Overkill

overkill was always a great thrash band but this one put them up with metallica and slayer as cream of the crop.this cd was a masterpiece in every aspect fast,heavy,and driven by hate.in 89 this was a cd to have and lesser bands had to take notice of this cd(exodus/testamant /forbidden/vio-lence were all the newer bread but this cd pumeled most other releases of the thrash world and even compared to and justice to all but i felt it was better than all the rest until slayer put season on the map but this was a classic thrash cd from day one buy it,you need to own it!

Years of Decay is a good metal album, but I prefer the earlier Over Kill material like on Feel The Fire. Years of Decay marks the end of an era for the band, as they lost yet another essential member following this record (Rat Skates left right before this album). For me this is really their last album worth owning. It has a cool early-Maiden sound in my opinion, like around the Number of the Beast era, but with a lot more speed and energy.

Over Kill is without a doubt one of the premier thrash metal bands, and if you ask me this is their best work. This is really where the band developed a real groove in their music, and the songs are all amazing. They did slow it down a little bit for this album, but I think this is the heaviest stuff they've done. Here's a track overview:

"Time To Kill" (5/5) - A heavy song that you can just feel in your bones.

"Elimination" (5/5) - To this day remains a calling card for Over Kill, a pure thrash classic.

"I Hate" (5/5) - A song all about living your own life and not putting up with anyone.

"Nothing To Die For" (5/5) - Probably the weakest track on the album, that being said as far as I'm concerned it's better than anything Metallica ever put out. Also, has cool bass break in the middle of it.

"Playing With Spiders/Skullkrusher" (10/5) - The HEAVIEST song ever recorded by anybody anywhere, Blitz's vocals are so brutal in the chorus, and when you listen to this song you can just feel the Skullkrusher coming after you.

"Birth of Tension" (5/5) - Powerful as anything else here, fits nicely with the rest.

"Who Tends The Fire" (5/5) - Second best track on the album after "Skullkrusher."

"The Years of Decay" (5/5) - The title track is definitely very cool, worthy of having the entire album named after it.

"Evil Never Dies" (5/5) - The title says it all.

So all in all it's a killer album, as far as I'm concerned. If nothing else at all this is worth owning just for the fifth track. If you call yourself a metal head and don't own this, then you are a disgrace. Also, you should check out every other Over Kill album on the market, because not a single one of them falls short of being amazing.

to describe the impact I felt when I first listened to this album. I had only heard of Overkill, but never heard them. So I decided to buy this one on a whim and it was probably one of the best decisions of my life. To start with, the band is easily one of the most talented I've ever heard. Blitz has a pretty good range and an unique singing voice, Gustafson earns every praise hes granted with his fast riffs and interesting solos, Verni has got to be one of the fastest, talented, and audible of all thrash bassists, and Falck fills out the roster nicely with some rock steady and well done drum work. And the best part they all function as an amazing song writing team. But on to the songs.

This album is easily one of the finest thrash album ever recorded. Every song is an enthralling listen and you won't feel yourself moving to skip any particular songs. Songs like 'Elimination' and 'I Hate' come at you with speedy, orginal riffs and lyrics ranging the gambit from frustrated to humorous. The 10 minute epic 'Playing with Spider/ Skullkrusher' follows in the vein of Black Sabbath with a sludgy verse and chrous with the sped up portion right in there to break up any monotony that might have some how accumulated. Even the inclusion of the two ballad-esque pieces 'Who Tends the Fire' and 'The Years of Decay' don't slow this album down as these tunes destroy any compilation album power ballad and show them how to make a truly somber mood. Finally, 'E.Vil N.Ever D.Ies' finishes the album nicely with a fast riff and a memorable chant of "Evil Never Dies" right at the end accompanied by an enormous scream by Blitz. Its hard to believe that this album was put out in 1989 because it still soundes great even today. If you even have the slightest interest in metal or even a taste for good music, I urge you nay command you to buy this and enjoy one of the finest pieces of music ever recorded by human kind. Words fail to describe it.

All the tracks for this cd are awesome the tempo of that and all the songs (except for SkullKrusher) are insane. SkullKrusher is awesome dont get me wrong.A must own Overkill Album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this cd has the pure thrash fury of the days of old with classics of powersurge,wrecking crew,deny the cross,overkill 2 and electroviolence.this cd was still a building point in their career but they come with a second cd that build on the first cds prowes and surpasses it and shows you some new tricks.in the years to come they will stand tall with the thrash giants but never get to the top of the heap but they will make a serious attempt to prove they have the chops with years of decay and horrorscope and wfo!this cd deserves a spot in the books of thrash metals top ten bands!

This album brings back alot of memories. This is Overkill's best album. It has all the rawness and intensity needed to get your adrenaline flowing. From the the opening of DENY THE CROSS, through the raw energy of POWERSURGE, to the acoustic closing notes of OVERKILL II. This is not your "new metal". This is for all the old school guys. Poseurs Not Allowed.

First off, let me state that I am in no way, shape, or form, "old-school." I was about eight years old when this album came out. Luckily, I had older relatives who turned me on to these types of bands, and I'm very thankful they did. That being said, this album is classic from start to finish. If you are new to Overkill, this is a good start (By the way, you also can't go wrong with their debut "Feel the Fire," but I digress...). This band has a huge catalog of music which will most definitely not disappoint. Also, if you find you like this album, you might want to check out a film that was put out by Rat Skates (Overkill's original drummer) entitled Born in The Basement. It is an outstanding film that covers not only the formation of Overkill, but also how Rat epitomized the "DIY" philosophy; whether it be the stage layout or promotion. That being said, THRASH OR BE THRASHED!!!

