NUCLEAR ASSAULT – Third World Genocide

Nuclear Assault is another Bay Area Thrash band who disappeared in the difficult 90s alongside Exodus and Death Angel. Dan Lilker left Anthrax in the mid-80s to form Nuclear Assault, which delivered a few fine albums in the Thrash/Hardcore genre before falling apart around 1993.

As with most acts nowadays, the band is now back. They reformed a couple of years ago with all original members, but for this release, original guitarist Anthony Bramante is out of the picture.

Nuclear Assault is, and has always been a band you think are either cool or uncool. It is not a band whose songs are magnificent, fantastic, or superb. They are here to entertain, to shock, and to make your ears bleed while having a good time.

The question is, is it still fun in 2005? They have certainly become a band that reviewers might enjoy criticizing. Third World Genocide is an album many have butchered, but the fact is that it is a way better effort than the disappointing Out Of Order, and their swansong Something Wicked. But truth be told, this is nevertheless pretty far from the really fun albums such as Handle With Care, Survive, and Game Over.

“Price Of Freedom” and “Living Hell” are fine moments of pure Hardcore Thrash, but the humorous tracks “Whine & Cheese,” which is a great Punk Rock song, and “Long Haired Asshole” score the best. The production is just as dirty and rambling as in their heyday, making the drums sound like on any teenband’s garage demo. But, this is how fans have learned to know Nuclear Assault, and one could never touch these guys with polished hands.

In other words, Third World Genocide comes out somewhere in-between their finest and worst hour. However, if you are in a constantly partying mood, Nuclear Assault would satisfy your loud needs even in 2005.