Freedom Dies" (2:32) 9. "Search & Seizure" (4:10) 10."Torture Tactics" (2:22) 11."Mother's Day" (0:31) 12."Trail of Tears" (5:43) Nuclear Assault hit their stride on this thrash masterpiece! Never received the recognition of the big four (Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, Metallica), but Nuclear Assault was one of the first to successfully fuse speed metal with hardcore. The very definition of thrash metal! Still retaining the mix of humor and political incorrectness.

Anthony Bremante

Nuclear Assault - Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (Relativity) 1990 1. "New Song" (3:11) 2. "Critical Mass" (3:17) 3. "Game Over" [instrumental] (2:29) 4. "Nightmares" (3:56) 5. "Butt F**k" (3:54) 6. "Survive" (3:41) 7. "Torture Tactics" (2:08) 8. "Trail of Tears" (3:57) 9. "Mother's Day" (1:00) 10."My America" (0:40) 11."Hang the Pope..." (0:50) 12."Lesbians" (1:21) 13."Funky Noise" [instrumental] (0:51) 14."Good Times, Bad Times" (2:41) A live recording from the "Handle with Care" tour that I have dubbed the "worst live album of all time." Sloppy, noisy, and too many short songs. Just flat out lame! Nuclear Assault are so much better than this CD lets on.

John Connelly

Nuclear Assault - Out of Order (I.R.S.) 1991 1. "Sign in Blood" (3:47) 2. "Fashion Junkie" (3:44) 3. "Too Young to Die" (3:51) 4. "Preaching to the Deaf" (4:49) 5. "Resurrection" (5:12) 6. "Stop Wait Think" (5:02) 7. "Doctor Butcher" (3:42) 8. "Quocustodiat" (2:35) 9. "Hypocrisy" (2:49) 10."Save the Planet" [instrumental] (6:36) 11."Ballroom Blitz" (3:57)

I own this one but hardly ever listen to it as it is nowhere near as good as any of the earlier studio albums. I don't know, I don't hate it, I just don't play it much. The aggression is there, but the songwriting doesn't have the same infectious hooks that the earlier material had. I do dig the cover of Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz", a song which was also covered by Krokus.

Nuclear Assault - Something Wicked (I.R.S.) 1993 1. "Something Wicked" (4:40) 2. "Another Violent End" (5:08) 3. "Behind Glass Walls" (4:09) 4. "Chaos" (3:56) 5. "The Forge" (5:12) 6. "No Time" (5:18) 7. "To Serve Man" (2:26) 8. "Madness Descends" (4:30) 9. "Poetic Justice" (2:47) 10."Art" (0:08) 11."The Other End" [instrumental] (:38)

"Something Wicked" promo photo

Dan Lilker left the band to join death metal band Brutal Truth, so of course, the band's sound changed. John Connelly and Glen Evans brought in their bud Dave DiPietro from TT Quick. "Something Wicked" slows down a bit and adds a bit more groove. It may sound trite, bit this disc really does sound like a mix of Nuclear Assault and TT Quick. Everybody I have ever talked to hates this album, but I like it. It's still heavy but a bit more accessible. I still listen to this one quite a bit.

Nuclear Assault - Assault & Battery (Receiver) 1997

1."Happy Days" (3:45)
2."Enter Darkness" (3:20)
3."Leaders" (3:54)
4."Hang the Pope" (:41)
5."Radiation Sickness" (2:39)
6."Hypocrisy" (3:07)
7."Behind Glass Walls" (4:10)
8."No Time" (4:02)
9."Hour Shower" (1:00)
10."Sadam" (2:36)
11."Preaching to the Deaf" (4:31)
12."Hang the Pope" (:49)
13."Ping" [live] (:11)
14."Torture Tactics" [live] (2:30)
15."Fight to be Free" [live] (5:13)
16."Trail of Tears" [live] (5:21)
17."Ping Again" [live] (:12)
18."Butt F**k" [live] (3:49)

A disc for dedicated fans and completists. This is full of unreleased songs, demo cuts, experimental peices and really poorly recorded live material. "Happy Days" (yes, the one from the TV show) is funny. "Saddam" is an annoying techno song?!?! Otherwise there is some cool thrash material mixed in here for those who have to own everything these guys ever did, like me.