Every single track on "Overkill's" sophmore release is outstanding, and shame shame if you dont have this in your collection if you are an Overkill Fan. Even though "Horrorscope" and "The Years of Decay" rank up there with fans as being the "best" Overkill album, "Taking Over" deserves to be up there as well. "Taking Over" contains some brutal thrash, and in my mind was the best thrash band of the 1980's. I even liked "Overkill's" material better then Metallica's. This is a great Metal album for fans of all types of the genere, as it deserves to be called a classic.

Lets face it metal is fun and this one my friends takes the cake.This overkill album for me ranks up there with years of decay and horrorscope.The album has a nice fast pace that i loved to party with 15yrs ago and still today.To all the younger kids out there trust me this is a true classic that has stood the test of time and needs to be suported forever.

Good stuff. Great riffs on songs like "Rotten to the Core" and "Hammerhead". Classic thrash and a great CD to revisit if you need a break from the death metal growl. Not as strong overall as "Taking Over", but still belongs in any metal fans collection.

And thats what you get on this album..NO MERCY, this album reminds me of a time when metal was made the way its supposed to be made, raw and fast, when you're thinking in terms of thrash metals roots, its beginnings most people mention bands like slayer, metallica, megadeth, and anthrax, what they do not know, even though all of those bands debut albums came before feel the fire, that overkill actually pre-dates them all, and deserves honorable mention for helping to create this scene that means so much to so many of us.
track 1 is Raise the dead, i actually prefer the demo version to this one but still a great song, track 2 Rotten to the core, always a classic the laugh at the beginning of the song is awesome, track 3 is There's no tomorrow, another remake from the demo done quite well, track 4 is Second son, one of the few "new" songs on here excellent song, track 5 is hammerhead, a bit of a drum solo to begin the song and then gets thrashing, Feel the fire is next, awesome song too, track 7 is blood and iron, a short fast track that lyrically pretty much sums up the beginning few years of overkills existence, track 8 is kill on command is probably my favorite on here and is followed up by Overkill, if you have the demo and the ep then you have it in its ever growing form, last is the cd only track Sonic Reducer which is a cover song that Overkill played when Rat Skates and DD Verni were in the Lubricunts and continued playing it live thru the early overkill days.
Overall i give this a 9 out of 10, one point off for sound quality and not strength of song.

As I read some of the other reviews for this album I was struck by how many referred to it as a "thrash" album. To me, Overkill was one of those bands - like Forbidden & Holy Terror - that bridged the gap between power metal & thrash metal. They walked a fine line between the two genres. Maybe they were considered to be a thrash band because some of their early lyrics dealt with satanic themes. In 1986, Overkill was the opening act on the first leg of Slayer's REIGN IN BLOOD tour. Slayer weren't particularly happy about that because as far as they were concerned, Overkill played a different style of metal. Still, many thrash fans enjoyed listening to Overkill because they had plenty of attitude. And with 1985's FEEL THE FIRE, that attitude was prominently on display.

Simply put, Overkill's debut album is the best thing they've ever done. Pretty much every song is good here, but the best ones are "Raise The Dead," "Rotten To The Core," "Hammerhead," "Overkill" & the album's title track. Singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth has a sick voice. He has one of the best screams you'll ever hear. Guitarist Bobby Gustafson came up with some great riffs. His solos on "Hammerhead" & "Feel The Fire" are amazing. Bassist D.D. Verni can be heard clearly in the mix. His playing is just as prominent as Gustafson's. Rat Skates is a very good drummer. Check out his intro to "Hammerhead." The overall sound of the album is pretty raw, but the band is super-tight. My copy of FEEL THE FIRE does not contain "Sonic Reducer," which is an old Dead Boys song Overkill covered for a Megaforce Records compilation that came out about 20 years ago. It's a pretty good tune.

Sadly, they've never really been able to follow this album up. From what I understand Overkill have put out more than ten albums - & are still together today - & they've never been able to recapture the magic of FEEL THE FIRE. I stopped buying their releases after 1989's THE YEARS OF DECAY.

FEEL THE FIRE would make an excellent addition to anyone's metal collection.

I don't know how well the inspirational crescendos translate to today's modern, younger metal set. It certainly doesn't approach the thrash of today's standards; but this is not only valid as a history lesson, it's a good album and the best of Overkill's first four or five efforts (I don't know what they did after that). It's got great mood swings and it actually does thrash at times. And the whole damn thing is just so catchy.

Usually the "catchy" phrase is a bad thing. When I think of "catchy" and early 80s metal, I think of bands like RATT, who managed catchy hooks that seemed to make them sound heavier than they really were... and somewhere along the line, if you truly cared for the music, or at least the thrash, you realized that bands like RATT sucked. Not the case here. This album has most of the requisite early 80s metal references - violence, satan, and literally "Blood and Iron"- but they're delivered in a great package of galloping rhythms and hard-driven catchiness that still make me want to jump up and play air guitar. Or hit my real guitars until I remember that I'll never really be able to do solos like Bobby Gustafson. It still makes me want to scowl, though. In public.

