(RockAndMetal.com) (07/16/04)

By Michael Bennett

MANCHESTER, NH, USA - The long-awaited new studio album from thrash metal innovators NUCLEAR ASSAULT is near completion.

Ten years in the making and tentatively titled "3ed World Genocide," the album is scheduled for release later this Summer on Screaming Ferret Wreckords.

It will be the follow-up to the 2003 live album "Alive Again," which was also issued by Screaming Ferret. "Alive Again" was Nuclear Assault's first official release in nine years.

Vocalist/guitarist John Connelly, bass player Danny Lilker, drummer Glenn Evans and new guitarist Scott Harrington are wrapping up working on "3ed World Genocide" at the Manchester, NH, studios of Screaming Ferret head Timothy Koukos.

Former member Erik Burke also plays guitar on the album, which is being co-produced by Koukos and Evans.

Original songs were contributed by Evans, Connelly and Lilker.

"3ed World Genocide" is a rich blend of Nuclear Assault's lethal, politically conscious metal and songs showcasing the band's wicked sense of humor.

A few surprises are in store for fans too.

The songs on "3ed World Genocide" include 'Price Of Freedom,' '3ed World Genocide,' 'Fractured Minds,' 'Defiled Innocents,' 'Living Hell,' 'Human Wreckage,' 'Eroded Liberty,' 'Whine & Cheese' (a spoof of "mall rock"), 'Celtic Frosty Cold Beer' (a Celtic Frost spoof with lyrics about the ingredients of beer), 'Folsom Prison Blues' (a Johnny Cash cover) and 'LHA' (or 'Long Haired Asshole,' a country/bluegrass song originally recorded for Connelly's solo album "Back to Basics," officially credited as The John Connelly Theory.

"I can't wait to get this out, knowing that the combination of the music and the heavy sound is gonna crush."

"Anyone who says metal is dead is out of their head," says Lilker.

Connelly, Harrington and Burke all play smoldering guitar leads throughout "3ed World Genocide."

Harrington played with Connelly in a band called Nuclear Theory, which evolved into The Right Bastards. His addition adds greater depth to Nuclear Assault.

Harrington's musical background suits the band perfectly.

Hailing from Connecticut, he has been a mainstay in the East Coast metal and hardcore scene for well over a decade.

His friendship with Nuclear Assault dates back to when he was a member of seminal thrash upstarts Aimed Aggression, as they opened for Nuclear Assault numerous times.

"I'm coming into this as a longtime fan. I actually learned to play by figuring out riffs on 'Survive' back when I was 12 years old," Harrington says.

Back in 1998, Connelly and Harrington worked together in The Righte Bastards, which evolved from Lowest Common Denominator. And Harrington has kept busy since with his band Minus, which recently changed its name to Denythefallout.

"A few years back, Minus did a reworking of Nuclear Assault's classic 'Critical Mass,' and we were psyched when one night John jumped up and tore it up with us."

"The crowd went nuts, and we were pumped to have a thrash legend approve of our take on a song he wrote and made famous," remembers Harrington.

Several Screaming Ferret label mates make guest appearances on "3ed World Genocide."

Eric Paone of Candy Striper Death Orgy contributes backing vocals.

Travis Horton of Red Right Hand and Distrust also adds backing vocals and plays five-string banjo on 'LHA.'

Koukos, who also plays with Red Right Hand in addition to running the label, adds electric guitar touches and backing vocals as well as five-string banjo and six-string acoustic and lead guitar on 'LHA.'

Twenty years after Lilker first formed Nuclear Assault with Connelly, Evans and original guitarist Anthony Bramante, the band are firmly re-entrenched within the metal world, and providing an uncompromising creative and social vision that their early peers left behind long ago.

With "3ed World Genocide," Nuclear Assault casts a badly needed critical eye at the insanity of today's world, but with their humanity and sense of humor intact.

Meanwhile, Connelly and Harrington have already begun writing songs for the next Nuclear Assault album.

And so the carnage continues...

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