Overkill – Scorched
Release Date: 14th April 2023
Label: Nuclear Blast
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Genre: Thrash Metal
FFO: Exodus, Testament, Anthrax.
Review By: Eric Wilt
Over 35 years in, Overkill is still thrashing and wrecking necks. On their 21st album, Scorched, the band is still pumping out the kind of thrash anthems that put them on the map back in the 80s, complemented by plenty of groove and lots of attitude. Comprised of vocalist Bobby Blitz, DD Verni on bass, Dave Linsk on guitar, Jason Bittner on drums, and Derek Tailer on guitar, Overkill have put together a group of songs that prove that, though they may be elder statesmen of the genre, they haven’t lost a step and can most definitely hold their own with any of the other bands out there today.
Scorched opens the album with some scorching finger tapping that leads into a song that along with The Surgeon and Harder they Fall epitomize the sound that Overkill has been perfecting for the last 35 years. Wicked Place, Won’t be Coming Back, and Fever are more classic metal songs that, especially on the former two songs, remind me of what Maiden would sound like if Blitz ever replaced Bruce Dickinson. Twist of the Wick is a full-speed-ahead rager that young Overkill would’ve been proud to have released, while Know Her Name is a grooving stomper that will sound familiar to fans of the band’s late 90s output. If there is a song on Scorched that doesn’t fit in with the others, it would have to be Bag o Bones, which has gimmicky lyrics and the music to match.
After 35 years of making music, it would be understandable if a band called it in from time to time, but on Scorched, Overkill has thrown down the gauntlet to the other thrash bands from the 80s that are still around. Sounding fresh and classic at the same time, Scorched is full of bangers that fans of Overkill’s 35-plus year history will enjoy. I’m even going to go out on a limb and state right now that Scorched will be the better of the two albums that are being dropped by classic thrash bands on the 14th. You heard it here.
(4 / 5)
