Artist: BOLT THROWER
Album: "MERCENARY (CD)"

Year: 1998
EAN/UPS: 039841414721
Media type: CD

Founded in Birmingham during September 1986, BOLT THROWER gained notoriety on the local Metal scene with a unique, war obsessed heaviness. At this early point the band featured vocalist Alan West, guitarist Barry Thomson, bassist Gavin Ward and drummer Andy Whale. The name BOLT THROWER is taken from a siege device in a Games Workshop ‘Warhammer’ fantasy role playing game. Famously, the initial idea for the band had been formulated in a pub toilet in Coventry by Ward and Thompson. First product would come in the form of an April 1987 demo session 'In Battle There Is No Law'. With Ward switching to the guitar role BOLT THROWER drafted Alex Tweedy to cover on bass.

Following a September 1987 demo, 'Concessions In Pain', the fledgling band, still utilising Ward as temporary bassist as new man Tweedy had failed to commit, added bassist Jo-Anne Bench. The second demo resulted in a four song Radio One session on the John Peel show, recorded in January 1988. This airing led to an album deal with Vinyl Solution Records, but not before West's departure.

The band brought in vocalist Karl Willetts, actually the official BOLT THROWER van driver up to that juncture, to record the debut 1988 album at Loco Studios in Wales, the Andrew Fryer produced 'In Battle There Is No Law'. BOLT THROWER also submitted a separately recorded version of the album track 'Drowned In Torment' to a free fanzine split EP alongside INSTIGATORS, H.D.Q. and CULTURE SHOCK. Although support for the band was rising on the Metal underground, the group felt Vinyl Solution's Hardcore ethic was restrictive and duly switched label's to Nottingham's burgeoning underground imprint Earache Records. A notable gig that July saw the band supporting DEATH ANGEL and WARFARE at London's Astoria. BOLT THROWER also scored a further John peel session, cutting more tracks for Radio One play in November.

The group's first album for Earache, October 1989's 'Realm Of Chaos: Slaves To Darkness' recorded at Slaughterhouse Studios, was to sell in excess of 50'000 copies worldwide and utilised expansive gatefold artwork from Games Workshop that carried on the theme of futuristic fantasy wargaming. The world of gaming also infused the lyrical content of 'Realm Of Chaos' too, both ‘Plague Bearer’ and ‘World Eater’ borrowing heavily from gaming titles. Musically, 'Realm Of Chaos' was the first record to introduce Bolt Thrower to an international audience, critics polarizing between jaw dropping appreciation for the super low bottom end, with guitars dragged right down to A, and guttural grind or horrified by the unashamed unsophistication. Meantime, Vinyl Solution would re-issue the debut on CD, this variant coming complete with totally different artwork to the original.

Having performed well on the Earache organised "Grindcrusher" tour of 1989 shoulder to shoulder with CARCASS, MORBID ANGEL and NAPALM DEATH, and after contributing a track to the compilation album of the same name, the band then executed dates in Holland throughout February 1990 with AUTOPSY and PESTILENCE on the 'Bloodbrothers' tour. A third John Peel session was undertaken in July 1990. The release of the next studio affair in September proved fortuitous, 'Warmaster' again crafted at Slaughterhouse but with noted desk man Colin Richardson now in control, being cut coincidentally just prior to the complex burning down. For this offering BOLT THROWER curtailed the speed somewhat and defined some degree of clarity by pitching guitars at C#. Even with this fine tuning, 'Warmaster' would still make for a monstrously ugly Death Metal album.

With the release of the 1991 'Cenotaph' EP, BOLT THROWER once more toured Europe, this time as part of the 'War Mass' package with support from US outfit NOCTURNUS and Sweden's UNLEASHED. That October the group conducted a package tour of the USA together with BELIEVER and Toronto Thrashers SACRIFICE before engaging in further European shows, where they were supported by BENEDICTION and ASPHYX. In 1991 the three John Peel sessions saw commercial release on CD format.

The band drew back from their Grind influences and changed tack towards a Doom edged feel for October 1992's 'The IVth Crusade' album, reprising their studio creativity with Colin Richardson. Whilst retaining the militaristic stance, the band went for a more classical feel, adapting a medieval Eugène Delacroix painting for the album cover. European dates to open up 1993 witnessed a strong union with Poles VADER and Swedes GRAVE. This activity was backed by an EP release comprising a remixed 'Spearhead' alongside new material. Unfortunately BOLT THROWER's first Australian tour in September 1993, supported by ARMOURED ANGEL, ended in debacle when the band were stuck without a flight home.

