LIGHT THE MATCH! Setting the scene ablaze, the rough and rowdy Overkill have reappeared to bludgeon your ears with their twentieth, that’s right, twentieth studio album: 'Scorched'. For over 3 and a half decades their bottom line crazy method of thrash has produced some of the most signature moments in the world of metal. Now in the latter half of their career, all the experience is showing face with 'Scorched' as it somehow rings more mature, refined, and embellished with hints of more than just thrash metal. “It’s not aggression for the sake of aggression,” explains vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, “there are a lot of different elements on the record. To me, it’s more heavy metal, and less of an outright thrash record. There’s a hell of a lot of melody on it.”
Delving into writing right at the onset of 2020’s pandemic provoked not just inspiration, but the ability to move through the album making process with ease and lack of pressure. Taking over two and a half years to reach completion, 'Scorched' absorbed a ton of the energy from the ups and downs of the daily grind and contemporary turmoil. “My first stab at these lyrics was excited and amped up. The second phase was a bit more depressing; darker,” describes Blitz. In the end, it reflected a wide spectrum of emotions. “It was a whirlwind. The world said: ‘enough of this bullshit,’ put their foot down, and came out of it. Our record shows that. It’s spinning something that was darker into something brighter.”
The end result is something born of heaviness, wisdom, and violent, melodic energy. The title track is an explosive representation of a 35 year history of burnin’ things up along with 'The Surgeon', which is also Overkill 101. Opening with the chunk and clunk of a classic DD Verni bass line, it breaks open into machine gun vocals racing round and round with the guitar to see who tires first. “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' kinda Overkill, ‘thrash with class’ I call it; the thrash that makes us what we are,” laughs Blitz.
Overkill are expanding their reach but don’t be fooled, the band will remain the filthy, massive gutter thrashers that we all know and love. “We are what we are and we’ve known what we are for a long fuckin’ time. To be able to remain identifiable but still do something that’s different at this point in our careers is fuckin’ exciting for the band,” concludes Blitz.
Tracklisting:
1. Scorched
2. Goin’ Home
3. The Surgeon
4. Twist Of The Wick
5. Wicked Place
6. Won’t Be Comin Back
7. Fever
8. Harder They Fall
9. Know Her Name
10. Bag O’ Bones
