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Class 6(66)

Overkill: Taking over

30/03/14  ||  Habakuk

In a way, I’m pretty late to the Overkill party: It has been just recently that I’ve come to appreciate their extensive back catalogue. 2000’s “Bloodletting” actually was one of the first metal albums I ever bought, but until today it has remained the only album by the “Wrecking Crew” that I can call mine. Me, I’ve grown almost twice as old in the meantime. Damn! Little did I know that they had a lot more to offer than that. Thank Spotify I found out about it. Don’t thank Spotify as it will probably keep me from buying further Overkill records in the foreseeable future. Personal stories aside, let’s start at the beginning, almost at least. “Taking over”, the band’s sophomore full-length is what we’re looking at today.

Songwriting

It’s one of these album that are made for heavy rotation: aggressive and packed with riffs, it stays varied enough to remain interesting even after leaving its initial impact. The majority of songs are absolute ambassadors for 80s thrash. Combining tightness, speed and vicious bite, “Taking Over” sounds like the close relative to early Exodus and “Kill ‘em all” that it is. Oh, and don’t forget the incredible catchiness on display throughout the album.

The only diminishing factor are a couple of midtempo songs towards the album’s end, which just don’t do it for me. Overkill are at home in breakneck speed territory and it shows when they leave it. Still, when they’re at home, they’re fucken on. My choice cuts would probably be the relentless Wrecking crew and Electro-violence, Overkill’s equivalent to Exodus’ moshpit anthem “The toxic waltz”. Into the circle! 8.5

Production

The album has a positively thin, sharp sound which works well for the style, but obviously suffers from a lack of punch when judged from today’s perspective. We’re talking 1987, after all. While the drums might have used a little more support from the sound engineering department, overall it’s hard to complain here. I’d say this holds up well or even surpasses its contemporaries. Applying any other standard would be a little unfair, so let’s go with a 7.5.

Guitars

If you wanna know where the often used “saw” metaphor comes from, listen to Bobby Gustafson rip and tear through “Taking over” in razor sharp fashion. Textbook thrashing is the name of the game here: after about a minute of foreplay in song one, the e-string barrage begins – words fail to describe the sheer aggression that simple verse riff in “Deny the cross” conjures, and it sets the stage for tried and tested (and awesome) genre fun. Open chord progression alternating with palm-muted shredding, a bit of lead work – in the end it sounds real simple, but it takes a certain something to actually bring it life. “Taking over” shows that Overkill had just that. Pure fucken bliss on six strings. 9.5

Vocals

And here’s why I took such a long break from Overkill. Boy are these vocals hard to appreciate. They’re almost up there with Nuclear Assault or (gasp) Vio-lence. Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth’s singing sure is an acquired taste. Actually, in parts his performance is beyond all of my doubts. That is when he sticks to a pissed-off snarl (“Fear his name”, “Use your head”,…) occasionally raising the pitch a little – well, it works! That borderline falsetto (or worse) style on the other hand (“Deny the cross”, “Powersurge”) I’m not exactly fond of. I’ve grown to accept it though, as it does fit the general tone somewhat, but if I introduced someone unsuspecting to this album, I’d be prepared for some blank stares. Or worse. So although I really enjoy the whole thing, I can’t bring myself to score the vocals higher than a 7.5, and that is already taking into account the gang shout bonus.

Bass

You put just a tiny bit of fuzz on those four strings, and bam, you’re out of the soundscape! Okay, it’s not that bad, but still, bass is not at the forefront on this album, even if D.D. Verni is a name you might have heard before. Get over it, it’s thrash. 6

Drums

A bit of punk flair has never hurt a thrash album – on the other hand, proficient use of double kick drums on a thrash album also is much appreciated around these parts. A clear case of “best of both worlds”, I’d say. And with all the basics in flow, variation and groove covered anyway, I’d say we have ourselves an 8.

Lyrics

Some thinly veiled sexual innuendo, some “together we are strong” shit, some “together we are metal” shit. Whatever, works fine. 7

Cover art

Umm, yeah. No. 2

Logo

Is it “Overkill” or “Over Kill”? Who gives a shit, it’s sharp and pointy! 10.

Overall and ending rant

Don’t make the same mistake I made: if you are in any way interested in old school thrash and haven’t checked out Overkill for real, then do it. Like, now. Life’s too short for listening to Evile. Go ahead, “Taking over” is a good place to start! Much better than “Bloodletting”, that much I know.

8.5

  • Information
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Atlantic Records
  • Website: www.wreckingcrew.com
  • Band
  • Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth: vocals
  • Bobby Gustafson: guitars
  • D.D. Verni: bass
  • Rat Skates: drums
  • Tracklist
  • 1. Deny the cross
  • 2. Wrecking crew
  • 3. Fear his name
  • 4. Use your head
  • 5. Fatal if swallowed
  • 6. Powersurge
  • 7. In union we stand
  • 8. Electro-violence
  • 9. Overkill II (The nightmare continues)

Class 6(66) -reviews

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