Bolt Thrower was an English death metal band from Coventry. Their early sound, a mix of thrash and hardcore, was mainly influencedbythelikes of thrash pioneers Slayer and hardcore groups Crass and Discharge. As they joined Earache Records,theirsoundtransitioned to something more aggressive and brutal, in vein of bands such as Carcass and Napalm Death. The band takes its namefromaweapon in the popular tabletop strategy game Warhammer Fantasy Battle. They had been signed to Metal Blade records.