Attacker

by Ed RivadaviaNew Jersey speed metal band Attacker was formed in 1983 (initially as "Warloc") and soon found themselves part of a healthy local scene also responsible for spawning technical thrashers Hades. After seeing their first demo snapped up for inclusion on Metal Blade's Metal Massacre, Vol. 5, Attacker's Bob Mitchell (vocals), Pat Marinelli (guitar), Jim Mooney (guitar), Lou Ciarlo (bass), and Mike Sabatini recorded their debut album, 1985's J.R.R. Tolkien-themed Battle at Helms Deep. Although it didn't exactly light up the pop charts, Battle at Helms Deep met with positive reviews and has since become a minor cult album among committed metal fans; but this wasn't enough for the members of Attacker, who, rather presumptuously, refused to entertain Metal Blade's offer to record a follow-up, choosing instead to bide their time in hopes that a major label deal would emerge. This proved the group's undoing in the end, as, by the time their 1988 sophomore effort, The Second Coming, finally saw release through no-hope Mercenary Records, much momentum had been lost and the band was virtually unrecognizable after major personnel changes (holdovers Marinelli and Sabatini were now joined by vocalist John Leone, guitarist Tom D'Amico, and bassist Lou Ciarlo). Sure enough, by 1989, Attacker was history, with various members launching a short-lived new band named Jersey Dogs. Sadly, Leone passed away in 1994, as did Mooney in the year 2000; and still, not one but two separate versions of Attacker suddenly surfaced in 2001 and began making the rounds at local clubs. Finally coalescing into one, an official group featuring former members Mitchell, Marinelli, Benetados, and Sabatini, and new bassist Felix Torres, eventually recorded a comeback album in 2004's Soul Taker.