UMUR
"Taking Over" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US thrash/traditional heavy metal act Overkill. The album was released through Megaforce Records (in collaboration with Atlantic Records) in January 1987.
Like the case was on the debut album "Feel The Fire (1985)", Overkill play a combination of traditional heavy metal and thrash metal on "Taking Over". They lean a bit more towards thrash metal on this one though. The major difference is not so much in the music style as it is in the sound production values. While "Feel The Fire (1985)" featured a raw and unpolished sound production, "Taking Over" features a much more professional sounding production. It´s still pretty raw but this was recorded in 1986 so that wasn´t unusual for the time.
The focus in the music is still the raw yet melodic vocals by Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, the catchy riffs and blistering guitar solos by Bobby Gustafson and the tight and powerful rythm section of bassist D.D. Verni and drummer Rat Skates. "Taking Over" features one of the band´s signature songs in "Wrecking Crew", but all tracks deliver entertainment and great energy. "Taking Over" is a step up compared to "Feel The Fire (1985)", but it´s not a gigantic step IMO. Still it´s a good quality album deserving a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating.