### Overkill: The years of decay

#### 03/06/04 || Statik Majik

Released: 1989

##### Introduction

A friend of mine was into Overkill since 1987 or so, and needless to say that every time I visited his place, he just had to play Overkill to me. He happened to have good fucken stereos/speakers, so no matter what he played it always sounded good due to the loud volume. Anyway, I know this was the first Overkill album I really payed attention to. I remember hearing their “Fuck You” ep and “Under the influence” album earlier than this, but wasn´t that impressed. But the very same day my friend bought this album and right after I heard it at his place, I was hooked. And still am. It´s not Overkill´s best effort, but personally I think it´s their first really heavy album. Fucken 1989… Can´t believe how damn fast these years (of decay) go by. When I close my eyes and listen to this album, it feels like it could´ve been only few weeks ago.

##### Songwriting

8. Like said in the intro, this album kicks ass. The songs are heavy, catchy and intense. The album was released 15 years ago, and I still haven´t got bored to it. That´s how good the songs are.

##### Production

8. For a late 80´s, this album has damn good production. Nothing muddy or blurry, instruments don´t get faded behind the other instruments nor do they sound thin and lifeless. Pretty fucken far from it. The album has good, clear and powerfull sounds. Well, maybe the fact that Terry Date produced the album has something to do with. Yes, the same Terry who´s worked also with bands like Pantera, White Zombie, Deftones and you name it. The album sounded even better on vinyl over my friends place 15 years ago, but the 8 is given how the cd sounds on my stereos today. Just so you know.

##### Guitars

8. Nice and simple but catchy. Cool intros here and there, not too much gimmickry, solos are listenable. There´s slow parts, fast parts, heavy parts. What else do you need? And “Skullkrusher” has one of the heaviest riffs ever played in the 80´s, I shit you not.

##### Vocals

7. Not bad at all. I know alot of people don´t really appreciate Bobby Ellsworth´s “nasal”, high pitched voice. I´m not one of them. He does a good job in Overkill and his vocal style suites the music more than perfectly.

##### Bass

7. You definatelly can hear D.D. Verni´s bass on every Overkill album. Sometimes even too well. That´s not the case here though. Sounds good, simple as that.

##### Drums

7. Good. That´s all I really can say about them.

##### Lyrics

8. I always like Overkill´s lyrics (Ok, “Fuck You” is an exception). Not too preaching, but they still seem to have somekind of message every now and then, without forgetting certain humorous attitude. And the lyrics are also catchy, well written. “I Hate” for example is pretty fucken funny in all it´s negativity.

##### Cover art

7. Cool painting. It´s a fucken skull. Something Overkill has used millions of times and will probably use over and over again in the future.

##### Logo

7. Well, it´s pretty fucken basic, some 3d-effect in it, but nothing complicated. I´ve seen worse.

##### Booklet

5. Plain fucken white with black text. Two band photos. Boooring.

##### Overall and ending rant

8. Good and solid metal album that hasn´t lost any of it´s charm in all these 15 years.