Overkill seem to get a lot of stick in thrash metal circles, though the hating is balanced out by the sheer number of fan-boys this band attracts. Truth be told, Overkill have done some excellent albums in their long-standing career and I’m not just talking about Under The Influence and Years Of Decay. I would also highly rate FTUAB and Necroshine, and I even liked RelixIV despite the fact many would disagree with me. Then again, they have done several albums that have just left me cold and that I’d rather leave on the shelf; I Hear Black and Bloodletting spring to mind, which are mediocre, watered-down thrash metal at best with none of the usual catchiness, and if there is one thing I’ve learned about Overkill it is that they are rather inconsistent. I gave Immortalis my best shot, but in the end a weak album is a weak album no matter how many times you hear it.
So new record label, new start, right? Not only that, but they’ve had three years (which is quite a long break for Overkill) to rejuvenate and bounce back with something fresh and less…dull. In this time they’ve toured extensively - I saw Overkill for the first time in 2008 and to see how on-their-game they are on stage it’s hard to imagine (or want to imagine) the same band could put out such tired stuff. The good, no, the great news is that the break, the touring, the new label, and whatever else has contributed to this album has all paid off. Would I be making too bold a statement to say “Overkill are back?” well, probably – the band have never really been away so to speak, and it’s not to say the next one won’t be another dud, but as clairvoyancy is not a talent I am especially skilled at I’ll stick to reviewing the album at hand.
The album kicks off with a sprawling 8+ minute long epic ‘Green and Black’ which is gently brought in with a winding guitar lick that soon meets up with the drums and bass ready to get down to business. There’s nothing diluted about this, with some full-on thrash riffage and pounding drums that meet a more late 90’s Necroshine-era heaviness, as is the chorus of triggered drums and vocal line on ‘Iron Bound’ which really makes you want to sing along. There are some really catchy and memorable tracks on this album, which is what was so lacking on Immortalis, and so you can expect choruses that make you want to sing along, bang your head, tap your foot or whatever!
There is something chilling about the intro to ‘The Goal Is Your Soul’ which is swiftly usurped in a manner that is highly reminiscent of ‘Shortest Straw’ (Metallica). There’s genuine feeling in the guitar playing, which takes you right back to the 80’s heyday and they work the melodies into tracks like this one very well. Similarly, there is some exceptional lead guitar work on ‘Iron Bound’ that oozes passion and a kind of bluesy warmth, while ‘Bring Me The Night’ lets off some classic heavy metal riffs that makes the head want to bang.
There’s more of a punk sense to ‘Give A Little’ particularly in the bass-line and the gang-chant chorus, and ‘In Vain’ is another one that plays up to that side of their influence. I imagine this one will go down really well at gigs, and has a really catchy chorus great for singing along to after a few pints. To wrap things up, this is very much a return to form after the last album and shows the wrecking crew haven’t quite lost it yet.
http://www.myspace.com/overkill
http://www.wreckingcrew.com/
