Overkill - Ironbound
Nuclear Blast
Thrash Metal
10 songs (58:04)
Release year: 2010
Overkill, Nuclear Blast
Reviewed by Thomas
Album of the year

So far, only two months in, 2010, a far as metal goes, has delivered a couple of awesome releases. Top-list candidates such as the new, terrific Heathen, the brilliant début of Aspera and a very decent effort from old-timers Gamma Ray makes for an excellent year. When this gem was announced back in 09, I was a little sceptical to be honest. Their last couple of albums haven't exactly been top notch, and I really feared that this band were going down the drain. Except the new drummer Ron Lipnicki (Hades) the RelixIV line-up is still intact, and with all the thrash-newbies flying around with no end in sight, the boys in Overkill has gathered the motivation to blow everything out of the water. While not greatly superior to the new Heathen it's still a wee bit better, which pretty much says it all. When I first heard Bring Me the Night a while ago, I was awe-struck and the speedy NWOBHM-touches nearly brought a tear to my eye. So fast, relentless, passionate yet wrapped in skull-crushing charismatic thrash that will rip your head off. Needless to say, Ironbound is just what Bring Me the Night showed signs of. A band back on their feet, stronger than ever, with more muscles, more attitude and more grit, and well, there will be violence. Overkill will, once again, wreck everything.

The lengthy beating The Green and Black sets the standard, with a short intro, and then, the slow, heavily thundering riffs that builds into a thunderstorm of guitars, drums, and Blitz' trademark snarly vocals. The title-track continues at a slightly speedier pace, and the double-bass pounding of the freshest member Ron Lipnicki is particularly active, making for poly-rhythmic delight, while the steadier than ever song-writing allows swift twists and turns in tempo and shape. The aforementioned Bring Me the Night, an absolute highlight, couples thrash with speed metal and tasty hints of NWOBHM. Face-melting leads provided by Dave Linsk, whom I've been finding to struggle a bit on earlier albums, shows great determination and skill. He's speedy, a little sloppy, but who cares when they're pure evil, and well, perfect? The mid-paced, catchy The Goal Is Your Soul keeps things rolling and Give a Little, quite possibly my favourite track of the album, inspires neck-wrecking as the war rages on in brutal fashion. As the boys carry on, I can't help but notice the distinct influence from the old days. Some of the tunes here could've been pulled straight out of albums such as Under the Influence or The Years of Decay. Even the haters who will demand originality, experimentation and other lame stuff, can't deny the sheer joy of hearing Hello From the Gutter in some of the tracks that closes down the second half of this album. Both Endless War and The Head and Heart bring back memories for any thrash-fan that grew up with the scene in the eighties, and tickles the interest and surely, the dismay in those who didn't, me included.

In Vain continues fight night, and with terrific riffs, completely mad yet extremely precise drumming, and catchy vocal lines carries lights the roof on fire, and chaos prevails. The angry Killing for a Living states the obvious for all of us who doubted them. The band that has arguably a handful of records in the top-ten list of thrash, even metal albums of all time are back. Even when the finishing head-stomper The SRC leaves you drenched in blood, neck snapped, on the floor you'll be wanting more. More violence, more bone-cracking riffs, mountain-moving drums, soaring snarls, and bouldering, shattering bass, more fucking evil. Everyone with the slightest interest in metal should get this as soon as possible. Move it to the top of your list now and go buy this motherfucker (or steal it). Overkill is back, and thrash is very much alive and stomping, punching and axing.

Killing Songs :
All, but Bring Me the Night, Give a Little, and In Vain are my favourites.
Thomas quoted 96 / 100
Other albums by Overkill that we have reviewed:
Overkill - Scorched reviewed by Goat and quoted 85 / 100
Overkill - The Killing Kind reviewed by Ben and quoted 80 / 100
Overkill - Wrecking Your Neck reviewed by Ben and quoted no quote
Overkill - From The Underground And Below reviewed by Ben and quoted 77 / 100
Overkill - W.F.O. reviewed by Ben and quoted 85 / 100
To see all 19 reviews click here
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