And it all happened before that self-conscious period inspired by the early successes of "The Headbangers Ball." In following albums, Overkill managed to still write some good songs and get a little heavier -tho not really harder. Yet nothing that I know that they've done, not even that decent second album, compares in my mind to this one. The way I'm portraying it here, "Feel the Fire" is very similar stylistically and obviously chronologically, but in a relative sense, to "Kill `em All," although: 1) this is actually a more polished work than Kill `em All; and 2) Overkill would never approach the things that Metallica was going to do.

So, Yep, it's a different musical vehicle than Pantera, Napalm Death, Slipknot, or even Overkill's comtemporaries, like Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. But it's good, clean, early metal fun and in my mind, an early peak in a vast, metal/thrash genre.

If you've got your head set on straight and don't take yourself too seriously, but like decent music and a good time -and/or if you've got any kind of curiosity of the history behind music you might be listening to today- I highly recommend you get this unfortunately oft-overlooked disc that might just be an early masterpiece of metal. Those of you getting the CD will benefit from a cover of "Sonic Reducer" that wasn't on the original album, but you'll be missing the backward message that comes at/after the end of the last track.

If this is a vague article, I apologize, but I didn't come in to this expecting to review an album. I checked my email, had this review request from amazon and thought that if no one's written anything about this great old album, it's a sin and someone's got to. If you're curious enough to be checking it out and also reading all of this, just get it. You'll probably thank me.

"Feel the Fire" is Overkill's debut album, and even though it was released on an independent label, it still remains one of their heaviest albums of all time. Even though much different then Horrorscope and The Years of Decay, which are much more polished, this is a raw and in your face debut from the band. The songs are pure thrash, and extremley well done. If you are a fan of the band, even their newer material, which is still solid, this is a must for your overkill collection. Sometimes debut albums can be weak or sloppy, and production usually sucks, espically in the extreme music genere, but this one is a treat. Even though there isnt much polish on this, and more crunching guitars and blast beats, the rawness is what makes this album. Bobbys vocals are so high pitched, that his range then was amazing. Even though more screaming then actually singing, like Bobby does now, its still great, and did I mention that its so damn heavy. Pick it up, you will be happy that you did

If you enjoyed any of Overkill's other works then this album will definitely make your day. The bass player D.D.Verne is amazing. He plays an eight string instrument on this album as well as providing backing vocals (During the eighties a few of the big names in thrash metal set their bass sound really low in the mix. Not the case here). Bobby Blitz Ellsworth is a great screamer here and he doesn't sound too disimilar to his hollering on Horrorscope. His vocals sit very well in the music here.Tim Mallare's drumming has a good crisp sound. He just blasts away with great precision.

Overall, the album is not as complex as some of the earlier efforts (more riffs and less solos, but Dave Linsk shreds well when he lets rip). These guys did have to adjust well when going from a 5 to 4 piece band. However, Overkill compensate for this with a heavier, more crunchy sound and memorable songs that ensure you will keep headbanging from start to finish.

Quite a few of the big names in thrash metal have evolved into more mainstream rock sounding units these days. Not Overkill. If you enjoyed the late eighties or early nineties thrash metal scene, then you must get this album now! Go on ... get it now! Don't waste anymore time reading these reviews!

Overkill are like your favourite icecream .... Each new serving leaves you craving for more tomorrow.

Enjoy!

better than necroshine but they still seem lost?i forgot what we did before this ? and what kind of music do we play again?not classic overkill bobby slap dd and then reverse,please.wake up

"Bloodletting" introduces us the the Overkill of the 2000's, and even though this isnt the bands best effort, it is a building block of better albums to come through the decade, such as the awesome Relix and Killbox 13. "Bloodletting" seems to be a bit over-rated, as I think fans are giving it a bit more praise just because the band has never really changed their formula or just playing straight up Metal and Thrash. I will say that Five out of the Ten Tracks here are outstanding, but the other five are really forgettable. Still, its worth the price, since the disk is selling used for under five bucks, and I would add this to your Overkill catalog before the mediocre "WFO" and the nightmare slop of "The Killing Kind" If you are a fan of old, you might still like this, as the band gets a bit back on track of trying to relive the material they released from the debut "Feel the Fire" up to the brillent "Horrorscope" Its not as good, but at least they still try to give you a taste of what they had in their heydey, and believe me, the still can blow the doors off as they are in their 23rd year of making music.

This is the first Overkill album I heard and have bought, and, as a metalhead with an objective opinion, Bloodletting kicks alot of ass. Plain and simple.

I heard "Thunderhead", "Death Comes Out To Play", and "Left Hand Man" on Pandora.com and I quickly realized I was missing out on something good. A few weeks later, there's a Bloodletting CD in my stereo and headbanging is the word of the day.

There's just something very appealing about this CD. The mixing, writing, vocals, and muscianship all come together to make a very good album.

If you're into any sort of metal, this is good stuff.

On 'Bloodletting' Overkill displays a stronger thrash sound than they did on some of their late 90's albums, though it is still not a pure thrash album, as it still has quite a bit of groove and a generally darker and more modern sound. 'Bloodletting' is also the most flatly aggressive Overkill album I've heard, with a snarling, nasty guitar sound and some fairly rough production for the era with one of Blitz's edgiest vocal performances ever. It hasn't got as much pure, consistent speed as early Overkill, but it's got quite a lot of thrash in it, and the groove stuff tends to be a bit faster and more energetic than that sorta stuff usually is. All in all, the album isn't as immediately catchy or memorable as much of their other work, but it's got a sorta fire and raw intensity which makes the album work very well. Definitely recommended.

