OVERDOSE — Século XX (review)

OVERDOSE — Século XX album cover EP · 1990 · Speed Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Século XX" is an EP release by Brazilian speed metal/heavy metal act Overdose. The EP was released through Cogumelo Records in 1990. "Século XX" features the 3 tracks from the December 1985 "Bestial Devastation / Século XX" split with Sepultura, but adds 4 tracks which results in the total playing time of the EP being 38:24 minutes. "Children of War" are culled from the 1988 "Metal Massacre IX" compilation, "Peace" from the 1987 ...Conscience... album, "Nuclear Winter" from the 1989 "You're Really Big!" album, while nothing is known of the origins of "Força Crescente".

The compositions from the "Bestial Devastation / Século XX" split are speed metal/heavy metal and the lyrics are in Portuguese. They open "Século XX" with the 10:02 minutes long "Anjos do Apocalipse", which is quite powerful and relatively intricate as far as structure goes. Overdose manage to sound sharp, raw, and heavy, but also incorporate melody and blistering lead work, and I hear more than one nod in the music towards an artist like Mercyful Fate, especially when they play solos. The vocals are a combination of singing and more raw barking. Both "Filhos do Mundo" and "Século XX" are also good quality compositions well worth the price of admission. Overdose are a very well playing band and when the songwriting is also intriguing and powerful, it´s the blueprint for a winner.

"Children of War" features english lyrics but is otherwise still in the speed metal/heavy metal style of the 3 preceding tracks, only slightly less raw. "Peace" is a short acoustic instrumental piece which works as an intro to the melodic and epic power metal/heavy metal of "Nuclear Winter" (the band have shed their speed metal influences on this one). The Portuguese lyrics return on "Força Crescente" which is a melodic heavy metal song.

The production values on all material are pretty high for the time and especially considering the pretty low sound quality of many speed metal/thrash metal releases coming out of South America in the 80s. While the main attraction of "Século XX" are arguably the 3 tracks from the "Bestial Devastation / Século XX" split, the remaining material are actually also worth a listen, although Overdose showcase a few different styles, which doesn´t make "Século XX" the most consistent release. The quality is high throughout though and a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Traumatica Metalcore
NO GUERRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Within the Visceria Death Metal
NECKBREAKKER
Buy this album from MMA partners
EP 1 Sludge Metal
CHAOTIC AGGRESSION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Songs of Blood and Mire Black Metal
SPECTRAL WOUND
Buy this album from MMA partners
Everything Hurts And I'm Dying Atmospheric Sludge Metal
NEGATIVE BLISS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Origin Of Infinity - Chronosphere (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
ORIGIN OF INFINITY
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Kingdom of Heaven - “Pleasures of Pain”
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Bosh66· 1 day ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed