Overkill – “Live In Overhausen” [Album Review]

I am an old-school thrash metal fan, have been since pretty much the beginning of the genre, and Overkill has ranked among my favorites since their inception. I have long-since been part of The Wrecking Crew, and in attendance for pretty much every show they played in New York and New Jersey back in the early ‘80s.

In fact, if asked to compile my personal “Big Four” list, Overkill would definitely be included. With all of that being said, this new CD/DVD/Blu-ray, Live In Overhausen, is everything an Overkill fan — and fan of thrash metal for that matter — would want to hear. Arguably two of the band’s best releases, Feel the Fire and Horrorscope, are played in their entirety in front of a packed house; what could be better?

Hearing “Blood Money,” “Hammerhead,” “Feel The Fire” and a ton of other fan-favorites played live is just awesome; and live is where Overkill shine the most! Sure, their albums are terrific, but in a live setting the music takes on a bit more power, aggression and, dare I say, speed, making the guys “punkier” and, at least in this writer’s opinion, even better than on recorded versions; the rawness and immediacy really comes through in this performance.

For the most part, with very few exceptions, I am not a big fan of live albums. More often than not, the recorded versions are inherently cleaner and easier listening and as such, boring. That is NOT the case with Live In Overhausen! This release, in any of the above-mentioned formats, is well worth the price of admission.

Live In Overhausen Track Listing:

01. Coma
02. Infectious
03. Blood Money
04. Thanx For Nothin’
05. Bare Bones
06. Horrorscope
07. New Machine
08. Frankenstein
09. Live Young Die Free
10. Nice Day – for a Funeral
11. Soulitude
12. Raise the Dead
13. Rotten To the Core
14. There’s No Tomorrow
15. Second Son
16. Hammerhead
17. Feel the Fire
18. Blood and Iron
19. Kill at Command
20. Overkill
21. Fuck You

Run Time 128:59
Release Date: May 18, 2018

Check out the first official trailer for Live In Overhausen.