Blitz's performance isn't as varied or strong as he often is, but his more aggressive, less varied style fits the general feel of the album pretty well. The leadwork on this album is really quite stunning, some of the very best I've ever heard on an Overkill album. The drums don't draw too much attention to themselves, but he does a fine job of balancing speed and groove, and they throw in some very fast, effective snare fills. The double bass work is quite nice too. The drums have an interesting sound, very punchy but pretty thin and sharp. Lotsa modern albums have a tough time finding a drum sound that works, but 'Bloodletting' manages it.

'Bloodletting' is a bit front stacked, as it opens with four excellent tracks. 'Thunderhead' is one of the more modern tracks on the album, with a fun, catchy chorus, and a fine mix of speed and groove. 'Bleed Me' is a bit thrashier, a bit faster and still pretty catchy, with a nice, relatively low-key middle break. 'What I'm Missing' is probably my favorite track on the album. It's most notable for the outstanding leadwork throughout the song, and some powerful, raging drumming, particularly during the instrumental breaks. The core of the song is strong too, however, with a particularly melodic chorus. 'Death Come Out To Play' displays the blunter, darker sound of the album, but with perhaps the finest collection of riffs on the album, and a slow, pounding mosh break in the middle. Great vox too. Another very strong track. The rest of the tracks are all good, though not all of them are all that distinct or distinguished. 'My Left Hand Man' has a bit of the classic Overkill attitude, but with the heavier darker sound. Another fun, catchy chorus and a nice, if somewhat pointless introduction. 'Blown Away' is a relatively epic, multipart track with some nice atmosphere and some more melodic vocals to go along with the bruising, generally fairly slow riffwork. 'My Name is Pain' is one of the most energetic songs on the album, with nice gang vox and powerful drumming. It also recalls the sorta sneering Overkill attitude, but again with some more darkness and aggression.

Overkill is good. This album blows away most of the supposed thrash comeback albums that we've been hearing, so check it out.

I won't go over each of the songs, but this is one of the few CDs where I actually love every song and I am not tempted to skip over 'boring' tracks. The first half of the CD is a bit better than the second half. The song 'positive bleeding' always makes me feel good. I suppose I would describe the genre as accessible 'alternative' rock - more poppy than heavy. This is definitely my favorite UO album.

I took a chance and bought this album upon hearing Sister Havana when it first came out in 1993. To my surprise, it was great from start to finish. It rocks out and creates a lot of imagery too. It remains one of my favorite albums even now. I'm sad to see that its out of print and I was always amazed that they never really caught on and went on to better things while other, less worthy bands from that era continue to be radio staples. But then again I'm also a Ramones fan so its not too surprising that good music can be ignored. I did get to see them once at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ and they were very good live. The place wasn't exactly packed so I got the feeling that they weren't very popular. Anyway, Saturation and Exit the Dragon (1995) are both great albums that I highly recommend. Buy them and enjoy. Hear what a lot of acts can only hope to aspire to. Maybe they'll release new material one day.

This is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest and most underrated rock albums of all time. Very produced and very polished, it does have some annoying elements ("Crackbabies" in particular), but give "Heaven 90210" and "Sister Havana" a listen. You hear the influence in countless alt-rock bands today - just a band before their time.

I meant to buy Massive Attack. (brain flatulence on my part) This album sucks. It's so bad that it's hard to listen to. If you love Urge Overkill, sorry, but... you're ugly.

As former producer Steve Albini once called them when
they signed to geffen,"freakish, attention starved megalomaniacs" , and "weiners in suits playing frat
party rock, trying to tap a goofy trend that doesn't even exist." That's what was cool about urge, they played their
own genre. Whatever Albini.
Yeah, at the record store, in one of my moods to buy
anything and everything. I picked up this album in the
dollar shelf. How did I hear about urge? Pulp Fiction of course! Like everyone. But, I was very surprised at this
album. Excellent. And not just, " sister havana," either. Everyone loves that song. Yeah, it's good, but there's other songs too that are great. The very riffing, " Tequilla
sundae," also the upbeat,"woman 2 woman." "Postive bleeding," is so catchy and feelgood, it's hard to believe it never
caught on. Also, " bottle of fur," and the very cool, " the stalker." The hidden track making the cd clock in at 70 minutes is, " dumb song."
Urge toured with Nirvana in '92. They broke up after
"dragon" and also the dissapearance of drummer Blackie.
Nash and King are back on tour as of 06. You need to hear this
album. "Supersonic storybook" is good too and, " Exit the
dragon." Classic.

this cd is a strange group of songs not you classic overkill at all.buy it for the title track it kills but the rest is trash

I really havent listened to much Overkill since the release of "Horrorscope" and I was very dissapointed with "WFO" so I kinda avoided all newer Overkill releases for awhile, until last week when I picked up "Necroshine" Overkill still plays some really good Heavy Stuff on this album, but its a far cry from thier older material, which I actually enjoy more of the rawness of the first 3 albums, and of course "Horroscope" and "Years of Decay" showed how they could combine Thrash with some really good "slower" Material. "Necroshine" is a pretty solid effort, its pretty much got that standard Overkill Sound. Yet I dont think they are the greatist musicans in the world. Tim Mallore has never seemed to fill the shoes of Sid Falack and Rat Skates, who I believe were much better drummers, and the best line-up has to be their lineup of "Horrorscope" and "Years of Decay" I believe DD is still with the band, as I don't have the CD booklet in front of me, and with all the changes since the Horrorscope days (remember I haven't listened to newer Overkill in Years)its hard to keep track of all the newer members. These guys are about average for a metal band, like I said its nothing really special, but my hats goes off to them that they are still playing music 20yrs later, and most of todays Rock and Nu Metal bands will be lucky if they can still put out quailty material for that long, or even be together for that long. Metal heads will still love this though, as its something Heavy to pound your head to, but there are so many better Death Metal and Metal bands out there, that I belive only DIE HARD fans of the band will think this is Excellent.

