BULLDOZER – the day of wrath – SPLATTER LP

Speed Metal, Black Metal, Thrash – Highlighter Yellow w/Hot Pink Splatter version – Shadow Kingdom Records

And the BULLDOZER legend began in earnest with the release of their debut album, The Day of Wrath, in 1985. Right from the scene-setting intro of “The Exorcism,” The Day of Wrath kicks into high gear and BULLDOZER proceed to kick the asses of all and sundry. Dark and dirty but definitely fun, the band’s debut album sounded like it came a dungeon, but there was no denying the strength of its songwriting. Deceptively simple but exceptionally effective, BULLDOZER here approximately their moniker with a ragged uptempo pulse that charged and charged and charged, on and on and on, letting the waves of dingy riffing wash over you with their addicting filth. Still, while contemporaries like Bathory were aiming for very real evil, BULLDOZER drew inspiration from Italy’s rich tradition of horror – and partying. Definitely partying: This is the record that houses “Whiskey Time,” after all.

And alas, The Day of Wrath became something like bottled magic: BULLDOZER never again sounded as dark and depraved and RAW as they did here. While their successive albums saw the band cleaning up their act and getting thrashier and are no less beloved, The Day of Wrath is widely/rightly considered THE classic album from BULLDOZER.