But like the often reviled Venom, Bulldozer have, in retrospect, gained some measure of belated respect for helping to see the fledgling black metal movement through its early growing pains.

Formed in Milan in 1980 by guitarist Andy Panigada and bassist Dario Carria, Bulldozer were temporarily forced to disband when mandatory military service came calling the following year, but they re-formed in 1983, and by the following year had recorded their "Fallen Angel" demo with the help of drummer Erminio Galli. This soon got them noticed by Dutch independent label Roadrunner and, after reshuffling their lineup with the arrival of vocalist/bassist Alberto Contini and drummer Don Andras, Bulldozer embarked on the path to heavy metal infamy via 1985's The Day of Wrath album, produced by Algy Ward of Tank.

Boasting endearingly rudimentary songwriting and arrangements and slathered in barely adequate "production," this and ensuing albums like 1986's The Final Separation, 1987's IX, and 1988's Neurodeliri were so rough-hewn as to make Venom look refined by comparison. The latter pair also featured new drummer Rob Cabrini, and the last was named after the post-Bulldozer project of original bassist Carria, who had committed suicide earlier that year.

Sadly, Bulldozer's days were also coming to an end, and following a farewell hometown show in December 1990, the band would wind down its activities. Since Bulldozer's split, bands like Darkthrone and the Meads of Asphodel have paid tribute to the group's basic but still important contributions to black metal and, as well as working with Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo on a classical music project in 1999, Alberto Contini has allegedly also taken to producing dance music albums since Bulldozer's demise. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia