… From the Beginning

In 1984 BULLDOZER released their debut 7” single Fallen Angel/Another Beer. This record shares the dubious honor with Hellhammer’s debut EP as being rated “The worst record of all time” by respected UK magazine, Kerrang.

A band called BULLDOZER was formed in 1980 by Darrio Carria and Andy Panigada. Panigada left the band shortly thereafter. He met AC Wild in 1983. Together with drummer Rob K Cabrini and second bassist Fabrizio Grossi, who would go on to play bass with Steve Vai, they played covers of MOTORHEAD songs. Panigada was contacted again by Carria who wanted to reform Bulldozer and record a single in Milanese dialect. Instead Panigada not only suggested two different tracks but also a new singer, AC Wild. The two infamous songs Fallen Angel and Another Beer were recorded in one take and released as BULLDOZER’s vinyl debut.

Notwithstanding the dubious honor awarded by Kerrang, Roadrunner Records signed the band in 1984. The contract contained a special clause noting the fact that AC Wild, as a conscientious objector during the Spadolini government in Italy, did not have a passport and could not travel outside of Italy to perform, for an unknown period-of-time.

Before the Roadrunner contract was signed, bassist Carria and drummer Galli, still minors, were caught with tattoos by their parents and were forced to leave the band. The new drummer, Don Andras, was nearly 30 years old with a criminal record but was the only drummer around who could thrash a kit. AC Wild, originally a bassist, replaced Carria on bass but invited him to record bass on the album version of Fallen Angel.

“Too Punk”

According to King Diamond in 1985

Starting with The Exorcism, all the songs were about true experiences, real people, or events. Nothing was invented or taken from books or movies.

The Final Separation was a darker and more serious album. But it had a weak sound and sales dropped. Roadrunner did not take up the option for a third record.

Don Andras left the band and was replaced once again by Rob K Cabrini. AC Wild took a leave of absence to perform 20 months of community service.

In 1985 BULLDOZER released their first album on Roadrunner Records in Europe, the USA, and Japan. The band wanted King Diamond to produce the record but he claimed the material was “too punk” for his taste. Roadrunner appointed Algy Ward from TANK as producer. In a twist of fate, TANK had themselves been produced by “Fast” Eddie Clarke of MOTORHEAD whose songs BULLDOZER covered at the beginning. The British press labeled the band “Venom clones”, in fact, Cronos even jokingly asked for royalties!

Roadrunner encouraged this erroneous labeling and even re-signed the band for a second album and chose a rejected photo for the cover. From there on, the relationships with Roadrunner and the foreign press broke down completely.

IX Given First Ever ZERO Rating by Magazines

Bulldozer signed to Italian disco label Discomagic/Metalmaster. The cover of IX was AC Wild’s concept. It contained certain hidden messages and intuitions. The record was strongly criticized in northern Europe and even received the first-ever Zero rating by UK magazine, Kerrang, and German magazine, Metal Hammer! The lyrics were targeted as being too extreme and direct. Obviously, they completely missed the irony of Mysoginists, Ilona The Very Best, The Derby, etc. Only BULLDOZER’s hardcore fans in Italy, Poland, and Japan liked the album.

In 1987 just before performing in Livorno, the band learned of the death of Dario Carria. From that moment on, their playing became more urgent and determined.

They dedicated the next album to him. This time the album was received with respect by certain leading European publications like Aardshock and Metal Forces. The album features keyboards, symphonic sounds, and drum sampling – innovative elements adopted by many bands from the nineties until today.

After attending a festival in Poland, AC Wild was inspired to have the band perform and record a live concert. Alive In Poland was recorded in one take with no studio retouching in front of 5,500 people in the city of Zabrze. BULLDOZER’s last concert was held in Milano, Italy in 1990. The band knew it was over. In an interview, AC Wild said “We hope to take steps forward in the future, otherwise we can forget the whole thing. If it means recycling the band’s name with nothing new, it’s useless to carry on ...”.

BULLDOZER Goes Experimental and it’s Labeled a Fiasco

(But Becomes Very Successful)

In 1992 AC Wild and Panigada decided to record an experimental EP Trilogy: Dance Got Sick with rapper Dr. D.O.P.E. Three tracks in three distinctive styles were recorded. Dance Got Sick is called a fiasco by many hardcore BULLDOZER fans. Others would call it winning at the lottery. One track is covered by the Japanese band Abigail and another is discovered by a famous British DJ in Japan who turns it into a hit. It is re-released on many compilations that sold over one million copies and a new style of music was born. Even PRODIGY were inspired by it.

Whereas IX and Neurodeliri were made with the heart, Dance Got Sick was made with rage and a stroke of genius.

Resurrected from the Grave in 2009

The new album Unexpected Fate came out in 2009.

Guest musicians such as Jennifer Batten, Kiko Loureiro, Billy Sheehan, Olaf Thørsen, and Anders Rain gave the new project a touch of class and, should we stay, some respectability.

The release of the come-back CD gave the chance of a "renaissance" for the band. A renewed interest brought the band to start a new chapter of BULLDOZER history. After recruiting lead guitarist Ghiulz from FAUST/ANCIENT, G.C.(A.C.'s teen son) on keyboards, and Simon, still of D.M., on bass the band started to promote the new release.

The realization, in 2001 and 2007, of prophecies contained in the album IX drove AC Wild and Andy Panigada to reconvene with new drummer Manu ( DEATH MECHANISM) and put into words and music, BULLDOZER’s point of view on this world.

During the period of hibernation, Aristodemo – nominated honorary member of the band – took it upon himself to promote the band to new generations of fans. His activities were the inspiration for BULLDOZER’s re-releases, reissues, and the most current boxset Regenerated In The Grave by MetalMind.

The band had the chance to join major festivals such as Metal Camp, Tuska, Rock Hard, etc, alongside bands such as Slayer and Kreator, also touring Japan and performing shows in many areas of Europe ending sets with their "early time" influence: Motorhead.

In 2011 Simon left the band, replaced by his fellow Death Mechanism band member, Pozza, and the band began touring Poland to perform shows and festivals alongside Venom, Marduk, and many others covering Europe and South America. From 2014 on, the band has played around the world. In 2018 they toured South and Central America and AC Wild decided to play the bass like in the 80’s.

In 2022 the band decided to celebrate the 40 years of collaboration between AC Wild and Andy Panigada, focusing on the songs created in the very first days of BULLDOZER (mainly withh the tracks of The Day of Wrath), proposing a special live setlist called “40 years of wrath”.