Overkill, is honestly one of my favorite thrash bands their intensity with their music has increased its brutalization and style, never much wavering from their original foundation that harkens back to upbringing roots in New York and New Jersey. ‘Feel The Fire’ was the first album released on the label Megaforce Records in 1985. The lyrics for the incredible first album that launched their careers swung greatly with songs covering violence, rebellion against all forms of authority, and even supernatural elements that incorporated horror, all of it delivered by a very distinct vocalizations of one, Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth. The album was called First Blood but later rejected as the band didn’t want a connection the Stallone’s film of the same name from 1982.
Let the vicious assault start, thrashes your neck, fist pounding rage, its OVERKILL! The first song “Raise the Dead” starts a bit slow 41-seconds of conveying something horrific happening the music starts with dread before kicking into gear launching an excited thrill the vocals of Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth would set the tone throughout the album and truly his career raw energic love of the thrash music. Obviously, the track tells of the dead rising from the grave, as if the undead rebelling against resting silently in their graves. Next up Bobby’s nasty laugh, gives listeners a thrash anthem to explode their energy, it’s “Rotten to the Core” with a very memorable chorus, the bands roots in punk shine through very well, clearly hearing solid song structure and precise riffs, the band practiced a lot and knows rhythms and style for their feverish pace wanted to bring from a live audience int a studio. If you are anti-establishment of anything this is for you pure excelling of a defiant individual.
“There’s No Tomorrow” is the third track, starts with more structure, thrash mixing with heavy metal, early tinge of Twister Sister experimental before dropping into a slow descent, with Bobby vocal holding long notes, feels doom and gloom before soaring to an incredible guitar solo. The fourth song “Second Son” has their version of Iron Maiden influence a mix of heavy metal core technique and still bringing the thrash, near the final minute the style of Motorhead and Slayer creep back in very well. The track to is about others trying to control one’s destiny, as if unhappy with a previous sibling choice the parents wanting to be a puppeteer. “Hammerhead” truly ratchets of the speed, relentless in the speed and generating classic mosh pit anarchy. The music just rages an intensity destructive force of a motto once used at thrash shows “break shit!.” Once more the influence of Iron Maiden enters in, with the title track “Feel the Fire” the longest song on the album, clocking in at almost at 6-miunute. It shows the band’s abilities to incorporate several complex tempo changes not just focused on thrash simplicities but able to carry the torch of a metal onslaught for fans. Although one should mention the backstory for the song involves Bobby’s former girlfriend set him on fire while he performed on stage – talk a fiery romance.
The seventh track is “Blood and Iron” returns to the baseline of the intense thrash the overall reduction in the sounds above demo yet still a rawness to it which I feel generates more aggressive thanks to pounding drums. If you listen to the lyrics, it seems to tell of the brutality of warfare with regard to conflicts curried out in a primal natural physical battle. Rat Skates truly gets “Kill at Command” up to speed quickly assisted wonderfully by Bobby Gustafson though the band moves into a serious change at 1:54 mark, both with music and Bobby vocals, then 3:14 it changes style again, more of guitar solo that one could envision as dazzling. The is entire track is about the unrelenting killer who battles with control and violence issues. Herein lies the tribute to Motorhead, with a song that is namesake “Overkill”, for any metalhead who heard the 1979 song knows it is relentless, the band justice to prove their name is equal to straightforward complete aggression and annihilation to all who oppose thrash and them. A great way to finish the album!
However, when this album was reissued in 1987 on the same label, on CD one additional track was added, a punk cover of The Dead Boys’ song “Sonic Reducer” from 1977, a super speed demon fast track that band does in the original creation as punk outfit with lyrics and tempo reflecting the teenager’s anger to rules and authority.
Track Listing:
Raise the Dead
Rotten to the Core
There’s No Tomorrow
Second Son
Hammerhead
Feel the Fire
Blood and Iron
Kill at Command
Overkill
Sonic Reducer (The Dead Boys cover) *
Band Members:
Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth – Vocals
D.D. Verni – Bass
Bobby Gustafson – Guitars
Rat Skates – Drums
First, the entire album is a must purchase for any serious thrash metal fan, as I fully give it a true endorsement. The band today is just more polished when they first hit the scene, the intense aggression is felt in the songs as if you saw them live, meaningful lyrics, a tight album and the some of the songs expand their talents influence past the realm of merely thrash listen for the Maiden cues.
Baron’s Rating: 5.0/5.0
Bands’ Links:
https://overkillmetal.bandcamp.com/music
http://www.facebook.com/OverkillWreckingCrew
https://www.instagram.com/overkillofficial/
Label’s Links:
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialMegaforceRecords
https://www.instagram.com/megaforcerecords/