Nearly four decades since their debut release the kings of aggression Overkill unleash their 20th album Scorched.
Solo-driven title track “Scorched” slices through ringing bass and the familiar gravelly voice of vocalist Bobby ‘Blitz’ Ellsworth fire on all cylinders. It moves into quintessential Overkill “Goin Home” which even has Rob Halford-esque tones – just in case you haven’t fully engaged in headbang mode already.
Hands down the highlight track has to be “The Surgeon”. It feels like it’s been shot out of a cannon and will continue on its fast-paced journey long after the album has finished. This is then followed up with the romantic ballad “Twist of the Wick”… I joke, of course, as this is even faster than its predecessor.
Continuing at a slightly slower pace in comparison to the album’s previous tracks, but in no way less intense, is “Wicked Place”. At the halfway point of the album it gives the listener a much-deserved rest! This is followed by a track that wouldn’t be out of place on a Dio album and, had he been alive today, “Won’t Be Coming Back” would’ve been a perfect collaboration.
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The album takes on a bluesier side with “Fury”, which is a nice surprise, before quickly igniting the thrash flame once again for “Harder They Fall”. Again an incredibly strong track and sure fire future live hit.
Scorched concludes with the power duo of “Know Her Name” and “Bag 0′ Bones” which throw back to both the 80s and 90s respectively. For a band so prolific I am unsurprised by the album’s rawness, and in awe of just how much I keep coming back to this it time and time again.
Although the record may be a little different, there are still the characteristics that have brought us to this point, and “The Surgeon” is the track that does that the most. Move it along, “Electric Rattlesnake” is kinda Overkill, ‘thrash with class’ I call it; the thrash that makes us what we are.
– Blitz
A more refined torrent of thrash.
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Scorched is out now
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