OVERKILL "Wrecking Everything Live, An Evening In Ashbury Park" DVD
Spitfire Records

By Jonathan Mariante

Thrash Gods Overkill (one of those bands that, like that ever famous Energizer Bunny, just keep going and going and going-and I mean that in a good way!) have just released their first DVD, to accompany their live album of the same name. This is a two disc set, the first one featuring the actual concert, recorded live at New Jersey's Asbury Park. Overkill are one band who live up to their name when it comes to playing live! They fire on all cylinders throughout the entire performance, blazing their way through twenty three songs, including classics like "Hello >From The Gutter", "In Union We Stand", "Rotten To The Core", "Elimination", "The Years Of Decay", "I Hate", and "Shred", along with more recent songs like "Gasoline Dream", "Spiritual Void", "Bleed Me, "Necroshine", "It Lives", and "Long Time Dying". The band are ablaze with energy, and put 110% into their live performance, never missed a beat or an note! Overkill were always one of the best thrash bands of the 80's, and still are! They are very talented, play with conviction, right on target, and make aggressive, energetic metal music, with a style that is all their own, with very well written songs. All that raw energy radiates off the band in this performance. The only two original members left are vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni, the rest of the lineup consisting of guitarists Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer, and drummer Tim Mallare. These newer members certainly do a great job filling the shoes of members departed (ie former guitarists Bobby Gustafson and Joe Comeau (the latter now in Annihilator) and ex-drummers Rat Skates and Sid Falk), and play the Overkill classics perfectly. The band has come a long way, starting of as four piece, then graduated to becoming a five piece with two guitarists on the 1991 "Coma" album. One can see how far the band has come by watching the second disc which features "Return Of The Batmen", where all the members of the band discuss all things Overkill, past, present, and future. There are some cool stories here, and some rare footage, some of which goes way back to the band's early days, showing the band onstage, off stage, backstage, in the studio, and a video clip for "Fast Junkie". The second disc also features a short "Behind The Scenes" section which features commentary from fans, and some footage from their performance in Spain, and a picture gallery section. Bobby "Blitz" describes Overkill's music as "somewhere between the Beatles and the apocalypse, closer to the apocalypse". Couldn't have said it better myself! Overkill still kicks ass after all these years! This DVD is a great package, very well put together! The live performance is awesome, and the "Return Of The Batmen" section and everything else on the second disc is also very cool, and gives a look at the history and the inside story of Overkill, straight from the guys themselves! A must for all Overkill fans! Overkill website:

http://www.wreckingcrew.com

© 2003, BBHrdRpt

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