Overkill's 'Scorched' - Album Review

Those who visit this blog regularly will have seen that my last album review was of Metallica's latest opus 72 Seasons (which can be read here). Unsurprisingly, the legendary thrash band's newest album has caused quite a stir among the metal community over the past month or so - but 14th April 2023 will be remembered as being a great day for thrash in general, as New Jersey's own thrash legends Overkill also released their latest effort on the same day. Whilst Metallica are clearly the bigger household name, to thrash fans Overkill are no less legendary. Metallica were one of the leading lights of the American West Coast thrash scene, which owed plenty to the NWOBHM movement, but Overkill were a big part of the East Coast scene which followed a little later - taking more of an influence from hardcore and punk, alongside classic rock and heavy metal. The two scenes were distinct from each other - so it was fun getting new albums from exponents of both sounds on the same day. I have been a casual fan of Overkill for a number of years, but I have only started paying proper attention to them during the past couple of years. Part of the reason for this was likely the band's daunting and lengthy discography, but I have amassed a handful of their classic and more recent albums of late and have been enjoying discovering more about the band's trademark sound. I think my increased efforts relating to Overkill have also coincided with my general greater appreciation for heavier music. I have liked thrash for years, but I certainly listen to it more now than I used to - and getting into Overkill more has helped to expand my love of thrash, particularly the less NWOBHM-influenced side of the genre. As such, then, Overkill's latest release is the first of theirs which I have bought upon release. Scorched, Overkill's twentieth studio album, is the band's first since 2019's The Wings of War - and the gap between the two albums is actually the longest in their career. Four years between albums is not that unusual these days, particularly from older artists, but Overkill have always been extremely prolific. Many of the top thrash bands, including Metallica, are not exactly known for being very prolific these days. Getting new albums from Megadeth and Anthrax often involves a long wait, but Overkill clearly still have a huge love for writing and recording new music. I have a special appreciation for older bands who still regularly release new music and then go out and play it live, and Overkill certainly seem to be the most prolific of the older thrash bands. Whilst I am certainly not clued up on all of the band's albums, I have heard enough to understand what Overkill are about. The band's fast-paced sound owes a lot to hardcore and punk, but there is still plenty of classic heavy metal to be found - as well as the love of a big groove. Some of Overkill's 1990s releases featured strong groove-based elements, and this can also be found in smaller doses on the band's more recent albums - including Scorched. For the most part, though, this latest release is just classic thrash through and through - building on the band's recent well-received run of albums.

The album wastes no time in getting underway, and kicks things off with its hard-hitting title track. A great NWOBHM-esque guitar lead from long-time guitarist Dave Linsk opens the song, and the rest of the band fall in around it - with percussive drumming and ringing guitar chords creating a powerful backing before the album's first true big riff kicks in. Once this riff arrives the song picks up the pace. Jason Bittner lays into his double bass drums to back the snappy riff - whilst Linsk and fellow guitarist Derek Tailer team up for the rollocking rhythm. As is often the case with Overkill, too, D. D. Verni's bass is very high in the mix. His growling sound drives every song here, and he is particularly prevalent during the album's more mid-paced moments - such as this song's verses. The riffing and the chorus are faster-paced, but the verses are more mid-paced - allowing for some chunky riffing and the evergreen vocals of frontman Bobby Ellsworth. Ellsworth sounds as good here as ever, and his more grounded verse delivery is later countered by a screeching chorus. Despite the song's general love of pace, there is still a dynamic feeling here. A couple of slower moments add some additional heaviness, whilst Linsk's guitar solo sees the rhythm guitars drop away as he delivers a surprisingly bluesy run of notes atop a busy bassline. The album's title track is a great introduction of the subtle variety which follows, then, and ensures things start in a stylish manner. Goin' Home generally opts for a more mid-paced vibe throughout, with the track being fairly typical of the band's recent sound - including relatively little of the punk from those early albums. Like the opening track, though, the song builds towards its first riff - which is more lumbering in approach. This crunchy riff feel nice and heavy thanks to its slower pace, but the verses do see the pace raised slightly - with Verni's bass taking over to provide a snappy rhythm. Brief punky moments surface, but even the faster moments are generally still pretty crunchy - and the chorus returns to something more akin to the song's opening with a melodic guitar lead sitting under Ellsworth's somewhat anthemic vocal delivery. The chorus is hooky, and less frantic than some of the band's offerings, but the punky injections during the verses help to hold interest - as does a lightning-fast Linsk solo which is more typical of his style than the previous one. The Surgeon, which was the album's lead single, generally retains the mix of faster and more mid-paced moments featured already - but ups the pace and goes for a more out-and-out thrash sound. Verni's bass dominates during the opening moments, creating an aggressive vibe from the off, whilst the verses continue on this vibe with some of Ellsworth's most unhinged vocals and plenty of busy drumming from Bittner. There is a lot more of Overkill's old-school sound here, but the chorus does slow things down somewhat and goes for a bit more an anthemic approach - building on a knotty pre-chorus to deliver something more strident and vocal-focused. The riffs are less busy during the chorus, but the vocal hooks make up for this - and other more instrumentally-focused moments throughout allow it to be the most technical on the album to this point. There is also a section which slows the pace quite considerably with some pseudo-doomy riffing - which further diversifies the song until Linsk's next big solo.

