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The Wings Of War

    
       
       
       
     
             
Overkill are a thrash metal band from the USA forming in 1980 as Virgin Killer, quickly changing their name to Overkill and releasing their debut album, 'Feel The Fire', in 1985. 'Under The Influence' and 'Years Of Decay', released in 1988 and 1989, set the world of thrash metal alight and Overkill became a household name the world over. In a career spanning almost four decades, Overkill have released nineteen studio albums, three live albums, four compilations and the mammoth thirteen disc 'Historikill: 1995-2007' box-set in 2015. 'The Wings Of War' is the bands nineteenth studio album and was released in 2019.    
             
"the best damn place in the U.S.A." screams Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth during 'Welcome To The Garden State', song number seven off the bands new album 'The Wings Of War'. Overkill hail from the state of New Jersey, the state known as "The Garden State", so why would it not be the best damn place in the USA... After all, horror punk band The Misfits, hard rockers Bon Jovi, progressive metallers Symphony X, guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne band and Black Label Society), singers Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, "Ol' Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra and "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen are all notable New Jersey luminaries.    
             
'The Wings Of War' is not gonna change the world or send thrash metal in a new direction, it's gonna confirm to the world what we already know...that Overkill are a relentless thrash metal machine that always deliver and never disappoint. Opening the album in classic Overkill style, 'Last Man Standing' is a ferocious and fierce blast of aggressive thrash. Pulsating and powerful, 'Last Man Standing' is a breath taking opening salvo... Overkill are masters of the thrash metal genre and forge a furious path as they savagely thrust forward with 'Believe In The Fight', a heavy mid tempo aggression fuelled romp, with Bobby Ellsworth growling "everybody beat to a different drum, everybody wanna be number one". Well, as far as I am concerned, Overkill are number one and everybody will have to fight fucking hard to knock 'em off...! 'Head Of A Pin' maintains the albums ferociousness, hitting harder than a UFC champion fighter, keeping heads banging hard wherever it is heard. And believe me when I say "everybody goin' bat shit crazy" for this album as 'Bat Shit Crazy' crashes in and steams ahead at full velocity, hitting the sweet spot with a devastating accuracy. Ellsworth is sounding in cracking voice as he growls and screams aggressively for all ten songs across every single one of the albums fifty minute play time. 'Distortion' reigns in the high speed assault, stomping menacingly on its way, with its anthemic styled chorus chant "distortion" a crowd sing a long moment not to be missed. This is great stuff from a great band.    
             
At less than four minutes in length, 'A Mother's Prayer' is the shortest song on offer, yet packs a hefty punch with an avalanche of fast paced thrash. In your face and aggressive 'A Mother's Prayer' is a corker, and leads up to and into the ferocious, punk tinged 'Welcome To The Garden State'. And what a fucking song this is... 'Welcome To The Garden State' is classic Overkill, fast and furious, and will give your neck muscles one of the most vigorous workouts ever, so vigorous in fact, that you may just head bang your head right off your shoulders. Absolutely stunning stuff. A menacing and chilling opening sets 'Where Few Dare To Walk' on its way, delivering a masterful display of melodic thrash metal. Overkill are adept at both full on high velocity thrash and the mid tempo heavy stomp, delivering either with such ease, and after all, they have been around for forty years with their front man celebrating his sixtieth birthday this year... Turning up the heat and thundering on like a force ten hurricane, 'Out On The Road-Kill' is head bangingly addictive and a classic Overkill rampage. Fast and furious thrash metal is the signature style of Overkill, and with this album they definitely do not disappoint. For fifty intense minutes Overkill have confirmed just why they have achieved such longevity...and with next year being the bands fortieth year, I for one am hoping and praying that they deliver studio album number twenty, take my money now... But until then, 'Hole In My Soul' brings the curtain down on a great album with a brash and bruising assault of fierce riffage. Fast paced and explosive, 'Hole In My Soul' ends the album as it began, with a pulsating and powerful blast of aggressive thrash metal.    
             
Overall, a ferocious assault of full throttle thrash from legends of the thrash metal genre, 'The Wings Of War' is a head bangingly infectious album.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
Other Reviews    
             

           
           
The Grinding Wheel      
           
"a sparkling album of powerful thrash metal, cascading with addictiveness and infectiousness to keep Overkill at the pinnacle of the thrash metal genre" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             

           
           
Scorched      
           
"an aggressive and ferocious gallop of thrash metal to get the adrenaline pumping, heads banging and fists punching the air" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             
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