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The Day of Wrath (1985)
The Day of Wrath is the first full-length album from Bulldozer, released on Roadrunner Records in March 1985. This Italian band was highly influenced by Venom, among others, and seemed to pick up the torch that the English trio had dropped and forgotten. Cronos, Mantas and Abaddon failed to capitalize on the sound that they had created and by 1985, bands like Bulldozer were no longer waiting for them to come to their senses. They decided to carry on without them, bearing the malevolent flame of black metal and injecting it with a renewed intensity. Their debut L.P. did well to build upon the foundation set forth by albums like Welcome To Hell and Black Metal, while showing a willingness to take things even further than what Venom were capable or prepared to do.
It begins with "The Exorcism", which is an intro that sets a dark tone with sounds that hearken back to '70s horror movies, soon exploding into a raging inferno of instruments crashing together and the screams of the damned joining in to overpower your senses.
The first song is "Cut Throat", which wastes no time in thundering ahead at a whiplash-inducing speed. The riffs are very reminiscent of the likes of Venom and Bathory which, of course, owe quite a bit to Motörhead. The vocals are harsher than most anything that Cronos had done, though not to the level of demonic possession displayed by Quorthon. The playing is very tight and the music bears an added level of intensity as a result. The overall sound is powerful and completely killed Possessed, which was released some weeks later.
"Insurrection of the Living Damned" has a more relaxed feel, by comparison, but still boasts the same type of impure riffing as the previous track. The vocals are even more distorted and this serves to increase the hellish feeling. The songwriting is a bit more epic, here, with even the vocal patterns adding to this feeling. The lead solos are more on the melodic side, rather than producing a chaotic vibe. This song features somewhat of a false-finish, as it seems to build up to an end, only to lead into a typical '80s riff that sounds familiar the very first time you hear it.
The next song, "Fallen Angel" is centered around a riff that hearkens back to "Live Like an Angel (Die Like a Devil)", though with a more intense execution. Bursting from the depths of Satan's realm, this volatile music is not without any sense of melody, greatly aided by the killer lead solos. It is here where the NWOBHM influence can be most strongly heard. This rather straightforward tune was my introduction to Bulldozer, and made a great impression.
"The Great Deceiver" starts with a mid-paced riff before unleashing another frenzied assault on the senses. The lead guitar offers some oddly upbeat-sounding melodies, at times. After a few minutes, this song kind of breaks down and possesses more of a jam-session feeling, which still works within the context of the album, especially due to the production. The mix of this record is clear enough but quite raw for a full-length effort and has a primitive vibe.
A bit of an ominous feeling is present at the beginning of "Mad Man", a song that shows the band utilizing a slightly more complex style of songwriting. The riffs are more involved and display the proficiency of the band members. The vocals are a little more harsh than on the previous tracks, sounding more demonic and the frequent lead solos work well to accentuate the sense of dread that is created by the main riffs. Late in the song, the bass lines are much more audible, though this is overshadowed by the brief teaser riff that closes out the song. One gets the feeling that Bulldozer was capable of pulling off much more, in a technical sense, but played their style because that is what they wanted to present. On the other hand, many of their peers struggled even to keep up with this type of playing, due to a lack of skill.
"Whiskey Time" is the sort of song that pleases most stereotypical metalheads that worship alcohol and that lifestyle. The atmosphere is much less serious than the rest of the album and this comes off as filler, more than anything else.
The darkness and evil return for "Welcome Death", a mid-paced song that is built around slow doom riffs and carries a morbid feeling. This may be the gloomiest track on the whole record. Despite this, there are some more dynamic and memorable riffs interspersed with the others, along with nice touches of old school drumming. The lead solo, late in the song, slithers around you in a menacing way, sounding more calculated and lethal than some of the previous ones. The serious tone of this song makes up for the throw-away garbage that came right before and does well to bring the listener deeper down into the murky shadows.
The epic and morbid atmosphere is carried over into "Endless Funeral", which is an instrumental that closes out this classic album the way it should be, with a dark vibe leaving the final impression. The lead guitar gives this a melancholic vibe, as the main riffs crush any remaining sense of optimism that you may have had. While the album has many ups and downs, the listener is left at a low point and this is as it should be. This should not be taken as a joke, and certainly not relegated to background noise while idiots get drunk and party. Those that fail to take it seriously will only realize their error when it is too late.
The Day of Wrath is a classic slab of black/speed metal, and Bulldozer's most glorious contribution. They would never again reach this level of quality. While that may have played a role in the band not reaching the level of notoriety that many of their peers attained, this record is essential and comes highly recommended. For anyone into old school black metal to not own this is a crime. This is for anyone that worships the early releases from Venom, Bathory and Sodom. Buy this, immediately.
It begins with "The Exorcism", which is an intro that sets a dark tone with sounds that hearken back to '70s horror movies, soon exploding into a raging inferno of instruments crashing together and the screams of the damned joining in to overpower your senses.
