Overkill - Ironbound

February 6, 2010

Reviewer: Lynora

Ironbound opens with a song, “The Green and Black”, that became an instant favorite, nestled amongst “Evil Never Dies” and “Necroshine.”  The title track “Ironbound” squeezes right in between all of that.  This album from the thirty-year veterans opened for me flawlessly and had me rewinding constantly to hear that bass line again.

While Overkill has been a consistently excellent thrash metal band, the guitar work takes center stage on this album and returns them to the former level they were with Killbox 13.  The past two albums have earned them little praise and little hits, and this album comes back enthusiastically thrashy.  Opening with the “evilest man in the world” on bass D. D. Verni, Ironbound starts out strong, but much like my interest, it begins to nod off the last few songs.  It’s possible that Overkill can still write hits, but maybe not complete albums.  Their albums have been maintaining a position as launching pads for their singles to play live, which is great as long as you like singles and like seeing them live. 

Half of this album gets instantly added to my favorite Overkill songs' list while the other half, despite concentration, is very easy to miss and to dismiss.  I suppose the same can be said for Killbox 13, with such delights as “Struck Down” and “Crystal Clear” but with some more obvious b-sides.  That shouldn’t be a serious criticism though, especially considering that when Ironbound stopped playing I instantly replayed it again; I just turned it off halfway through - to go look up some tour dates, of course.  Starting in February, Overkill is doing a huge European and South American tour before returning back to the US in April.  I will have to wait until their last show in May before I can see them, so be sure to enjoy it for me until I can.

Ironbound was an odd sort of album.  In every song I love the guitars, I love the drums and the bass, and as always I love Bobby Blitz individually, but yet only half the time do they all fit together to make a great song.  “Bring the Light” continues Overkill’s assault and ultimately leads you to the oddest transition I’ve heard on an album. “The Goal is Your Soul” is my least favorite due to that terrible transition in the beginning, which is completely unnecessary and awkward.  It made me feel like the song was unrecoverable after such an off-time mess.  “Give a Little” helps you make a quick recovery with a great chorus full of one note palm mutes and Verni, Linsk, and Tailer screaming backup lines that are sure to get the crowd pumping their fist and screaming with them.  I look forward to seeing that one live.  “The Endless War” is a bit of a hidden gem: old school, well written, well played, be sure to give it a chance.  Despite the excellent drum work, “In Vain” gets lost on the album; it might be its redundancy and particular lack of flair.   I nod off after this every time but run back to the opening of the album to hear it again.

The production on this album is great, and considering how slow the past two albums felt, Ironbound is crisp and energetic and at times feels like pure vintage Overkill.  The vast majority of this album is up-tempo, the old frenzied feel of these New Jersey men.   I would be the first to say that if you love Overkill like me, then Ironbound will satisfy most, but not all, of your needs.

Release Date: January 29th, 2010
Label:  Nuclear Blast Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Green and Black
2.  Ironbound
3.  Bring Me the Night
4.  The Goal is Your Soul
5.  Give a Little
6.  Endless War
7.  The Head and Heart
8.  In Vain
9.  Killing for a Living
10.  The SRC

Total playing time: 58:04

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