Overkill is back with their best album in a long while, at least that's the general consensus from the reviews I've glanced through. I wouldn't know since I kind of lost track with them since I discovered the band back in 1991 with the fantastic Horrorscope album. Not quite sure why but most importantly, here I am in 2010 listening to their new album Ironbound and it's bloody excellent.
Overkill tend to go straight to the point so I will do the same. Ironbound is thrash metal with an fiercely intense, fresh feel to it.
The band is incredibly tight and deliver their music with total conviction. Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth is a great frontman. His unique voice has aged well and still has that raspy, hoarse yet powerful touch which makes it stand out among all others. Kind of like a rattlesnake that's been on a whisky binge for many years and now it's angry about all the hangovers. Magnificent vocal performance, really. The rest of the band owns up to this with the rhythm section creating a super tight foundation, the drumming being pitch perfect and highly impressive with loads of detail, the guitar riffs are rock solid and the solos are imaginative and keep the attention. Excellent musicians all around.
Opener
The Green and Black has a soft intro section which shouldn't fool anyone. The music soon attacks with blinding guitar work, machine gun drumming and a fast pace and evolves into an engrossing 8 minutes showcase of heavy metal. This is how it's done.
The break around the 4:30 mark sparks a headbangingly heavy section where Mr. Blitz's rough voice makes a seductive argument and followed by a superb guitar solo this middle section is a highlight of the song.
The title track picks up speed right away and except for a moody middle section it is a fast paced metallic tour de force. The atmospheric switch is beautifully done and the song comes full circle as it emerges with a melodic solo and returns to it's starting point. Ending with a high pitch scream gives the song its perfect ending.
Check out the video for
Bring me the night here. It is a great example of the band's special tightness. It's a pretty straight ahead song but it has loads of detail in the music which begin to stand out with more listens.
Nearing the end of the album
Killing For A Living has an effortless coolness about it. A memorable vocal performance, a hectic rhythm section and great riffs marry into something special.
Beside these favorites the rest of the songs have numerous standout moments. The standard is high throughout.
It's clear that the band is enjoying themselves and their spirit shines through in the music. When this can be felt so clearly it's infectious and has made me return to the album many times over the past month. The bottom line is this: Here's something any metal fan should seek out. Overkill's fifteenth album is proof that they have no intention of slowing down any time soon. It's about time I re-discovered them.
Written by
Steen Sunday, February 28, 2010
Show all reviews by SteenRatingsSteen: 7.5/10Members: 8.5/10 - Average of 3 ratings.
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