If you don't have any Overkill as of yet and happen to be reading this I ougtha tell ya that there are about a half a dozen Overkill cds you need to check out before you look at this one. And seriously, be sure to do this. Overkill are pretty well known and all but aren't nearly as prominent as they ought to be. First of all 'The Years of Decay' and 'Horrorscope' are just utter thrash classics, easily worthy of being mentioned along side all the bigger titles in the genre, and superior to a goodly number of them, as a matter of fact. Second of all, metal are fans are always such of fickle bunch, accusing whoever of selling out or going soft, usually without good reason. No such accusations can be leveled towards Overkill, and it seems like they should get more recognition for this fact. Sure, most people out there probably don't need every Overkill albums, but you definitely at least need to check the band out in general. (And I like em all.)

'Necroshine' is in the middle of the pack as far as the whole 'kill catalogue is considered. Not innovative or anything, but well written and performed, solid production. It comes between 'From the Underground and Below' and 'Bloodletting' and does sound like middle ground between those albums. A bit darker, less bluesy than the former, but still groovier and less thrashy than the latter. It's far from being a pure thrash album, make no mistake, but it's not remotely trendy and it's definitely very Overkill-y.

'Let Us Prey' is easily the best song here. Fairly epic, great chorus. The title track is another fine one, with a nice venomous vocal performance from Blitz and a great riff underneath the chorus. '80 Cycles' is a bit more of a groover, very memorable though. 'Forked Tongue Kiss' and 'I Am Fear' are both fast, chaotic pieces. The latter has another great, unhinged vocal performance from Blitz. 'Black Line' is probably the most immediately memorable and most overtly melodic track here. Excellent gang vox too. As usual there are no bad tracks on this album, though the quality isn't extraordinary in general. Still, it's got enough very good too excellent tracks to keep it from being to middle of the road.

Yeah I'm done. Overkill are the most consistent metal band around, and this album is definitely worthwhile for their serious fans.

SINCE I AM AN AVID '' OVERKILL '' FAN SINCE '' FEEL THE FIRE '' , I WAS SO PSYCHED WHEN I GOT THIS CD ! AND IT IS GREAT FROM BEGINNING TO END !! AND THEIR STEADY PROGRESSION OF ALL THEIR ALBUMS , HAS KEPT THEM A HEAD ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE TO DATE.EVERY SONG IS A WINNER ! MOST OF THE SONGS WILL HAVE YOU SINGING RIGHT ALONG LIKE:'' LET US PREY '' , OR JUST THRASHING TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT.. SONGS LIKE : 80 CYCLES, REVELATION , STONE COLD JESUS,AND FORKED TONGUE KISS REALLY SHOWCASE THEIR SHEER TALENT !THE SOLOS AND LEADS VARY IN SOUND AND STYLES LIKE: OZZY , SABBATH , OLD METALLICA , PANTERA , KING DIAMOND , AND A BIT OF M.O.D FOR GOOD MEASURE.. AND CHECK OUT DD VERNI'S 10 SECOND TRIBUTE TO CLIFF BURTON IN THE BEGINNING OF '' STONE COLD JESUS '' .. CAN YOU SAY '' PULLING TEETH '' FROM '' KILL EM ALL ''.. ALL IN ALL THIS CD ROCKS HARD AND HEAVY, AND IT'S FULL OF AGGRESSION , AND THAT MAKES IT THE CD TO BUY ! SO GET OUT THE ASPIRIN AND BANG TO THE SHEER BRILLIANCE THAT IS OVERKILL ! NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN '' OVERKILL '' ! ! !

Let me start off by saying that, at this point, Metallica doesn't even deserve to be an opening act for Overkill. "St. Anger" can go eat a [beeeeeep]

"Necroshine" is a piece of metal mastery. I must admit that I don't like the 80s stuff Overkill put out (actually anything before "From the underground and below" doesn't appeal to me), but this is fantastic. I think this is still probably my favorite Overkill material. "Bloodletting and "Killbox 13" sound great from the samples, but I have yet to purchase those releases (there are hundreds of CDs on my wantlist with higher priority...). I would recommend new fans to start with "Necroshine" for some riffalicious modern thrash. The 80s stuff just isn't for me so I can't comment on those without being biased. It's just the simple fact that if I want 80s thrash, I'll turn to Slayer, Testament, Metallica, Dark Angel, Blood Feast, At War, Possessed, Death, Onslaught, etc etc... The darker side of thrash if you will... But for the new millenium, I must say that Overkill packs a metalized punch that all fans must appreciate.

