Band:	Nuclear Assault
Album:	Survive
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	1988
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. Rise From The Ashes
02. Brainwashed
03. F#
04. Survive
05. Fight To Be Free
06. Got Another Quarter
07. Great Depression
08. Wired
09. Equal Rights
10. PSA
11. Technology
12. Good Times Bad Times [Led Zeppelin cover]

If any chance you're dropping straight into this review without prior knowledge of this band, let me hell you. If not, hell to you too. This is Nuclear Assault. How could you not know them? Alright, let's dive in...

Forming in 1984 from the suburban areas of New York City, Nuclear Assault joined the ranks of prominent East Coast thrash metal bands such as Whiplash, Toxic, Overkill, and Anthrax. After spurging a few demos, 2 EPs and and their eponymous debut release Game Over in 1986, Nuclear Assault unleashed another gem of an album, namely Survive, through I.R.S. Records. Well, looking at the cover art interestingly, it depicts a post-apocalypse scenario with nuclear waste being spewed into the atmosphere.

Isn't our current world cusped on the same wrath?! Well, we will see.

Comprising 12 tracks with a playtime shorter than the time it takes to prepare a chicken parmigiana, Survive finishes in the blink of an eye. Starting with "Rise From The Ashes", it crushes with breakneck speed, leaving you nothing but sweat on your hurting neck. Stylistically, the album leans more towards a hard-edged thrash sound compared to Game Over, manifesting the exuberant sound of THE Nuclear Assault - sharp thrashy riffing, a rumbling distorted bass (placed high in the mix), pounding drums, and John Connelly’s distinctive, high-pitched vocals. This is accentuated in tracks like "Brainwashed", "Survive", and "Great Depression"; topped with belligerent riffs, these mosh-inducing spinal tap stompers embolden you to put your fucking body in the moshpit.

This album is best served to those who like their thrash to be straight-up, old school, raw, visceral and intensively aggressive. As the record unfolds, it diversifies with tracks that transition to a slower, more progressive, and often melodic style, like "Fight To Be Free" and "Wired", before it spews forth two frenetic pacers a la Suicidal Tendencies in "Got Another Quarter" and "PSA". The album further ramps up with the blistering, frantic riffs in "Technology", and concludes with a fitting tribute to Led Zeppelin, covering "Good Times Bad Times" in a powerful radio rock style.

Survive stands as one of the most influential albums from the golden era of thrash, inspiring countless thrash metal bands worldwide. Alongside Game Over, this album is a staple in any thrash metal fan's playlist.

Highlights: "Rise From The Ashes", "Brainwashed" "Survive" and "Great Depression"