The first song is "Cut Throat", which wastes no time in thundering ahead at a whiplash-inducing speed. The riffs are very reminiscent of the likes of Venom and Bathory which, of course, owe quite a bit to Motörhead. The vocals are harsher than most anything that Cronos had done, though not to the level of demonic possession displayed by Quorthon. The playing is very tight and the music bears an added level of intensity as a result. The overall sound is powerful and completely killed Possessed, which was released some weeks later.
"Insurrection of the Living Damned" has a more relaxed feel, by comparison, but still boasts the same type of impure riffing as the previous track. The vocals are even more distorted and this serves to increase the hellish feeling. The songwriting is a bit more epic, here, with even the vocal patterns adding to this feeling. The lead solos are more on the melodic side, rather than producing a chaotic vibe. This song features somewhat of a false-finish, as it seems to build up to an end, only to lead into a typical '80s riff that sounds familiar the very first time you hear it.
The next song, "Fallen Angel" is centered around a riff that hearkens back to "Live Like an Angel (Die Like a Devil)", though with a more intense execution. Bursting from the depths of Satan's realm, this volatile music is not without any sense of melody, greatly aided by the killer lead solos. It is here where the NWOBHM influence can be most strongly heard. This rather straightforward tune was my introduction to Bulldozer, and made a great impression.
"The Great Deceiver" starts with a mid-paced riff before unleashing another frenzied assault on the senses. The lead guitar offers some oddly upbeat-sounding melodies, at times. After a few minutes, this song kind of breaks down and possesses more of a jam-session feeling, which still works within the context of the album, especially due to the production. The mix of this record is clear enough but quite raw for a full-length effort and has a primitive vibe.
A bit of an ominous feeling is present at the beginning of "Mad Man", a song that shows the band utilizing a slightly more complex style of songwriting. The riffs are more involved and display the proficiency of the band members. The vocals are a little more harsh than on the previous tracks, sounding more demonic and the frequent lead solos work well to accentuate the sense of dread that is created by the main riffs. Late in the song, the bass lines are much more audible, though this is overshadowed by the brief teaser riff that closes out the song. One gets the feeling that Bulldozer was capable of pulling off much more, in a technical sense, but played their style because that is what they wanted to present. On the other hand, many of their peers struggled even to keep up with this type of playing, due to a lack of skill.
"Whiskey Time" is the sort of song that pleases most stereotypical metalheads that worship alcohol and that lifestyle. The atmosphere is much less serious than the rest of the album and this comes off as filler, more than anything else.
The darkness and evil return for "Welcome Death", a mid-paced song that is built around slow doom riffs and carries a morbid feeling. This may be the gloomiest track on the whole record. Despite this, there are some more dynamic and memorable riffs interspersed with the others, along with nice touches of old school drumming. The lead solo, late in the song, slithers around you in a menacing way, sounding more calculated and lethal than some of the previous ones. The serious tone of this song makes up for the throw-away garbage that came right before and does well to bring the listener deeper down into the murky shadows.
The epic and morbid atmosphere is carried over into "Endless Funeral", which is an instrumental that closes out this classic album the way it should be, with a dark vibe leaving the final impression. The lead guitar gives this a melancholic vibe, as the main riffs crush any remaining sense of optimism that you may have had. While the album has many ups and downs, the listener is left at a low point and this is as it should be. This should not be taken as a joke, and certainly not relegated to background noise while idiots get drunk and party. Those that fail to take it seriously will only realize their error when it is too late.
The Day of Wrath is a classic slab of black/speed metal, and Bulldozer's most glorious contribution. They would never again reach this level of quality. While that may have played a role in the band not reaching the level of notoriety that many of their peers attained, this record is essential and comes highly recommended. For anyone into old school black metal to not own this is a crime. This is for anyone that worships the early releases from Venom, Bathory and Sodom. Buy this, immediately.
(7 Dec. 2011)
The Final Separation (1986)
After unleashing one of the filthiest debut albums of all time, Bulldozer cleaned things up a bit for their second record. Released in February 1986, The Final Separation sounds like a neutered version of what they were capable of. The production is way too clean for a band like this, completely lacking the raw and heavy feeling of The Day of Wrath. Compared to the chaotic atmosphere of that record, this one is quite tame.
Musically, it's more controlled and thrashy but it lacks the ferocity of the first album. There's even a throwaway track, ""Don" Andras", that really derails things. This is something you'd never expect from a band that once sounded like they were about to explode mid-song. That said, once you get over the disappointment, there’s still some solid material buried underneath. There are a few moments where the old Bulldozer spirit shows through, just not the unrelenting assault you might be hoping for.
