NEW
YORK (Eagle Rock/Spitfire Records) - It's been a long road for
Overkill. With 2005 marking the 20 year anniversary of their first
record deal signing, and 14 full length studio albums under their belt,
they have seen and done it all and are still creating high quality
thrash metal music.
When you think of the New York/New Jersey
thrash/metal scene of the 80's and 90's you think of bands like
Anthrax, Biohazard, Carnivore and Nuclear Assault. These bands were
known for being down to earth. The kind of people you would expect to
meet on the street or at a bar. Overkill are no exception. These New
Jersey natives have always been the definition of "blue-collar" thrash
metal, and they continue to present high-quality, no-frills, solid
working-class thrash on their latest album ReliXIV. "We're the real
deal, and always have been. We feel that we have a common ground with
our fans and we understand where they are coming from and in turn they
understand us" says vocalist
Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth.
ReliXIV
is entirely self-produced by the band. "We've been putting out records
for a while now and we've been paying attention. By now, we know how to
do it ourselves," says Blitz. "We wanted a dirty sound. We don't want
something that is over-produced. I think that in 2005, less can be
more, it's performance vs. process." Indeed, Overkill are masterful
when it comes to bringing their live ferocity to the recording studio.
"We just push the record button and it all comes out. We try to bring
the same attitude to the record as we do on stage" The core creative
team of Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni has kept Overkill rolling fast
and hard for over 20 years. "D.D. builds the house and I put the roof
on" says Blitz. "When you listen to an Overkill record, you can
recognize the band before I even open my mouth. I just put the icing on
the cake."
In regard to the metal scene and image today, Blitz
says "I've always thought the devil is more dangerous when you can't
recognize him. Metal is extreme, the more the better, but you have to
do it tastefully." Overkill live up to their own standards, rather than
mimicking and following in others' footsteps: "We are a listening band.
We are always aware of what else is going on in the music world, and
I'm sure it influences us, but we have to make ourselves happy, and do
what we think is best. Change in music is a good thing and this record
is about where we're headed and where we've been. It's introspective
and personal. I'm not trying to make a big political statement, just
saying what I feel."
With the closing track "Old School,"
Overkill's ode to their early days in the business, it becomes clear
that this band have paid their dues and still know how to enjoy
themselves. Blitz says, "We actually got (hard rock radio personality)
Eddie Trunk and
George Parente, who used to manage us and ran L'amours
(the infamous club in Brooklyn that helped put Overkill on the map) to
appear on that song. It's about where we started. It takes us back to
our punk rock days. I remember pogo-ing to the Ramones before I was
stage diving with Slayer." This nod to their past has always been a
part of Overkill: building something new, while never abandoning what
they already have built. "We have made an unwitting, unknowing
progression without forgetting our roots."
A complete track listing for ReliXIV includes:
Within Your Eyes
Love
Loaded Rack
Bats In The Belfry
A Pound Of Flesh
Keeper
Wheelz
The Mark
Play The Ace
Old School
