A forty year career and now 20 albums into their discography...that's a pretty good track record for New Jersey's thrash titans Overkill, but it's not only about the massive amount of albums, but the consistency across the catalog, that has helped make them so beloved for so long. Scorched is their latest Nuclear Blast release, and it's another face melter, following the equally strong recent efforts like The Wings of War and The Grinding Wheel. Currently in the band you have:
Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth -vocals
D. D. Verni -bass
Dave Linsk -lead guitar
Derek "The Skull" Tailer -rhythm guitar
Jason Bittner -drums
Overkill have made a career out of kicking off their albums with complete barnburners, and "Scorched" continues that trend, the title track a total ass kicker with lethal riffs, blazing lead guitars from Linsk, and Blitz's gravelly shriek. "Goin' Home" and "The Surgeon" bump, grind, and roar as classic Overkill usually does, while "Twist of the Wick" is neck snapping manic thrash metal, the band sounding as hungry now as they did back in 1986. Other highlights include the crushing "Wicked Place" (a future mosh pit classic?), the moody head banger "Fever", and the groove laden, stop/start mayhem that is "Big O' Bones", complete with a deliciously snarking vocal from Blitz, killer drumming, and intricate Megadeth styled riffing. Starting the album out with a bang and then ending it on an ass-kicker!
It's been so good to see so many of the '80s thrash acts releasing such strong albums over the last decade or so, and Overkill are right near the top of that list. Scorched is all killer and no filler, and will surely sit somewhere near the top of my best metal albums of 2023 when all is said and done.
Track Listing
1. "Scorched" 6:13
2. "Goin' Home" 4:31
3. "The Surgeon" 5:33
4. "Twist of the Wick" 5:34
5. "Wicked Place" 5:00
6. "Won't Be Comin' Back" 4:30
7. "Fever" 5:33
8. "Harder They Fall" 4:23
9. "Know Her Name" 5:11
10. "Bag o' Bones" 4:37
Total length: 51:05
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
