Search - Nuclear Assault :: Plague & Game Over

Great Thrash Classic

Ernesto Catalan Valdez | Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico | 02/05/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Game Over" came out in 1986, a cornerstone year for the thrash genre. SLAYER, MEGADETH, METALLICA, DARK ANGEL, KREATOR, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, DESTRUCTION, all released their creative peaks during 1986 and NUCLEAR ASSAULT is no exception. With John Connelly (Guitar/Vocals) and Dan Lilker (Bass) coming from an earlier version of ANTHRAX and S.O.D. (in Lilke's case) it's no surprise this album sounds very close to what those bands had done. The hardcore punk elements are evident in songs such as "Hang The Pope", with its blast beats and S.O.D. type of humor, but other songs like "Sin", "Betrayal" and "Stranded in Hell" are more in the traditional thrash vein, with fast, technical guitar playing and double bass drumming. The production sounds very clear and powerful, but the guitars lack the punch of future releases (they sound as if they had very little distortion...hard to believe from ex-ANTHRAX members!). It's sad to see such a worthy album released as a "two in one" package. Granted, on this CD you get "The Plague", the band's next mini album after "Game Over", and a good mini album it is, but the CD's artwork and bargain packaging is truly disappointing. If anything, this abum should have been released ALONG with the band's debut EP, which came out some months before "Game Over". I would have given "Game Over/The Plague" 5 stars, but, as I said before, the packaging really diminishes the greatness of these 2 thrash gems. If you're not bother by this, you'll do no wrong in having this in your metal collection."

A classic album and an mediocre EP

Zander Haberstaft | Miami, Florida | 09/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By the time New York's Nuclear Assault had recorded 1986's "Game Over", they were veterans of the New York metal scene. A scene pretty much ruled by Anthrax and to a lesser extent Overkill.



Nuclear Assault had an original sound: uncompromising Thrash with Hardcore overtones that few others in the genre imitated. This sound was quite refreshing for the time since everyone was either a Metallica, Slayer, or Possessed rip-off. The production is a little dry, but the music makes up for it by several score.



Unlike other bands of the time the Danny Lilker's bass can be heard throughout, and the vocals of John Connelly are mid-range (not high or throaty) and are very clean. Evans drumming booms along in the Thrash/Hardcore style the music demands. N.A. also had a sense of humor in an almost humorless genre. Tracks like "Hang the Pope" and "Mr. Softee Theme" -especially if you remember the Mr. Softee commercials- are hilarious.



If your new to the band this is a pretty good place to start. "Survive" and "Handle With Care" are a lot better albums, but this one is still in print and is the most accessible of their albums."

Missing track

anubus | 11/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The cassette of Game Over had a track called Lesbians which isn't here. I think these two releases should be on two separate discs. They should issue Game Over with the bonus tracks "Final Flight" and "Demolition" which were on the Brain Death 12". The Plague should get its own disc with maybe some archival bonus tracks. The music is great though."