Eventually managing to make it back to Britain the Birmingham bunch undertook another American club tour in July 1994 with fellow brummies BENEDICTION as support, but failed to complete the schedule. The album of that year, 'For Victory', witnessed strong sales. Colin Richardson again took production honours and once more Bolt Thrower’s imagery took a further leap in history, the record sleeve depicting marines yomping across the tundra of the Falkland Islands. Initial copies came with a free bonus live disc recorded in Manchester during 1992. Ex-PESTILENCE, ASPHYX and SUBMISSION vocalist Martin Van Drunen joined the band in 1994 replacing the departed Willets and drummer Martin Kearn was added in the line-up shuffle. Taking their Metal to the European masses, the band undertook the 1995 'No Guts, No Glory' tour in union with BRUTALITY and CEMETARY. They hit the continent again the following year, making a statement on the 'Fuck Price Politics' expedition with SENTENCED, EXPRESSION OF POWER and THE VARUKERS.

Severing connections with Earache Records in early 1997 and signing to American label Metal Blade, before recording on a brand new album could commence, Van Drunen, suffering from a disease which made his hair fall out, quit unexpectedly on the eve of some European festivals. BOLT THROWER killed time by throwing in a few live gigs with BENEDICTION's Dave Ingram guesting.

As BOLT THROWER went into the studio in late 1997 it was announced that 19 year old Alex Thomas had succeeded skinsman Kearns and that Willets had rejoined. With this line up the band cut the 1998 album ‘Mercenary’ for new label Metal Blade Records. This offering, despite the lengthy hiatus between recordings, re-established BOLT THROWER’s fan base and gave the group a showing in the national German album charts too. Although Willetts had performed on the album it would be a re-instated Dave Ingram, having recently quit BENEDICTION, who took up the vocal mantle for live work packaged with CROWBAR and TOTENMOND. Confusingly Thomas would then leave and the drummer he had usurped in the first instance duly took over once again in time for BOLT THROWER’s second showing at the major German ‘Full Force’ festival.

BOLT THROWER toured Europe in January 2001 supported by FLESHCRAWL and HEAVEN SHALL BURN. Further road work had the band in familiar company, co-headlining a January 2002 European expedition with BENEDICTION backed up by FLESHCRAWL. Martin Van Drunen resurfaced in mid 2002 debuting his new act DEATH BY DAWN on the European live circuit. BOLT THROWER would be confirmed as one of the headline acts at the October 'Westfalen' festival in Dortmund, Germany. BOLT THROWER would be finalised for the running order of the 'Rock Hard' magazine festival at the Gelsenkirchen Amphitheatre for June of 2003 but withdrew at short notice to allow singer Dave Ingram to be present at the birth of his first child. BOLT THROWER announced the departure of Ingram, apparently due to the singer "suffering with health and personal problems", in August of 2004. The singer later revealed he had been suffering with mental difficulties, but once recovered, duly founded FULL SCALE HATRED, this new band subsequently evolving into DOWNLORD.

In November BOLT THROWER welcomed the return of original vocalist Karl Willetts, soon re-entering the recording studio to craft a new album. Willetts also re-recorded the vocal lines on the 'Honour, Valour, Pride' album, , this effort seeing production credits going out to former MARSHALL LAW bassist Andy Faulkner. Digipack variants hosted an exclusive track, 'Covert Ascension'.

Early 2005 found former singer Martin Van Drunen and erstwhile PESTILENCE bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling collaborating with KING LOCUST guitarist Niels Drieënhuizen in a new band entitled PROJEKT TABUN. The trio entered Studio Het Lab in Schaarsbergen to put down initial recordings. Back on the BOLT THROWER front, vocalist Karl Willetts and guitarist Barry Thompson would guest on a cover version of SACRILEGE's 'Lifeline' recorded by fellow Brummies BENEDICTION.

In May the band entered Sable Rose Studios, again collaborating with Andy Faulkner as producer, to craft a new album for Metal Blade Records. 'Those Once Loyal' emerged in November and gave the band its highest charting record in Germany, debuting at no. 76. To coincide, former label Earache re-issued the 'Realm Of Chaos' opus, re-mastered and clad in all new artwork. European headline shows in January and February 2006 witnessed strong backing from MALEVOLENT CREATION, NIGHTRAGE and NECROPHAGIST. Gigs for April across Europe were scheduled originally to see GOREFEST as support but these plans were changed and KATAKLYSM, GOD DETHRONED and DOWNLORD took over the opening roles.

TRACKLIST:

1. Zeroed
2. Laid To Waste
3. Return From Chaos
4. Mercenary
5. To The Last.…
6. Powder Burns
7. Behind Enemy Lines
8. No Guts, No Glory
9. Sixth Chapter

LINE-UP:

Karl Willetts (vocals)
Barry Thomson (guitar)
Gavin Ward (guitars)
Jo-Anne Bench (bass)
Andy Whale (drums)

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