Twist of the Wick opens more slowly, with some distant-sounding guitar riffing slowly growing in stature - before Bittner counts the rest of the band in and song speeds off in true thrash fashion. With the album's opening three songs being varied pace-wise, Twist of the Wick doubles down on the speed that was showcased throughout much of the previous track. Linsk and Tailer's riffing is very old-school thrash in style, whilst Verni's bass backs everything with its big tone - and adds the aforementioned punk edge. Bittner does use his double bass drums to great effect here, too, but some parts of the song feature a simpler approach, too, which shows some variety despite the ever-present high speeds. Perhaps unsurprisingly, too, Ellsworth utilises the higher end of his vocal ranger here. His trademark rasp is present throughout - and he screeches his way through the break-neck verses in a manner which only he can truly deliver. There is a bit of a change in tone part-way through, though, which sees a gothic choir used to back a rare slower section. This creates a creepy atmosphere which contrasts well with the pace elsewhere - before the band speed up again around a shredded solo. Wicked Place slows things down somewhat, and goes for a much more groove-based approach. As mentioned before, Overkill often took a more groove-based path during the 1990s and have managed to incorporate this sound into their modern approach. This is a song which rarely speeds up, and instead keeps things plodding along - adding a tough edge to the album as a result. The riffing throughout is chugging, with Verni's bass more restrained than usual, whilst Bittner's drumming shuffles - with the occasional thrash outburst adding colour. The song allows Ellsworth to tone it down a little, too, and he screeches less here - instead going for a more grounded approach. Won't Be Comin' Back continues on the more mid-paced, groovy approach of the previous song - doubling down on this style during the intro, which features subtle harmony guitar leads and a snaking rhythm. As the song gets going proper, though, the pace is raised - but something of a groove is maintained. The song pulses along thanks to some of the album's choppiest riffing - whilst Bittner impresses with some injections of double bass drumming that are as snappy as the riffing. This is one of the songs which really stood out to me from the off. There is a strong melodic edge throughout, largely thanks to some big guitar leads from Linsk - but also thanks to Ellsworth's vocal hooks. The chorus is one of the album's most immediate and anthemic - and it is one that sticks in my head long after each listen to the album. Fever then changes the overall pace again, especially during its psychedelic intro. The song's opening section certainly channels early Black Sabbath - particularly the ballads on their first few albums. Subtle percussion, pulsing bass, and effects-heavy guitars back Ellsworth's vocal croons - and this mix of sounds creates something different on the album. Much of the song is more typical but the Black Sabbath vibe is retained, with the riffing in general being slower in nature - crunching along with Ellsworth howls. It is a song which has grown on me quite a bit over the past month. It is not as hooky as most of the other songs here, but the doomy and atmospheric vibes offer a welcome change of pace.

Harder They Fall ups the pace again, and returns to the break-neck speed of Twist of the Wick - although some of the snappiness of Won't Be Comin' Back remains. The song generally relies on a punky rhythm and plenty of double bass drumming, but colour is added thanks to the occasional injection of groove. The verses are punctuated by such occasional slower moments, which act as brief breaks between Ellsworth's fast-paced vocal shouts, but in general this song really speeds along in classic thrash fashion. Verni's bass is one again very prominent, driving everything, whilst another shout-along chorus sticks in the brain easily. In many ways, the song is a classic representation of Overkill's sound. There are more interesting songs here from an arrangement and variety perspective, but as an example of punky East Coast thrash the song excels - and it certainly re-injects some pace into the album following the Black Sabbath-esque crawl of the previous number. Know Her Name is somewhat similar, but the pace is not quite as fast - with the album's opening handful of numbers being good comparisons. The song is less punky, then, but the riffing throughout is excellent - and the constant ringing of Verni's bass creates an almost hypnotic effect thanks to the precise pace of the grooves. Brief injections of a thrashier pace keep things interesting, as does a furious gang vocal-led section which then leads into a chunky and Accept-esque chorus. The chorus certainly has a strong shout-along feel throughout, and it is another that is easy to latch onto as a result. There is still plenty of energy throughout the song despite the slower pace, too - with some surprisingly varied Bittner drumming as well as plenty of great basslines to ensure that hypnotic vibe is retained despite some changes in tone and pace. The album then comes to a close with Bag o' Bones, which is another mid-paced song - and it is another which also relies heavily on strong grooves. The main riff which opens the song is brimming with character, which Bittner elevates thanks to some staccato drumming, whilst the chorus is one of the album's best thanks to Ellsworth's snappy vocal melodies and some excellent Linsk leads. Whilst many may have expected the album to end on a faster note, this groove-based approach works nicely. Whilst I like it when Overkill indulge their punky influences, I also like it when the band groove. Many of my favourite cuts here are the more mid-paced tracks, and Bag o' Bones is one of those favourites for the same reason. Verni's bass is just as present as ever, and the snappy chorus even has a slight funk edge at times due to how choppy it is. It is impossible to not get the hooks in your head, and for that reason I think the song is an excellent closing number. It leaves a strong impression as the album ends - with the riffs and chorus constantly replaying mentally long after the song finishes. As such, then, Scorched is another really strong album from Overkill that ticks all of the expected boxes whilst still managing to be a dynamic and relatively varied release. Not all bands can say that their twentieth album is as strong as Scorched is, but Overkill have been in fine form over the past decade or so - and seem to be showing no signs of slowing down. I imagine that there will be more where this came from in the future, but until then I have more of the band's extensive back catalogue to discover.

The album was released on 14th April 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Scorched.