Although this album has already been reviewed as a classic (and rightfully so!!), this re-mastered re-issue from Sanctuary Records to mark the band's 30th anniversary makes it well worth re-visiting this little gem from the late 70's. Overkill was the first "real" Motorhead album that saw the band in it's truest form; a tough as nails metal power trio that sounded like no other. The self-titled debut album, released in 1977 attracted little more than a cult following and it wasn't until they stormed the British music charts in 1979 with Overkill that the world suddenly took notice. Peaking at #12 on the U.K. album charts, it went on to sell 1 million copies by the end of that year. Produced by veteran producer Jimmy Miller (Rolling Stones), Overkill announced the arrival of Motorhead and although many in the music business and the music press wished that they would go away, they didn't and still haven't some 27 years later.

This album was released previously in re-mastered form with some bonus tracks by the Castle Communications label some years back. With Sanctuary Records taking over that label several years ago, they acquired Motorhead and the rights to some of their earlier albums. Overkill was (and still is) a metal classic for all-time. The double bass fueled romp that is the title track, is still a standard final encore track by the band even today. Stay Clean and No Class paved the way for Saxon and other NWOBHM acts whereas Tear Ya Down and Limb From Limb saw the band moving towards a faster and punk-edged metal sound. Capricorn and Metropolis showed Lemmy not letting go of his Hawkwind roots with their progressive and psychedelic vibes. This new version of Overkill, besides containing the original album in re-mastered form, also contains a second bonus CD where you get alternative versions of tracks like Louie, Louie (from the debut album) as well as alternative and instrumental versions of Tear Ya Down. The B-sides of Overkill and No Class are also included with the tracks Too Late, Too Late and Like A Nightmare. Three tracks that were recorded in 1978 for the BBC John Peel Sessions, allowed those in attendance a sneak peak at I'll Be Your Sister and Tear Ya Down; two new tracks that were to appear on this album in the following year. Finally, on the second disc, we get seven tracks from a 1979 show at the Paris Theater in London England. They rip through smoking versions of Stay Clean, No Class, I'll be Your Sister, Too Late, Too Late, (I Won't) Pay Your Price, Capricorn and Limb From Limb.

The fast bluesy edge of Motorhead's first album still appears throughout this album but there's a much faster tempo and fiery edge to the material. It really set the stage for the basic Motorhead sound and in revisiting this album after so many years, besides the production, not much has really changed as far as their approach to writing great Motorhead songs. The re-mastering sounds great with Lemmy's bass lines finally now being more up front in the mix and it's great to hear him do all those bass runs like the one in Stay Clean. He really is a fantastic bass player and there are lots of bass runs and fills throughout; something he really doesn't do much anymore. I really hadn't listened to this album in many, many years and it really sparked my interest again; something that any great classic album will do whenever you drag it out, blow the dust off and crank it!. Every track is a gem and a true Motorhead classic and with the bonus CD containing lots of extras, this is a great package not only for the fans but for those who are interested in the important albums from the 70's and 80's that helped shape heavy metal music. Overkill is one of those albums............