I have been an Overkill fan since the release of 1987's "Taking Over" I am glad that they still are playing music today, and even though the have combined elements of more straight-foward heavy metal with Thrash on newer albums, they are one of the few Thrash bands from the 80's that still are making good music. Lets get to the review of 1988's "Under the Influence" I still have the original cassette that I bought when this was released in 1988 and I can say that even then I was a bit disspointed with the album. The album starts out great with "Shred" but "Never say Never" is a dud. "Hello from the Gutter" is easily the best song on the album" and is followed by decent "Mad Gone World" and the awesome "Brianfade" "Drunken Wisdom" is a good thrash song musically, but the lyrics are really bad. "End of the Line", "Head First" are pretty mediocre, and Overkill III lacks the energy of the first two parts. Even still out of nine tracks, Five are excellent, three are mediocre, and one is just plain bad. So even though the album as a whole only has really one horrid song, why only 3 stars? Reason being is that this album really pulls away from the 4 other excellent albums recorded from 1985-1991. "Feel the Fire", "Taking Over", "Years of Decay", and "Horrorscope" are true Overkill classics, each one being a five star effort, yet "Under the Influence" seems to dumb down a bit, and its almost like the black sheep of the family. Its no where near as bad as "W.F.O" and "The Killing Kind" (the two Overkill albums that I hate) but its still not up to the par during Overkill's Glory Years.

My husband was thrilled that I bought this for him. He loves METAL and he was so happy that I got this for him.

Overkill's Under The Influence is one of those fun loving metal albums you enjoy banging your head to. It's thrash metal with a sense of humor which is why I enjoy listening to this and is a personal favorite in my cd collection. Personal favorites are Shred, Mad Gone World, Drunken Wisdom and of course their well known single Hello From The Gutter a video they play quite a bit on Vh1 Classic's Metal Mania. Anyway get this album it's awesome.

This album is great and even when many people think the production of Under the Influence is not good i think they are wrong. In fact you can hear every instrument clearly especially the bassplaying from DD Verni which is great on this record.

Production isn't everything, and this album proves it, people seem to complain about the production alot...why. I've heard MUCH worse production than this, the production isn't THAT bad!, sometimes good production can ruin an album, if the production is overdone.

Anyways, onto the album, this is Overkills 3rd offering, after surprising everyone with their stellar debate "Feel The Fire", then the best CD they've ever done came second "Taking Over", could they top that? In my opinion, no, but is this and the following 2 albums great? Indeed!, the song writing is a bit different than the previous 2, but still Thrash.

Bobby Blitz must've smoked alot of cigarettes after "Taking Over", because this is where his rasp begins, still uses the melodic kind of vocals though, like on the previous 2, but in spots, he gets really raspy, and would continue this more on the next 2 releases, great vocalist!

Bobby Gustafson is truely a shredder, great riffs, heavy, fast most the time, and catchy as all hell, great solos, an underrated guitarist.

D.D Verni is a great bassist, great bass lines, just listen to the bass solo in "Never Say Never" excellent!

This is the first album containing Sid Flack, who replaces Rat Skates, and the change is obvious, Sid is great though, alot of nice fills and stuff, his work would show better on the next album "The Years of Decay" though.

"Shred" A very strong opener, great opening riff, great riffs all throughout, very catchy too, SHRED!

"Never Say Never" Starts out a bit slower, then moves into a nice mid paced riff, then another nice riff, then comes the great bass solo by D.D!

"Hello From The Gutter" Everyone knows this song, it's their most popular song, this is how I got into them, I saw the video for this back in the day on Headbangers Ball, great song.

"Mad Gone World" is kind of mid paced to begin, with a nice set of riffs, it gets quite a bit faster during the chorus though, just listen to that riff after the first chorus!

"Brainfade" Not quite as strong as the first 4, but still enjoyable, has a very catchy chorus.

"Drunken Wisdom" Starts out with a nice classical guitar, this is where the pace slows down alot, more groove in this one, but a great song.

"End of the Line" is mostly mid paced, with a killer solo.

"Head First", Starts out with another great bass solo by D.D, and works it's way into the first riff, then another Bass lead by D.D, and yet again, works it's way into the riff, He's heard really nice on this song, great song.

"Overkill lll (Under The Influence)" The last song of the Overkill trilogy, a killer track, not quite as good as part 2, but really good, a nice way to close the album, and end the trilogy.

This is an underrated album, other than "Hello From The Gutter", nothing else off this got really noticed. And the production isn't that bad people, the only thing that is kind of pushed back is the drums, but you can still hear them well. So if you've heard "Feel The Fire" and "Taking Over" and want to hear Overkill with a change on the skins, and the songwriting, check this one out. Also check out "The Years of Decay" and "Horrorscope" for more greatness!

the most furyious of the overkill catalog,power fury technial thrash but with moments of true restaint till they rip you head off again.many thought after bob gustofsons quiting they maybe dead but they got two legandary unknown guitarist to replace him and the turned up the heat severly.this cd could have omly followed years of decay because other wise they would have been forgotten other wise for the doors that cd open now if you could only drop i hear black and replace it with wfo they would have had the best chances of riding the wave of thrash with testament,and the top 4.this cd is a must own cd for thrash fans.

I think that 1990, 1991 and 1992 was a greater years for metal music. many band edited fabulous albums for this years and HORRORSCOPE is one of them.
about the albun, a like to say that is my favorite OVERKILL album. The level of sound, lyrics and instrumental work make it an excellent musical session for metal lovers. Am not an Ellsworth`voice fanatic, but the grandeur of album make omit that.