Nuclear Assault - Alive Again (SPV) 2003 1. "Rise from the Ashes" (3:28) 2. "Brainwashed" (2:32) 3. "F#" (2:59) 4. "New Song" (3:09) 5. "Critical Mass" (3:33) 6. "Sin" (3:37) 7. "Betrayal" (3:28) 8. "Radiation Sickness" (3:01) 9. "Game Over" (2:27) 10. "Butt F**k" (3:48) 11. "Trail of Tears" (4:37) 12. "Hang the Pope" (1:20) 13. "interview/Brainwashed" [video/live] (6:12)

Danny Lilker

Far better than the abysmal "Live at the Hammersmith Odeon". The sound quality here isn't perfect, but the raw, live quality adds something to the overall feels of the CD. These classic thrash songs sound as good as they ever did, if not better due to newer recording technology. The song list is quite good as well. Would not have minded had they included a song or two off "Something Wicked" but I suppose that is asking a lot seeing as how that was the only Nuclear Assault disc to not feature the same four members. In any case, Nuclear Assault; Born: Feb. 3, 1984, Died: Sept. 24 1993, ALIVE AGAIN: April 6, 2002! Looking forward to the new studio CD. Long live thrash metal!

Nuclear Assault - Third World Genocide (Screaming Ferret) 2005 1. "Third World Genocide" (3:38) 2. "Price of Freedom" (4:11) 3. "Human Wreckage" (2:38) 4. "Living Hell" (5:09) 5. "Whine and Cheese" (2:29) 6. "Defiled Innocence" (4:30) 7. "Exoskeletal" (3:01) 8. "Discharged Reason" (2:15) 9. "Fractured Minds" (4:00) 10. "The Hockey Song" (:15) 11. "Eroded Liberty" (2:52) 12. "Long Haired A$$hole" (2:13) 13. "Glenn's Song " (3:22)

John Connelly

I waited with anticipation for several years for this to come out after the band promised a new studio CD in 2002. Lilker was making claims that they were going to teach the current crop of crappy metal bands how to play real thrash. The hype was built for years and then finally in mid-2005 "Third World Genocide" appears. You'd think that those rejoicing over the resurgence of thrash metal would be rejoicing over a new Nuclear Assault CD, yet that is not the case at all. Rather this CD has received nothing but criticism and bad reviews. Personally, I don't understand all the negative criticism. In my opinion Nuclear Assault sound like they never stopped playing. They still are belting out politically-laced, humorous, neck snapping, fist clenching, thrash metal like they always have. There are still those short, funny, punk inspired songs. "Long Haired Asshole" is funny and about as catchy as a song can get. Actually, "Long Haired Asshole" originally appeared as "L.H.A" on John Connely solo CD in '91. "Whine and Cheese" isn't quite of the same caliber as "L.H.A." This song is sort of a lackluster, punk rock song with silly lyrics that is mildly enjoyable, albeit as cheesy as the song title suggests. "The Hockey Song" sounds like prime Nuclear Assault to me! Short, silly songs aside, the rest of the CD is what you might expect from Nuc. They still have those fast to mid-paced riffs, speedy guitar solos and John Connelly's unique, helium high, charismatic voice. So what are the critics complaining about? I suppose it's the fact that the band seem to be deliberately not playing fast. Others are saying that the songs are mediocre, slip-shod and thrown together. Still others are complaining about the production. However, I really think this is a decent comeback album. Perhaps it's not better than classics like "Game Over", "Survive" and "Handle With Care", but it certainly not the crap many are making it out to be. For that matter, I think I like this CD better than "Out of Order". As for the production, I personally think that the raw, underproduced sound works well for this band. To me it sounds like they purposely tried to get that dirty, late 1980's thrash metal sound. "Third World Genocide" sounds like Nuclear Assault and that's all that anyone can ask. I think any real fan of this band will find something to like about this CD. I know I did.

Related Collections:
C.I.A. | John Connelly | Anthrax | TT Quick

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