Bolt Thrower are a death metal and grindcore band from the Birmingham area in the United Kingdom. They formed in 1986 and released their first album with Vinyl Solution in 1988. They then shifted to a new record label, Earache Records, soon becoming one of the best selling bands on that label. Their current label is Metal Blade Records. The band has had a succession of members and have toured Europe, the United States and Australia.
The band's name is a reference to the popular tabletop strategy game Warhammer 40,000. A Bolt Thrower is a large- caliber weapon that fires explosive, rocket-propelled projectiles. It is also known as a Bolter and is used mainly by the genetically augmented Space Marines. The lyrics and artwork of one of their albums was based on this game as well. The general theme of their lyrics however, is war and its consequences.
Bolt Thrower were formed in September 1986 as a hardcore and thrash metal band, influenced largely by thrash bands such as Slayer and hardcore punk bands like Crass and Discharge. The band was founded by bassist Gavin Ward and guitarist Barry Thompson in a Coventry pub toilet during a hardcore punk gig. Shortly thereafter Andrew Whale and Alan West joined on drums and vocals respectively. In April 1987 the In Battle There Is No Law demo was recorded with this line-up.
Their next recording was the Concession of Pain demo, which they made in September of 1987. Gavin had switched to guitars and they recruited Alex Tweedy to play the bass. However, Alex did not show up for the recording, and so Gavin played both guitar and bass for the demo. Two weeks after the recording session, Jo Bench replaced Alex.
