Bulldozer (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Dario Carria, Andy Panigada |
| Defunct | 1990 (first period) |
| Fate | Reassembled in 2008 |
| Headquarters | Milan , Italy |
| Products | Extreme metal music |
Bulldozer is a Milan-based Italian extreme metal group that originally operated between 1980 and 1990.[1] The band reassembled in 2008.[2]
History
Formed in 1980 by bassist Dario Carria alongside guitarist Andy Panigada,[1] Bulldozer initially included drummer Erminio Galli. They disbanded in 1981 due to compulsory military service but regrouped in 1983 with Alberto Contini (A.C. Wild) taking over bass and vocal duties, and Don Andras on drums.[1] This formation produced the Fallen Angel demo, their debut album The Day of Wrath, and the subsequent release The Final Separation.[1]
The production of The Day of Wrath was handled by Algy Ward from Tank, which contributed to its prominent bass sound.[1] Their contract with Roadrunner Records concluded after The Final Separation, an album that suffered from inadequate promotion and featured cover art the band disapproved of. Following this, Bulldozer signed with Metalmagic, a division of Discomagic based in Italy.
Rob Cabrini joined as drummer for the 1987 album IX.[1] This lineup also recorded Neurodeliri (1988) and the live album Alive... in Poland (1990).[1] Their last release before disbanding was the posthumous EP Dance Got Sick!,[1] which began as a joke by Contini but gained significant popularity in Japan, leading him to relocate there to focus on music production.
In 2004, Bulldozer's track "Whiskey Time" was included in the compilation Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal released by Peaceville Records, curated by Fenriz of Darkthrone.[1] Two years later, Polish label Metal Mind Productions issued the limited edition box set Regenerated in the Grave, featuring Bulldozer’s five albums along with bonus material and a booklet, restricted to 2,000 copies.[1]
During Labyrinth's 2007 tour in Japan, Contini was invited on stage to perform Bulldozer songs, which inspired the band's reunion. By 2008, Contini and Panigada officially announced Bulldozer's comeback.[2] Recording for a new album commenced in August 2008,[2] culminating in the release of Unexpected Fate on June 11, 2009, with Death Mechanism’s drummer Manu completing the trio.
Musical style
Bulldozer's sound is rooted in thrash and speed metal, drawing influence from bands like Motörhead, Venom, and Tank. Their early work featured lyrical themes centered around satanic and occult imagery; however, A.C. Wild clarified that his lyrics were autobiographical rather than Satanist. Beginning with their second album, they incorporated keyboards to enhance a dark ambiance. The album IX marked a shift toward explicit lyrics inspired by Italy's flourishing adult film industry led by Ilona Staller, whom they even dedicated a song to. Subsequent releases embraced themes of partying alongside social commentary. After parting ways with Roadrunner Records, Neurodeliri experimented with samples, symphonic elements, and triggered drum sounds amid waning commercial success.
Mainstream media largely dismissed or ridiculed Bulldozer; magazines such as Kerrang! and Metal Hammer gave them zero-star ratings—a fact A.C. Wild regarded with pride. Financially, the band barely recouped production expenses. The provocative content on IX was intended ironically to stimulate thought rather than simply shock audiences. Within underground circles, Bulldozer earned acclaim for preserving an unpolished, uncompromising tone imbued with a morbid atmosphere, significantly influencing the second wave of black metal. For instance, musical aspects of Graveland echo the title track from Neurodeliri.
The 1992 EP Dance Got Sick, produced by a rapper, fused metal with rap and techno elements—a blend A.C. Wild credits with impacting Japan’s techno scene for two years.
In 2000, a tribute compilation titled The Bulldozer Armageddon – Volume 1 featured covers from bands such as Sabbat (Japan) and Imperial (France). A follow-up volume appeared in 2001 including contributions from Abigail (Japan) and Decayed (Portugal). Additionally, Fenriz of Darkthrone selected Bulldozer’s "Whiskey Time" for his 2004 compilation Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal.
Present lineup
- Alberto "A.C. Wild" Contini – lead vocals (1983–1990, 2008–present), bass guitar (1984–1990, studio sessions 2008–2011)
- Andy Panigada – guitar (1980–1981, 1983–1990, 2008–present)
- Emanuele "Manu" Collato – drums (2008–present)
- Ghiulz Borroni – guitar (2009–present)
- Giovanni "G.C." Contini – keyboards (2009–present)
- Alessandro Pozza – bass guitar (2011–present)
Past members
- Don Andras – drums (1984–1987)
- Dario Carria – vocals (1980–1981), bass guitar (1980–1981, 1983–1984) (deceased 1988)
- Erminio Galli – drums (1980–1981, 1983–1984)
- Rob K. Cabrini – drums (1987–1990)
Studio albums
- The Day of Wrath (1985, Roadrunner Records)
- The Final Separation (1986, Roadrunner)
- IX (1987, Discomagic Records)
- Neurodeliri (1988, Metal Master Records)
- Alive... in Poland (live album, 1990, Metal Master)
- Unexpected Fate (2009, Scarlet Records)
- The Neurospirit Lives... (2012, Scarlet)
- The Exorcism (2014, Foad Records; re-recorded version of 1984 demo)
Extended plays
- Dance Got Sick! (1992, Build Records)
Compilation albums
- 1983–1990: The Years of Wrath (1999, Sound Cave Records)
- Regenerated in the Grave (box set, 2006, Metal Mind Productions)