Nuclear Assault had released six studio albums to date, in addition to two live albums, four EPs and one compilation album. Their most successful records are Survive (1988) and Handle with Care (1989), which peaked at Nos. 145 and 126 on the Billboard 200 chart, respectively. Other than four new songs in 2015 on the EP Pounder, the band had not released a full-length studio album since 2005's Third World Genocide, and they would continue to perform live sporadically over the years before calling it quits once again in 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Assault
Studio albums
Game Over (1986)
Survive (1988)
Handle with Care (1989)
Out of Order (1991)
Something Wicked (1993)
Third World Genocide (2005)
Something Wicked
Nuclear Assault Lyrics
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Catch unwary children at their play
Disturb what was a peaceful island of calm
A storm is coming on the horizon
The traveller begs for you his words to heed
To fear the evil thing that he proceeds
Recruiting evil in the autumn times of sin
A mad collection of broken men
Thunder ripping out across the sky
Draw the lighning out of my mind
By the prickling of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes
The house of mirrors is your place of play
Ten thousand faces driving you insane
A carnival of hate crawling through your mind
A gripping fear that leaves you paralyzed
Thunder ripping out across the sky
Draw the lighning out of my mind
By the prickling of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes
The lyrics to "Something Wicked" by Nuclear Assault describe a sense of impending doom and chaos that is about to descend upon the listener. The circus has arrived, and with it comes a danger that threatens to steal away the peaceful life that was once enjoyed. The "traveller" warns of an "evil thing" that is coming, and begs the listener to take heed of his words. The chaos is described with vivid and disturbing imagery - "Ten thousand faces driving you insane" and "A carnival of hate crawling through your mind" - leaving the listener paralyzed with fear.
The chorus refers to the electrifying sense that something truly wicked is coming. The thunder and lightning crackle across the sky, and the listener is left feeling like they are on the brink of something truly terrifying. The line "something wicked this way comes" is borrowed from Shakespeare's Macbeth, where the witches warn of Macbeth's evil intentions. In this song, the message is clear: something evil is coming, and there is nothing the listener can do to stop it.
Overall, these lyrics speak to a sense of dread and apprehension that many people feel in the face of the unknown. Whatever is coming, it is powerful, and it threatens to upend everything that the listener has known and loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the circus now to steal your life away
The arrival of the circus represents a metaphor for danger, which can cause chaos and affect your life in a significant way.
Catch unwary children at their play
The children that are caught by the circus represent innocence, which can be lost to dangerous situations that impact their daily lives.
Disturb what was a peaceful island of calm
The arrival of danger can disrupt the peace that was once there, creating tension and anxiety.
A storm is coming on the horizon
The impending danger that is coming signals a violent storm that could lead to unwanted consequences.
The traveller begs for you his words to heed
A warning from someone who has experienced the potential dangers of what is to come, suggesting that attention should be paid to someone who knows more about the potential danger.
To fear the evil thing that he proceeds
A warning to be afraid of the oncoming danger that is potentially catastrophic.
Recruiting evil in the autumn times of sin
The gradual progression of dangerous situations can lead to a buildup of evil, like the season of autumn when the climate is changing.
A mad collection of broken men
A group of individuals who are likely broken due to their exposure to danger, these people may be a source of danger as they have experienced the harmful effects of whatever is coming.
Thunder ripping out across the sky
A loud and sudden burst of noise that can represent danger and unpredictability, as lightning may strike randomly at any time.
Draw the lighning out of my mind
The mind is powerful and unpredictable, but the danger that is coming is on the forefront of the mind and should be given attention.
By the prickling of my thumbs
A sudden and unexpected feeling of danger that can alert a person to potential danger.
Something wicked this way comes
The danger that is approaching is evil and has the potential to cause significant harm.
The house of mirrors is your place of play
A metaphorical location where it is unclear what is real and what isn't, the house of mirrors resembles the confusion and uncertainty that can accompany danger.
Ten thousand faces driving you insane
The multitude of faces in the house of mirrors can create confusion and uncertainty, which in turn can cause a feeling of helplessness and insanity.
A carnival of hate crawling through your mind
Danger can create feelings of anger and negativity, and can affect a person's mental and emotional well-being, lasting a long time.
A gripping fear that leaves you paralyzed
The overwhelming sense of fear that can cause a person to freeze in their tracks, unable to take action or move forward.
Contributed by Kaelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rolando Garcia Martinez
felicidades,buena información del album
Bruno Terrosa
Rolando Garcia Martinez Gracias! Sos el primero que me agradece por eso. La verdad lleva su tiempo armar las descripciones con toda la info jajajaja gracias por apreciarlo!!!
Dennis Johnson
The production on this album is top notch! This is what modern trash metal should shoot for. Too bad so many fans hated this album, I like it!
mijo91
Idk why I personally think it's their cleanest and best sounding album
Mike Borg
This might be a long shot but their best album for me is the plague, survive, something Wicked and out of order and handle with care, the rest are ok
Mirko Kroll
I LOVE this Album...
Mytube
this is not thrash but more like Metallica (black) Megadeth (countdown to extinction) Testament (the ritual).
Admiral Bongo
@mijo91 That's kinda the point. They tried to do the Black Album trick with it. It had much more mainstream appeal than their older stuff that was fast, dirty and angry. There was no Dan Lilker on this album (who eventually founded one of the key deathgrind bands — Brutal Truth), songs had much more of the chorus-verse-chorus thing going on, bass didn't have the heavy distortion on it and the solos were shorter, more primitive and melodic. I, personally, like this album, but it'll never come close to Handle With Care for me. Just doesn't have that raw power and creativity behind it.
SacredLust97
This album was their best one in my opinion. This track and "To serve man" show how talented these dudes were. The riffs are brutal and live up to the name of Nuclear Assault😎💪👊
Druncle Dave.
Freakin awesome on every level; sound volume and quality, choice of clips, and reader friendly lyrics.