Thrash Metal Overkill

[Riff_Raff]

Overkill Wiki
Official Site

Formed - 1980
Region - New Jersey, US
Genre - Thrash Metal

Current members

• D. D. Verni – bass, backing vocals (1980–present)
• Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth – lead vocals (1980–present)
• Dave Linsk – lead guitar, backing vocals (1999–present)
• Derek Tailer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2002–present)
• Jason Bittner – drums (2017–present)

Studio albums

• Feel the Fire (1985)
• Taking Over (1987)
• Under the Influence (1988)
• The Years of Decay (1989)
• Horrorscope (1991)
• I Hear Black (1993)
• W.F.O. (1994)
• The Killing Kind (1996)
• From the Underground and Below (1997)
• Necroshine (1999)
• Bloodletting (2000)
• Killbox 13 (2003)
• ReliXIV (2005)
• Immortalis (2007)
• Ironbound (2010)
• The Electric Age (2012)
• White Devil Armory (2014)
• The Grinding Wheel (2017)
• The Wings of War (2019)
• Scorched (2023)

Overkill to me are a really recognised band but at the same time I feel they still never truly got the acclaim they perhaps deserved considering the Big Four and bands like Testament, Exodus also in that really big stage of thrash kicking off. Overkill were around before even Metallica with EPs but wouldn't get their debut until the classic Feel The Fire in 1985. Since that album they have continued to put out nothing but solid and excellent music even in this modern era. Where I do however feel their best songs were made is on the album The Years of Decay because it felt more doomy and experimental for a thrash metal outfit to really put out there. Excellent riffs aside they are also well known for the searing vocals of Bobby Blitz Ellsworth who even today still produces excellent vocal work. Many line-up changes they would have over the decades but even through the 90s and early 2000s I really enjoyed their music. Ironbound in 2010 will always be for me one of the best modern metal records full of excellent riffs, memorable production. If I were to pick recommended albums to start I'd go with Feel The Fire, Under The Influence, Ironbound.

Feel The Fire

Playing With Spiders/Skullcrusher

Give a Little

 

[Magic]

From 1989....The Years of Decay. Astounding album!!

An absolutely perfect ballad that builds with intensity the longer you listen....and the live version is outstanding (y'all know I pull out the ballads first)

The Years of Decay Live

 

[Magic]

From 1993, I Hear Black.

Shades of Grey

 

[Magic]

from 1991, Horrorscope. Thought you guys might like just ONE more ballad....

Soulitude

 

[Mr. Gregory]

So, I've obviously heard of these guys, but I never got into them. I had absolutely no idea that they're from NJ. I decided to look them up on YouTube and found this song. I don't know if they're really my style, but man, I'm so glad that this exists!

 

[Magic]

The Years of Decay celebrates its 30th birthday October 2019.

Full album playlist


The Years of Decay

 

[HEADS UP]

 

[HEADS UP]

 

[HEADS UP]

 

[Magic]

New album of 2023, Scorched

 

[Riff_Raff]

20 albums and not one stinker among them. Overkill have a remarkable discography in that regard. Their stretch of albums from the 2010s to now has been phenomenal in particular including Scorched.