Overall, The Final Separation feels like a step down but it's not totally useless. Just don't listen to it back-to-back with The Day of Wrath, because the direct comparison will ruin it for you. Doing so caused me to give up on the band for several years but I eventually came back around to give their other albums a chance. Standout tracks include "The Final Separation" and "Ride Hard - Die Fast".
Musically, it's more controlled and thrashy but it lacks the ferocity of the first album. There's even a throwaway track, ""Don" Andras", that really derails things. This is something you'd never expect from a band that once sounded like they were about to explode mid-song. That said, once you get over the disappointment, there’s still some solid material buried underneath. There are a few moments where the old Bulldozer spirit shows through, just not the unrelenting assault you might be hoping for.
Overall, The Final Separation feels like a step down but it's not totally useless. Just don't listen to it back-to-back with The Day of Wrath, because the direct comparison will ruin it for you. Doing so caused me to give up on the band for several years but I eventually came back around to give their other albums a chance. Standout tracks include "The Final Separation" and "Ride Hard - Die Fast".
(26 Apr. 2025)
IX (1987)
By 1987 Bulldozer had shifted gears again with IX. While The Final Separation was rather weak and disappointing, their third full-length saw the return of some much-needed aggression. The faster pace and tighter drumming give the songs a new life, pushing the band into a more vicious and intense territory. There's even a faint black metal atmosphere in places, something that creeps in naturally without feeling forced. The production is a bit too clean compared to the debut but it manages to suit the material, which is faster and actually packs a punch compared to its limp predecessor. Even the vocals sound a little nastier at times.
One track really stands out more than the rest, that being "The Derby". This is the most iconic and anthemic thing I've ever heard from a speed/thrash metal album and is just dripping with an epic '80s vibe. As memorable as this is, it's kind of shocking that the band didn't end up getting more attention than they did. It's totally at odds with the sort of thing that I want to hear from Bulldozer but it works anyway. The other two highlights are opener "IX" and closer "The Vision Never Fades". The former is the hardest thing they'd done since The Day of Wrath, though with a different approach. This one possesses more of a black metal feeling and is reminiscent of Bathory's "Massacre", just based on the speed and intensity of the riffs. As for the latter, it takes its time in creating a darker atmosphere and is filles with memorable thrash riffs and Lemmy-esque vocals.
While it's not as chaotic or filthy as their earliest material, IX is a definite step up from The Final Separation and demonstrated that Bulldozer wasn't dead yet. If that one drove you away from the rest of their catalog, give this one a listen. It's certainly different from The Day of Wrath but comes a lot closer to maintaining that spirit than the previous record.
One track really stands out more than the rest, that being "The Derby". This is the most iconic and anthemic thing I've ever heard from a speed/thrash metal album and is just dripping with an epic '80s vibe. As memorable as this is, it's kind of shocking that the band didn't end up getting more attention than they did. It's totally at odds with the sort of thing that I want to hear from Bulldozer but it works anyway. The other two highlights are opener "IX" and closer "The Vision Never Fades". The former is the hardest thing they'd done since The Day of Wrath, though with a different approach. This one possesses more of a black metal feeling and is reminiscent of Bathory's "Massacre", just based on the speed and intensity of the riffs. As for the latter, it takes its time in creating a darker atmosphere and is filles with memorable thrash riffs and Lemmy-esque vocals.
While it's not as chaotic or filthy as their earliest material, IX is a definite step up from The Final Separation and demonstrated that Bulldozer wasn't dead yet. If that one drove you away from the rest of their catalog, give this one a listen. It's certainly different from The Day of Wrath but comes a lot closer to maintaining that spirit than the previous record.
(26 Apr. 2025)
Neurodeliri (1988)
Bulldozer's fourth L.P., Neurodeliri, was released in late 1988. This one picks up right where IX left off, offering a fast, tight and aggressive blend of speed, thrash and even black metal. It does a solid job of closing out this era of the band. That said, it's not without its problems. The production is still too clean and sterile for this kind of material, and even though they had an actual drummer, it sounds almost mechanical at times, like a cheap drum machine. Because of that, the album struggles to create a truly dark atmosphere, though the first and last tracks do make a decent effort.
Either way, the material is intense and there aren’t any skippable songs, even if some of the lyrics (as before) are pretty dumb. This album is full of great riffs and sounds vicious at times. In the end, Neurodeliri is a strong finish to Bulldozer’s classic run, flaws and all. Definitely give this a listen. Standout tracks include "Overture/Neurodeliri" and "Willful Death/You'll Be Recalled".
Either way, the material is intense and there aren’t any skippable songs, even if some of the lyrics (as before) are pretty dumb. This album is full of great riffs and sounds vicious at times. In the end, Neurodeliri is a strong finish to Bulldozer’s classic run, flaws and all. Definitely give this a listen. Standout tracks include "Overture/Neurodeliri" and "Willful Death/You'll Be Recalled".
(26 Apr. 2025)
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