---
title: "Bolt Thrower"
type: "MusicGroup"
url: "https://themetalnet.com/band/bolt-thrower"
genre: "Death Metal"
country: "United Kingdom"
formed: 1986
disbanded: 2016
---

# Bolt Thrower

**Bolt Thrower** is a death metal band, from United Kingdom, active 1986 to 2016.

Bolt Thrower were a British death metal band from Coventry, England. They formed in 1986 and released their first album with Vinyl Solution in 1988. The band then shifted to a new record label, Earache Records, soon becoming one of the best selling bands on that label. Their last label was Metal Blade Records. The band had a succession of members, and had toured Europe, the United States, and Australia. Over the course of their 30-year career, Bolt Thrower released eight studio albums, three EPs, one live album, three compilation albums and two demos. Their albums have sold over 100,000 copies in the United States as of 2005.

Biography source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolt_Thrower

## Facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Name | Bolt Thrower |
| Genre | Death Metal |
| Parent genre | Death Metal |
| Origin | Coventry, United Kingdom |
| Formed | 1986 |
| Disbanded | 2016 |
| Releases in catalog | 10 |

## Genres

[Death Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/death-metal)

## Line-up

| Musician | Instruments | Years | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Martin van Drunen](https://themetalnet.com/musician/martin-van-drunen) | Lead vocals | 1994 to 1997 | Former |
| [Andrew Whale](https://themetalnet.com/musician/andrew-whale) | Drums (drum set) | 1986 to 1994 | Former |
| [Dave Ingram](https://themetalnet.com/musician/dave-ingram) | Lead vocals | 1998 to 2004 | Former |
| [Karl Willetts](https://themetalnet.com/musician/karl-willetts) | Lead vocals | 1987 to 2016 | Former |
| [Alan West](https://themetalnet.com/musician/alan-west) | Lead vocals | 1986 to 1988 | Former |
| [Alex Thomas](https://themetalnet.com/musician/alex-thomas) | Drums (drum set) | 1997 to 1999 | Former |
| [Alex Tweedy](https://themetalnet.com/musician/alex-tweedy) | Electric bass guitar | 1987 to 1987 | Former |
| [Barry Thomson](https://themetalnet.com/musician/barry-thomson) | Electric guitar | 1986 to 2016 | Former |
| [Gavin Ward](https://themetalnet.com/musician/gavin-ward) | Electric bass guitar, Electric guitar | 1986 to 2016 | Former |
| [Jo Bench](https://themetalnet.com/musician/jo-bench) | Electric bass guitar | 1987 to 2016 | Former |
| [Martin Kearns](https://themetalnet.com/musician/martin-kearns) | Drums (drum set) | 1994 to 2015 | Former |

## Discography

| Year | Release | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1988 | [In Battle There Is No Law!](https://themetalnet.com/album/d726709d-930a-3504-b64c-0aeac4e2fccd) | Album |
| 1989 | [Realm of Chaos](https://themetalnet.com/album/bbd6ba1c-2f44-3b90-91ab-fd8786707ad4) | Album |
| 1991 | [Cenotaph](https://themetalnet.com/album/4f81f224-53f3-43ef-939b-c8cdb14b65a8) | EP |
| 1991 | [War Master](https://themetalnet.com/album/9081f911-be33-39d5-81bf-281e324874ba) | Album |
| 1992 | [Spearhead](https://themetalnet.com/album/3fc1c17d-8471-35f2-b6c8-c90c008974f0) | EP |
| 1992 | [The IVth Crusade](https://themetalnet.com/album/b619bb90-3898-3550-ab32-a61ce6749a23) | Album |
| 1994 | […For Victory](https://themetalnet.com/album/6a333893-2cb6-3bca-974c-219b734794aa) | Album |
| 1998 | [Mercenary](https://themetalnet.com/album/cf0e3779-f0b4-36ef-a9b8-3fd93a9fef87) | Album |
| 2001 | [Honour – Valour – Pride](https://themetalnet.com/album/9f53921c-e5a0-32f2-812f-5aa093faea2f) | Album |
| 2005 | [Those Once Loyal](https://themetalnet.com/album/180923eb-59de-331e-a724-77ec6b4abe2c) | Album |

## Related bands

- [Death](https://themetalnet.com/band/death) (listened together)
- [Carcass](https://themetalnet.com/band/carcass) (listened together)
- [Morbid Angel](https://themetalnet.com/band/morbid-angel) (listened together)
- [Entombed](https://themetalnet.com/band/entombed) (listened together)
- [Cannibal Corpse](https://themetalnet.com/band/cannibal-corpse) (listened together)
- [Obituary](https://themetalnet.com/band/obituary) (listened together)
- [Deicide](https://themetalnet.com/band/deicide) (listened together)
- [Slayer](https://themetalnet.com/band/slayer) (listened together)
- [At the Gates](https://themetalnet.com/band/at-the-gates) (listened together)
- [Napalm Death](https://themetalnet.com/band/napalm-death) (listened together)
- [Nile](https://themetalnet.com/band/nile) (listened together)
- [Vader](https://themetalnet.com/band/vader) (listened together)

## Official and external links

- metal archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bolt_Thrower/234
- spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3EbMlZ7ZKmFWPTHrLzpzvs
- deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/5601
- bandcamp: https://bolt-thrower.bandcamp.com/
- youtube: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC2TT2ZHnnFviHJzCck_nr3g
- facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bolt-Thrower-136609366412112
- apple music: https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/42086322
- website: https://www.boltthrower.com/

---

Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/band/bolt-thrower](https://themetalnet.com/band/bolt-thrower). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt