Nuclear Assault
Explore the band's historical lineups, musicians, and studio albums.
Retired7 formations6 studio albums
Formation chronology
Newest first
Formation 7 of 7
2019 – Sep 3, 2022
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, GuitarJan 2019 – Sep 2022
- Erik BurkeLead GuitarJan 2019 – Sep 2022
- Dan LilkerBassJan 2019 – Sep 2022
- Drew BurkeDrumsJan 2019 – Sep 2022
Formation facts
- When the social accounts went dark in November 2022, the remaining Instagram line named John Connelly, Dan Lilker, Erik Burke, and Drew Burke, dated 1985–2022 — not Glenn Evans. Drew had been the live drummer of the last years.
- Nuclear Assault’s last documented concert was 3 September 2022 at UK Deathfest, London. On 20 November they posted a 1985–2022 tombstone and disappeared. Erik Burke told a fan Nuke was no more. Lilker later said Deathfest was pretty much the last show, while leaving a theoretical door.
Formation 6 of 7
2015 – 2016
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, GuitarJan 2015 – Jan 2016
- Erik BurkeLead GuitarJan 2015 – Jan 2016
- Dan LilkerBassJan 2015 – Jan 2016
- Glenn EvansDrumsJan 2015 – Jan 2016
Formation facts
- In January 2015 at Black Dog in Rochester they recorded four Lilker/Connelly songs as the Pounder EP — Connelly, Erik Burke, Lilker, Evans — because a full album would not be ready in time. Lilker wanted not to go out on Third World Genocide.
- In August 2014 Lilker announced 2015 as thirty years since the lineup solidified and promised a Final Assault record and limited shows around real jobs. They then played far more than a couple of dates, including a long 2015 festival run with Evans still on drums.
Formation 5 of 7
Jan 2003 – 2005
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, GuitarJan 2003 – Jan 2005
- Erik BurkeLead GuitarJan 2003 – Jan 2005
- Dan LilkerBass, Backing VocalsJan 2003 – Jan 2005
- Glenn EvansDrums, ProducerJan 2003 – Jan 2005
Formation facts
- Bramante could not commit because of work and family. Lilker’s wife recommended Rochester guitarist Erik Burke. Evans said Bramante skipped the European and Brazil runs that Burke played.
- By the time they were finishing the first studio album in a decade at Tim Koukos’s New Hampshire studio, the lineup was Connelly, Erik Burke, Lilker, and Evans.
- Lilker said Scott Harrington was a friend of Connelly’s who was supposed to join, could not square the band with family life, came in only to record solos — Lilker never even met him — and was already gone. In 2005 he described Nuclear Assault as John, Glenn, and Dan, with live guitar helpers who could change by the night.
- After Maryland Deathfest in May 2008 the band went quiet, with only scattered 2010 activity before Oslo in January 2011. Lilker, speaking in Oslo, refused to call weekend festival appearances a reunion: John’s teaching year limited them. There is no locked 2008 breakup statement.
Studio albums
- Third World Genocide (Aug 2005)
Formation 4 of 7
Apr 6, 2002 – Aug 3, 2002
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, Rhythm GuitarApr 2002 – Aug 2002
- Anthony BramanteLead GuitarApr 2002 – Aug 2002
- Dan LilkerBassApr 2002 – Aug 2002
- Glenn EvansDrumsApr 2002 – Aug 2002
Formation facts
- The original four — Connelly, Bramante, Lilker, and Evans — played their first 2002 reunion show on 6 April 2002 at Metal Meltdown IV in Asbury Park, the first time that lineup had shared a stage in a decade aside from a poorly promoted 1997 New Hampshire date.
- Screaming Ferret recorded the original four on 11 May 2002 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, for the live album Alive Again. Evans said it was exciting to have that lineup back after about ten years.
- The original four played Wacken Open Air on 3 August 2002. Lilker later called a huge festival crowd proof they had not wasted the reunion.
Formation 3 of 7
Aug 1992 – 1995
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, GuitarAug 1992 – Jan 1995
- Dave DiPietroLead Guitar, Backing VocalsAug 1992 – Jan 1995
- Scott MetaxasBass, Backing VocalsAug 1992 – Jan 1995
- Glenn EvansDrumsAug 1992 – Jan 1995
Formation facts
- The IRS sessions ran 3 August–7 September 1992 in Los Angeles with Connelly, Dave DiPietro, Scott Metaxas, and Evans. Ray Gillen, among others, added gang vocals.
- After the Something Wicked world tour, Evans said he pulled the plug because it was no longer Nuclear Assault. Activity trailed into 1995 rather than a clean 1993 dissolve.
Studio albums
- Something Wicked (Feb 1993)
Formation 2 of 7
1985 – 1992
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, Rhythm GuitarJan 1985 – Jan 1992
- Anthony BramanteLead Guitar, Backing VocalsJan 1985 – Jan 1992
- Dan LilkerBass, Backing VocalsJan 1985 – Jan 1992
- Glenn EvansDrumsJan 1985 – Jan 1992
Formation facts
- Lilker said Scott DuBoys introduced Anthony Bramante, then did not work out socially; Bramante found Glenn Evans. The classic four locked in during 1985 — Bramante in the summer, Evans later that year — not on the 1984 first gig.
- Evans remembered Game Over being tracked in five days, with the mix interrupted by a gig run from Ithaca. The performances still sound like a band having a blast.
- Lilker said the Brain Death EP actually preceded Game Over, using session leftovers such as Final Flight and Demolition to get something into shops quickly.
- Evans described the Out of Order sessions as splintered: no-shows, extra instruments for him, Connelly appearing sporadically for vocals, and a three-hour mix against a May deadline. The sleeve still credits the classic four.
Studio albums
- Out of Order (Sep 1991)
- Handle with Care (Oct 1989)
- Survive (Jun 1988)
- Game Over (Oct 1986)
Formation 1 of 7
1984 – 1985
Members
- John ConnellyLead Vocals, GuitarJan 1984 – Jan 1985
- Mike BogushGuitarJan 1984 – Jan 1985
- Dan LilkerBassJan 1984 – Jan 1985
- Scott DuBoysDrumsJan 1984 – Jan 1985
Formation facts
- In early 1984 Dan Lilker was out of Anthrax days before Fistful of Metal appeared. He later recalled calling school friend John Connelly and forming a faster, more hardcore-influenced band rather than sit with the disappointment.
- Lilker later said he found himself unemployed in late January 1984 and started putting Nuclear Assault together in February, with Connelly taking vocals as well as guitar when a dedicated singer never appeared.
- The first Nuclear Assault show was at the Union Jack in South River, New Jersey, in late 1984 — Lilker recalled November — before a demo existed. Mike Bogush played that debut; they opened with Stranded in Hell.
- In early 1985 the founding four recorded the Back with Vengeance demo — first at RBI in Brooklyn, then remixed and expanded at Merlin in Whippany, New Jersey. Bogush was unhappy with a cleaned-up guitar sound he had been talked into.
- Derek Lord had been on the drum stool before Bogush joined, then stopped coming to rehearsals after a few weeks. The band advertised, auditioned players who were too technical, and brought in Scott DuBoys. Lord is not part of the founding four on this card.