OVERKILL - Killbox 13
1. Devil By The Tail
2. Damned
3. No Lights
4. The One
5. Crystal Clear
6. The Sound Of Dying
7. Until I Die
8. Struck Down
9. Unholy
10. I Rise
Label: Spitfire Records
Release date: 2003
Artist site: http://www.wreckingcrew.com/
GRADE:
8/10
OVERKILL return with what may be their strongest release since Horrorscope, back in 1991. Killbox 13 is a collection of ten powerful tracks with production courtesy of Colin Ricardson (NAPALM DEATH, FEAR FACTORY, CARCASS), so you can imagine the sound on this mutha. Everything is very much upfront and in your face, a perfect blend, if you will. Most impressive, though, is the performance put in by vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth. This is OVERKILL's 12th full length studio release, and this man sounds just as hungry as he did on their Feel The Fire debut. The press I've read calling this his "Halford/Dickinson" hour is not unfounded, this is definitely a career highlight.
Album opener "Devil By The Tail" is a rollercoaster ride of shifting tempos, stop start breaks, over the top vocals and those guitars.. geez those fucking guitars! Lead guitarist Dave Linsk is joined this time around by Derek Tailer on rhythm, and together they are an incredibly strong team. Throw in the backbone of drummer Tim Mallare and founding bassist DD Verni and this machine is unstoppable. "Damned" is one of those classic OVERKILL moshpit numbers, one I expect to hear on all of the internet metal radio programs. My personal favorite from Killbox 13 is "No Lights," beautiful intro, the dual melody guitars usher this one in perfectly. Follow that with the groove they go into for the verse and the haunting chorus and I'll put this one up there with anything off of The Years Of Decay. Other highlights include the almost southernlike stomp of "Crystal Clear," with it's "boot in your face" verses and very Sabbath-y chorus and the moody "Until I Die," complete with twisted solos and guitar harmonics, Verni's trademark bass tones and a mini thrashfest during the last 15 seconds of the track. The double bass attack of "Struck Down" really showcases how much better Mallare has gotten behind the kit since he first joined the band for I Hear Black back in 1992. Like the aforementioned "Damned," "Unholy" is another of those OVERKILL standards, chockful of chunky guitars, once again walking the fine line between thrash and punk, as they have somehow always managed to do very well. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, they drop "I Rise" on my ears, a more uptempo number during the verses which drops tempo for the chorus.
Call it thrash, call it power, this is pure METAL folks, the true, be all end all, essence of metal. For what seems the millionth time, OVERKILL have delivered the goods and it's good to see the shelf life has not expired.
PJ
1. Devil By The Tail
2. Damned
3. No Lights
4. The One
5. Crystal Clear
6. The Sound Of Dying
7. Until I Die
8. Struck Down
9. Unholy
10. I Rise
Label: Spitfire Records
Release date: 2003
Artist site: http://www.wreckingcrew.com/
GRADE:
8/10
OVERKILL return with what may be their strongest release since Horrorscope, back in 1991. Killbox 13 is a collection of ten powerful tracks with production courtesy of Colin Ricardson (NAPALM DEATH, FEAR FACTORY, CARCASS), so you can imagine the sound on this mutha. Everything is very much upfront and in your face, a perfect blend, if you will. Most impressive, though, is the performance put in by vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth. This is OVERKILL's 12th full length studio release, and this man sounds just as hungry as he did on their Feel The Fire debut. The press I've read calling this his "Halford/Dickinson" hour is not unfounded, this is definitely a career highlight.
Album opener "Devil By The Tail" is a rollercoaster ride of shifting tempos, stop start breaks, over the top vocals and those guitars.. geez those fucking guitars! Lead guitarist Dave Linsk is joined this time around by Derek Tailer on rhythm, and together they are an incredibly strong team. Throw in the backbone of drummer Tim Mallare and founding bassist DD Verni and this machine is unstoppable. "Damned" is one of those classic OVERKILL moshpit numbers, one I expect to hear on all of the internet metal radio programs. My personal favorite from Killbox 13 is "No Lights," beautiful intro, the dual melody guitars usher this one in perfectly. Follow that with the groove they go into for the verse and the haunting chorus and I'll put this one up there with anything off of The Years Of Decay. Other highlights include the almost southernlike stomp of "Crystal Clear," with it's "boot in your face" verses and very Sabbath-y chorus and the moody "Until I Die," complete with twisted solos and guitar harmonics, Verni's trademark bass tones and a mini thrashfest during the last 15 seconds of the track. The double bass attack of "Struck Down" really showcases how much better Mallare has gotten behind the kit since he first joined the band for I Hear Black back in 1992. Like the aforementioned "Damned," "Unholy" is another of those OVERKILL standards, chockful of chunky guitars, once again walking the fine line between thrash and punk, as they have somehow always managed to do very well. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, they drop "I Rise" on my ears, a more uptempo number during the verses which drops tempo for the chorus.
Call it thrash, call it power, this is pure METAL folks, the true, be all end all, essence of metal. For what seems the millionth time, OVERKILL have delivered the goods and it's good to see the shelf life has not expired.
PJ
