Onslaught Family Tree

in

Metal Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

onslaught.png

Onslaught brought forth aggressive thrash from the U.K. Although starting as more of a hardcore punk band they would become one of the most well known British thrash bands. Nige Rockett has been the heart of the band since the beginning being the only consistent member through the years. From what I can tell in the early days Nige wrote songs on his own and then they were refined by the band as a whole.

The fathers of metal, Black Sabbath are one of the metal bands named by Nige as an influence.

The fathers of metal, Black Sabbath are one of the metal bands named by Nige as an influence.

Judas Priest are possibly the most quintessential traditional or classic metal band, the metal gods. Nige named them as one of his metal influences.

Judas Priest are possibly the most quintessential traditional or classic metal band, the metal gods. Nige named them as one of his metal influences.

Motorhead toed the line between heavy metal and hard rock and wasn’t afraid to do it with a punk attitude. Nige named them as one of his metal influences. He said he learned all the songs from the No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album. Grice also named th…

Motorhead toed the line between heavy metal and hard rock and wasn’t afraid to do it with a punk attitude. Nige named them as one of his metal influences. He said he learned all the songs from the No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album. Grice also named them as an influence.

The leaders of UK punk, The Sex Pistols were a very important band. Nige named them as one of his main influences.

The leaders of UK punk, The Sex Pistols were a very important band. Nige named them as one of his main influences.

Discharge is a very influential hardcore punk band. Nige and Mahoney named them as a main influence. Grice also named them as an influence.

Discharge is a very influential hardcore punk band. Nige and Mahoney named them as a main influence. Grice also named them as an influence.

Charged G.B.H. or just GBH were early British hardcore punk rockers. Nige named them as an influence.

Charged G.B.H. or just GBH were early British hardcore punk rockers. Nige named them as an influence.

The Exploited were another UK hardcore punk band; they later went to a more crossover sound. Nige said they was a band he loved when he was younger.

The Exploited were another UK hardcore punk band; they later went to a more crossover sound. Nige said they was a band he loved when he was younger.

Nige said he came from a hardcore punk background but also listened to some metal bands. In one interview he named “Possibility of Lifes Destruction” - Discharge, “Fight fire With Fire” - Metallica, and “I’m Broken” - Pantera as favorite songs.

When asked about guilty pleasures Nige named George Michael, Funkadelic, and Parliament.

Nige said him and original bassist Paul Hill use to follow GBH, The Exploited, and Discharge around on tour. I figured if they were going to follow them around they might as well start a band.

Steve Grice was the drummer from the beginning through 2011. Sy Keeler said that drummer Steve Grice was into Iron Maiden besides the bands he mentioned above.

Sy said he started his musical journey with glam bands like Slade and Sweet before discovering Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. He then got into the Sex Pistols and The Clash and eventually Venom.

Rob Trottman played guitar and wrote on In Search of Sanity but I couldn’t find his influences.

James Hinder played guitar and wrote on In Search of Sanity but I couldn’t find his influences.

Steve Grimmett of Grim Reaper fame sung on In Search of Sanity but did not contribute to writing.

Alan Jordan played guitar on Killing Peace but I am not sure if he contributed to writing?

Jeff Williams had been with the band since the reforming of it. He hasn’t contributed to the writing but apparently loves Kiss.

Andy Rosser-Davies has been played guitar and co-wrote for Sound of Violance, and VI. He named AC/DC and Led Zeppelin in a very un-serious interview before saying “Wait we are a thrash band… So death, destruction”.

Sources:

https://www.metal-rules.com/2013/10/29/onslaught-interview-with-nige-rockett/
https://www.therockpit.net/2020/interview-nige-rockett-onslaught/
https://100percentrock.com/interviews/202006/257896
http://lesliesmetal-page.blogspot.com/2010/09/onslaught-paul-mahoney.html
http://lesliesmetal-page.blogspot.com/2011/06/onslaught-interview-with-nige-rockett.html
https://www.metal-rules.com/2005/10/11/onslaught-steve-grice/
https://www.uberrock.co.uk/interviews/62-november-interviews/9722-sy-keeler-onslaught-uber-rock-interview-exclusive.html
http://www.metalcorefanzine.com/onslaught.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFFoG-AfYiQ
https://www.theindependentvoice.org/2011/11/16/jeff-williams-andy-rosser-davies-of-onslaught-have-a-chat-with-james-meakin/