I got introduced to this group once when I was watching Headbangers Ball and the old pirate ships came up in Horroscope-- loved that video. The other time I got introduced while at hockey school and Booger # 1 and #2 were listening to Overkill. It was real strange cause there was a bat hiding out in our lounge area that year. Anyway when I listen to Overkill it reminds me of Fear Factory and the whole idea of the future machine and also a System of a Down song. I love the riffs to this album and the singing is good. It is hard pressed to find a group as focused and determined as Overkill.

1991`s horroscope is a great cd,overkill is a kickass old-school thrash metal band from ny,they have a pretty large library,this, in my opinion this is one of their best.

Horrorscope continues to be a great metal record, even since its release in 1991. This was the best Overkill line-up as far as I am concerned, with Sid Falack on Drums (the best drummer that they have had) Horrorscope is a very heavy album, and the Stand out track on this has to be Nice day for A Funeral. Overkill has never really broke into the mainstream, and they arent that well known by newer metal heads, considering their heyday was in the late 1980's. This is a must to have for all fans of Metal, even NU-Metal. Enjoy this one..It smokes

this cd must have been for the money because it lack heart totally.this is easliy there worse songs ever writting and recorded maybe that's why tim left!

Word on the street is that this is album had a cruddy production job and sounds thin. I'll admit to you all right up front that I never had the ears the identify a lousy production or mix of an album. I wish I did, but on the positive side, it gives me less to complain about. Sure, if it's extremely obvious and in your face like The Misfits' Earth A.D. or the mix on the last Body Count album(of course I'm probably the only guy in the world who heard that one), I can certainly hear it, but I just don't have the ears for that kinda thing. If it sounds good to me, I'll go for it. This particular album, produced by the band, I really notice no difference in when I compare it to other Overkill albums of the past 10 years or so. It's still loud and chunky enough when I play it in the car, so that's good.
So, to the meat and potatoes, how is the album? Well, it's Overkill. Don't you love it when you can describe an album so simply? It's loud, heavy, catchy and punches you in the puss like it should. I know some folks feel that Overkill have been basically doing an AC/DC job and putting out the same stuff for years and not progressing or anything. Well, yeah they have been putting out the same stuff for years, and hardcore fans wouldn't have it any other way. When you're in the mood to listen to Overkill and spot a new cd at the store, you want it to sound like Overkill, right? I mean, that's what you're buying it for if you're in that mood. If you're in the mood for a different kind of sound, there's certainly no shortage of other bands you could choose to listen to. The Overkill name on a cd is a guarantee. You know what you're getting into. These guys have been doing their thing for many, many years now and haven't changed. Sure, not every Overkill fan likes every Overkill album, but you gotta admit they never pulled a TURBO on us.
Younger wanna-be(or should I say Never-be) "tough guy" metal bands should hopefully take notice of this stuff. Overkill are old. Overkill were around right there in the beginning of thrash. They have many years of albums, touring, band members and changing music trends under their belt. They've done their time, paid their dues, and are the real deal. So don't put too much stock in someone who says that a band is "old" or "oldschool" like it's a negative thing. If anything, it's the exact opposite. The young pup bands out there who are growling, stomping around on stage and telling us how tough, angry, and cool they are have quite a journey ahead of them if they want to go as far as Overkill have already come.

Give this album a feel spins before skiping trough the tracks and writing a review ,you'll see how great it is.This is a type of album that grooves on you.Talent of this band will never disapoint me ,sadly underrated.

I get so tired of metal masters such as Overkill (& Ozzy, Metallica)who are CHANGING their long loved style of music.
THIS IS OVERKILL'S WORSED! Very boring, NO GUITAR RIFFS OR SOLO'S!!!!!!!!!!! Enough reason to not buy it!

Twenty years and fourteen albums into their career, Overkill are still going as strong as ever. Following up 2003's somewhat experimental "Killbox 13," "ReliXIV" is more-or-less a return to form for this New Jersey-based five piece. It is ten tracks of no-frills, no-surprises attacks of vintage, classic, old-school, unabashed, headbanging thrash metal. And in an age where 99% of all thrash bands have abandoned their speedy roots, listening to this album is like chugging a glass of cold water on a hot summer's day.

Guitarists Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer offer more than a passing glimpse of skillful, crushing leads and big, chunky riffs, while drummer Tim Mallare pounds away at his trapkit, creating very muscular, pounding rhythms. Lastly, D.D. Verni serves up a fair share of thick bass lines, and Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth aggressively snarls his way through every song. The band experimented with self-production this time around, and the results were a success, as these songs sound crisp, but also have a rough edge.

Most of "ReliXIV" (e.g. songs like "The Mark") opts for mid-paced crunch, so most of these songs are melodic, catchy, and groovey enough to be memorable. But, even though there could stand to be another fast song or two, tracks like "A Pound Of Flesh," which is an ultra-fast song propelled by a blistering, buzzsaw guitar lead and quick, nimble drumming, prove that Overkill can still bring the speed (and the noise) like the best thrash bands.

Some songs, like "Keeper," are driven by pounding drum blasts, but the guitars are usually the center of attention. Opener "Within Your Eyes" is one of several tracks here to feature heavy, churning riffs, deft, thumping drums, Strapping Young Lad-esque vocals, and a tasty guitar solo. Other highlights include "Love," which features a catchy, punching rhythm bolstered by a fast double bass drum, the crunchy, stutter-stepping riffs and long, mazey guitar solo on "Bats In The Belfry," and the excellent, very melodic solo which sprouts up on "Loaded Rack."

