Tag: overkill (Page 1 of 2)

Another day and another Overkill reissue. This time it’s a 2024 Church Of Vinyl redo of this 2012 beast of a record.

I think out of all the “thrash” bands, Overkill are the ones that have stayed true to themselves over their 20 album career. And, to come out with something as good as this 16 albums in is a testament to what a great band they are.

I love every freaking groove on this record, and Electric Rattlesnake is one of my favourite Overkill tunes. It has everything: the big thrash groove with matching riff, a killer breakdown and groove change, and big chase to the finish. A true dandruff shaker!

I’m sure the band are big Sabbath fans because there are many nods and references to them, but the song Black Daze has a great old school Sabs vibe. Great packaging on the record as well. When you open up the gatefold, a pop up appears with the logo and skull symbol.

Great band and killer record.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

I have to say I’m loving these half speed masters reissues from Overkill. For all the audiophile snobs who say it’s pointless to give metal music the audiophile treatment can do one.

I Hear Black was the Overkill’s sixth release and it came out in ’93 right in headlights of prime time grunge and yet it was one of the band’s best sellers. I’m sure I read somewhere that the title was a nod to Black Sabbath, hence the songs were also inspired by the band.

This album is definitely more groovier than thrash but that was the climate back in the early nineties for metal bands, and I love this album. The title track is worth the price alone. A killer heavy groove with matching riffing that just turns the groove muscle to 10.

The whole album is a killer heavy groovy beat down and I can’t recommend it enough.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Another day, and another Overkill album to invade my day’s listening. This time it’s Immortalis from 2007, which was studio album number 14, and this version is a limited press from Church of Vinyl.

Devils In The Mist opens up the album and thrashes straight all over your face. What It Takes follows and this is my favourite tune. Killer riff and groove, prime time Overkill that will have you bouncing instantly. Play loud for max effect! Skull And Bones follows that groovefest with more chunk and a killer death growl vocal from Randy Blyth, and an epic ending. Classic thrash intro and groove to Shadow Of A Doubt with some killer riffage. Hellish Pride brings Side 1 to an end with a slower choppy riff and groove.

Walk Through Fire kicks off Side 2 with an AC/DC style riff, given the Overkill beefed up chunk fest. I love the intro and groove to Head On. There is almost a hint of funk to the main riff and that shifting of gears into a faster groove is killer. Max speed and max chugga’s are reapplied for Charlie Get Your Gun. Hell Is follows and has a monster intro and is very non-thrash but very metal until the explosion that you know is coming explodes into life. The album closes out with Overkill V…The Brand. An evil sounding single bass note rings out leading to staccato chugs and into max double kick thrash.

Great record by a great band.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

Now, Overkill don’t make bad records, they just make slightly lees great ones. Overkill have released 20 studio albums, of which this is album number five. Of all the original thrash bands, I would say that Overkill are the ones that have stayed true to the formula and not deviated from the thrash path as much as their counterparts.

This is a 2021 reissue of this 1991 classic and the first thing you notice is how quiet it is. I love the leading you into a false sense of security intro with the quiet, eerie, and creepy piece before maximum thrash riffage and  groove ensues with the opener Coma. Other than Overkill, Anthrax are the ones you can hear a punk influence in their music, and on this album Thanx For Nuthin’ is that crossover tune. I love it!

A weird choice of a cover in Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein, but it weirdly works. My favourite track is probably the slowest track on the record, the title song Horroscope. Very fat and heavy chugga’s lead the charge in an old school Sabbath homage.

As I said, they don’t make bad records and this is another enjoyable thrash romp.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.