OVERKILL — The Wings Of War (review)

Album · 2019 · Thrash Metal

4/5 · 2020-12-07
siLLy puPPy

When it comes to keeping that good old school thrash metal vibe alive i really can’t think of any band more consistently delivering the goods than OVERKILL which began 40 years ago in 1980 and has never stopped plugging along ever since. The band’s last installment in their ginormous canon is the 19th album THE WINGS OF WAR which cranks out another ten (or eleven on the digipak) tracks that offer the sounds of the 80s and 90s with an updated approach. This band has always excelled at keeping an intact core sound while making each album just slightly different enough to keep things from getting stale. This album is certainly no exception to that trend.

After a five album run which included some of OVERKILL’s best material killing it well into the 21st century, drummer Ron Lipnicki departed and was replaced by Jason Bittner best known for his gig with Shadows Fall but also has played with Toxic and Flotsam and Jetsom. THE WINGS OF WAR is yet another strong batch of catchy melody fueled thrash metal anthems that conjure up the zeitgeist of the late 80s and early 90s as OVERKILL marries the early thrash metal bombast with elements of 80s classic metal with a touch of groove metal here and there. Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth is in good form as always and his vocal style shows absolutely no signs of giving out anytime soon. In fact the band is so well seasoned that every single aspect of the musical details is completely perfected and shimmering like a diamond in the rough.

On top of the thrashing maestrohood, OVERKILL has also mastered the art of production and mixing as the perfected balance of dynamics is flawless throughout THE WINGS OF WAR. While the previous album “The Grinding Wheel” got a little more down and dirty with a rawer feel, this followup is more polished as heard on the opening “Last Man Standing” that features a synthesized intro and then proceeds into a rampaging thrash metal extravaganza that also features elements of classic speed metal in the vein of Judas Priest’s “Painkiller” era. Despite the strong opening single, the album doesn’t really let up at all and excels at offering a never-ending supply of blitzkrieg guitar riffing sessions along with an excellent independent bass groove and the more than competent drumming skills of newbie Jason Bittner.

While every track reels you in with an instantly infectious melodic tug, the thrash bombast never ceases except for the moments when acoustic guitars offer nice intros or unexpected interior motifs that capture the essence of classic Annihilator, Metallica and of course OVERKILL itself. One of the funniest songs the band has ever done has to be the tourist brochure thrash song “Welcome To The Garden State” which shows this East Coasters put the rest of us in place for not having emerged from the great state of New Jersey but it’s all rather tongue and cheek and showcases a less serious side of the band’s persona. Another favorite is the feisty “Bat Shit Crazy” which features the largest number of changes and makes you wonder if OVERKILL will ever slow down and lose their magic touch.

While so many bands deliver some great albums and then sort of lose their way OVERKILL just keeps sallying forth into the future with one strong release after another. Sure some stylistic nuances may be more appealing than others but when all is said and done, OVERKILL not only ticks off all the thrash metal requirements that keep them relevant as they are anchored to the past but they feistily continue to offer variations of their approach that never fail to keep me entertained for an album’s worth of thrash metal headbanging. These guys really have become the patron saints of thrash metal longevity as classic bands like Metallica, Megadeath and Slayer now seem devoid of inspiration. Whatever they’re growing in the gardens of New Jersey seems to be working. Keep it up, guys!

more than 2 years ago
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siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

They've been killing it since Ironbound. A major second wind which seems to never end.

Kingcrimsonprog wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Man, I need to check this out. I got Ironbound when it was new, but I haven't been keeping up on the new albums since, even though they always go on my wish list.