Overkill may never reach the popularity level of their thrash contemporaries, like Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, or even their East Coast speed metal brothers (Anthrax), but this is one of many albums which proves that they are definitely as talented as those bands, and deserve to be in their same league. "ReliXIV" will surely bring a smile to any old-school fan's face, and it will get any metalhead's neck snapping, so it is definitely an essential inclusion in every thrasher's collection. It doesn't get this reviewer's vote for the best speed metal album of 2005, but it's a very enjoyable listen all the same.

this cd come of as a trasitional piece and half baked songs.over kills done 10 better cds but then they have recorded worse too.this may be their comecial attempt but this cd has some classics but it also lacks drive and serious fury.good songs spirtiual void,weight of the world,world of hurt,i hear black but alot of this cd can be forgotten to easliy just put in horrorscope you'll have forgotten this except for spritual void the one true stand out track on this cd(still in their set list)bu the rest is weak.

This is a good, solid underrated disc. Coming off the heels of Horrorscope, it was going to damned hard to impress anyone so it seems Bobby, DD and the boys went the heavy route. I Hear Black (Sabbath) all over this one and it's a good thing. They took a chance, pissed some people off and rewarded the rest of us. Then they were unceremoniously dropped by Atlantic. So goes the thrash legends of old.

Tell your one track minded Metallica amigos that Overkill have kept the thrash banner flying and to take a chance and check out what real millenial thrash is like (and Testament too...)

Well, I've written a lot of Overkill reviews, and I dunno if I have anything new to say. 'I Hear Black' is perhaps there most reviled album, and while it certainly isn't in their upper tier this is still a solid metal album. I imagine it's largely hurt by the fact that it was preceded by their two best albums. Though this does mark the end of classic Overkill this is still a thrash album, more or less. It's got some more groove elements, a seeming Pantera influence, but Overkill has always been good with the groove, and they don't let it get in the way of the rocking too much. Lotsa people hate this album's production, but I think it's an interesting chang of pace. 'Horrorscope' had some very standard metal production, while "I Hear Black' is a bit more unusual, with a fuzzier, more ominous guitar tone and a just generally distant sound making it sound a bit darker. I really like the thin, snappy drum sound too.

As usual, there are no real bad songs here, though it doesn't have as many classics as some of the better Overkill albums. This album is a bit front-stacked, opening with the three strongest cuts. 'Dreaming in Colombian' is one of the fastest, thrashiest things here but it's still got a cool chorus. The title track is one of the slower, more atmospheric songs, but it's got some awesome vocals and still plenty of crushing riffs. 'World of Hurt' is probably my favorite track here, just very fun and driving with a solid collection of riffs. I also particularly like the drumming on this album. 'Weight of the World' is probably the most notable song after this point, and it's just the most pouding piece here, with some really intense drumwork. I also particularly like the power-ballad 'Shades of Grey'. Fairly standard stuff, but well executed.

Yeah, I like this album. Not their best one, but still worth owning, just like everything else they've recorded.

i love OVERKILL, they are a great metal band! one of the few metal band's from the eighties, that is still metal! i own 8 OVERKILL, c.d.'s. but I HEAR BLACK, is by far my favorite OVERKILL, album! this albim is probably their most underrated album to date! it is so underrated that it has been out of print for awhile!? it is not you typical fast, thrash, speed metal album that OVERKILL, is famous for. but this album has a heavy groove through out the album, that just makes it awesome. i rank it very high on my fav metal albums. with bands like, PANTERA, SLAYER, TESTAMENT, SEPULTURA, & FEAR FACTORY! i would recommend this album to anyone interested, before they are all gone! fav songs, I HEAR BLACK, SPIRITUAL VOID, FEED MY HEAD, & IGNORANCE AND INNOCENCE! OVERKILL RULES!!!!!!!

When guitarist Bobby Gustafson departed, Overkill made the wise decision of replacing him with two talented axe men. As a result of this personnel change, the band's compositions began to exhibit some new elements... such as two-part melodies and adventurous lead trade-offs. These changes first became apparent on Overkill's fifth release, "Horrorscope" (arguably the group's finest album). It appeared as though the veteran thrashers were going in a more progressive direction (a trajectory wisely assumed by some death metal musicians, like Chuck Schuldiner).

On "I Hear Black," however, the band amalgamates the groove/thrash elements of Pantera with the grunge style of Alice in Chains. The final product is an album that oscillates between the ferocity of metal and the mundane tedium of contemporary Seattle rock.

Now, don't misunderstand. There are definitely some great tracks on "I Hear Black." "Dreaming in Columbian," "World of Hurt," and the title track are some powerful songs with interesting melodies. Merritt Gant and Rob Cannavino exchange some impressive runs. Bobby Blitz explores a wider range of vocal choices, occasionally shifting to a lower register. D.D.Verni lays down heavy rhythms replete with creative embellishments. "I Hear Black" is certainly a work of substantial merit.

Yet, it becomes evident with this sixth effort that Overkill is somewhat restrained. They fail to fully exploit their newly acquired dual axe attack. Radical though it may sound, the group could have amalgamated its traditional thrash style with the progressive guitar interplay common to bands like Queensryche and Crimson Glory. Overkill come close to breaking new ground with "I Hear Black," but don't stretch far enough.