Heavy Metal Greats:
Overkill
It’s Malcolm, returning once again with the series Heavy Metal Greats. This week I am discussing Overkill, a heavy metal band that formed in New Jersey. As with many other bands, Overkill started small and then grew in the underground music scene. Because of their signature logo, stage presence, and relentless songs, Overkill has worked its way up to the level of the other Heavy Metal Greats.
Overkill is often recognized by its signature logo, that of a horned skull with bat wings. This logo is called “Death Bat,” and is present among one other band, Avenged Sevenfold, or "A7X." This band has been accused of stealing the logo, turning the old into new, and has been met with a great deal of antipathy from Overkill fans. Regardless, Overkill was the first to coin the logo, and holds the reputation as “that band with the bat-skull logo.” This logo appears on multiple Overkill albums, along with the signature Overkill title font.
Overkill is also known for its outstanding stage presence when performing live. It is hard to imagine what a band is like live when listening to their studio albums. For this reason, fans can attend concerts, or get a recording of them. Overkill has a good record when it comes to performing live, and is able to deliver much intensity, evident in the photo above of Bobby Ellsworth, nicknamed “Blitz,” for his ability to act insane and ferocious onstage.
Finally, Overkill’s studio albums are their most defining “metal” feature, and deliver an extreme burst of energy and ferocity, most present in their album Horrorscope. This album delivers intense riffs mixed with high-pitched vocals, contrasted by low bass picking and speedy, energized drumbeats. This upbeat sound and instrumental beauty form a hit album, for which Overkill is best known. Among this album are titles like The Years of Decay and Ironbound.
Overkill’s logo, stage presence, and heavy-hitting tracks define it as one of the Heavy Metal Greats. The band continues to experiment musically in the studio and perform live, ensuring that thrash metal will continue for the generations to come.
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