Bulldozer

 Italy's Bulldozer

The Italian black/thrash/speed metal band BULLDOZER had a very un-black metal name, but they definitely had an old-school black/thrash sound.  Their sound fit into the early and mid-1980s scene very well.  In the era of old Sodom, early Slayer, Sabbat, Voor, and other blackened thrash bands, Bulldozer stood out with their lyrical content.  Not only evil, Satanism, and darkness, but party-oriented lyrics were not uncommon (like "Whiskey Time").

From the 1985 album, Day of Wrath

Formed in 1980, these Milanese metallers put out the Fallen Angel demo in 1984 before releasing Day of Wrath on Roadrunner Records the following year.  This unleashed their sound upon a wider audience and they gained some international renown with this album and its immediate follow-ups, 1986's Final Separation and 1987's IX.

The epic "Death of Gods", from 1986's Final Separation

After 1988's Neurodelieri, Bulldozer went on hiatus (I think it was because of the death of founding member Dario Carria).  They weren't very active for much of the nineties, but recently put out an album, 2009's Unexpected Fate.  While I haven't heard it, it's gotten some pretty solid reviews.

The very atmospheric "Heaven's Jail," from the 1987 album IX

Select Discography: 

"Fallen Angel" (single) (1984)

Demo '84 (demo) (1984)

Day of Wrath (full-length album) (1985)

The Final Separation (full-length album) (1986)

IX (full-length album) (1987)

Neurodelieri (full-length album) (1988)

Alive...in Poland! (live album) (1990)

Next time:  VULCANO