The band had already established a rabid fan base with songs like "Rotten to the Core" and "Hammerhead" as well as their infamous cover of D.O.A.'s "Fuck You", and new songs like "Evil Never Dies" and "Hello from the Gutter" would become Overkill mainstays as well. Sid Falck would replace Rat Skates on drums to bring his own brutal percussive assault to Verni's already powerful rhythm section. This relationship would last another 7 years based on the strength and consistency of Overkill's music.ġ988's Under the Influence and 1989's The Years of Decay represent Overkill in their prime. Verni, guitarist Bobby Gustafson, and drummer Rat Skates - were on a tear, borrowing heavily from punk rock roots while adding a venomous metal crunch that allowed them to compete favorably with peers like Testament, Anthrax, and Megadeth.īy 1987's Taking Over, the band had worked their way up to a deal with Atlantic Records. The self-proclaimed "Wrecking Crew" - originally consisting of vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, bassist D.D.
After the band released a self-financed EP in 1984, Overkill broke onto the scene in 1985 with Feel the Fire, a crushing thrash assault on Megaforce Records, the label to beat when it came to 80's thrash. Through much hard work and a slew of infamous live performances at New York area clubs like L'Amours, Overkill established a reputation as a blue-collar, working man's metal band. In 1986, Overkill was part of two major tours they supported Anthrax and Agent Steel on the Spreading the Disease tour in Europe, and opened for Slayer on the Reign in Blood tour in the United States.Although everybody seems to have a different account of who came first in the world of New York/New Jersey area thrash metal, it seems certain that New Jersey's Overkill have stayed around the longest, and have never let their fans down by remaining musically consistent and true to their roots for over 20 years and an unprecedented 14 full-length albums.
Overkill spent most of 19 on tour for Feel the Fire, supporting such bands as Carnivore, S.O.D., Blessed Death, Nuclear Assault, Liege Lord, Black Flag, Venom, Anthrax and D.R.I. Based on the moderate success of Feel the Fire, Overkill signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1986, although they would still remain on Megaforce until Horrorscope (1991). Verni sounds surprisingly accomplished on this major-label debut, giving tight performances and ultimately helping (along with fellow second-wave thrash bands like Flotsam and Jetsam and a myriad of Bay-Area metal outfits) define a generation of spastic, but impressive second wave of aggressive thrash metal." įeel the Fire did not initially reach the Billboard 200 charts or become a commercial success. The classic original band lineup of Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth on vocals, Bobby Gustafson on guitars, Rat Skates on drums, and bassist D.D.
Reception Professional ratings Review scoresįeel the Fire received a positive review from AllMusic's Alex Henderson, who awarded the album three stars out of five, saying that it "made quite a splash within the heavy metal community and listenership", and "possessed all the blistering riffs and complete abandonment fans would learn to expect from Overkill." Henderson then finished his review, saying that Feel the Fire "solidified a loyal fan base that would grow steadily as the band expanded their sound and catalog through the mid- and late '80s. "Rotten to the Core" has been a mainstay of the band's live setlist since 1984. The final track, " Sonic Reducer", is a cover of a 1977 song by punk rock band Dead Boys it was not included on the vinyl or cassette versions of the album, and on some CD reissues it was instead placed between "Second Son" and "Hammerhead".