Old Overkill vs. Newer Overkill?

Which do you prefer? I saw a post on another board where someone was saying that everything the band has done since Horrorscope sucks compared to the early stuff. Then someone else came back and said they much prefer the stuff Overkill has done in more recent years.

Which do you prefer and why?

I like both periods of Overkill, and whoever wrote on that other board that everything Overkill has released since 'Horrorscope" sucks, obviously has not been listening.

That's tough. I think the band peaked at three different times.

1. Taking Over
2. Horrorscope
3. Necroshine

Those 3 albums are monster powerhouses and should be considered classics. But those 3 albums are so different from each other. If "Old Overkill" ends with Years of Decay, then I pick New Overkill. I think what they have done with Horrorscope on, buries the first few albums.

I'm an Overkill diehard so I pretty much like everything they've done to some extent (with the possible exception of I HEAR BLACK, which never did much for me) ... though I have to say I listened to TAKING OVER, UNDER THE INFLUENCE and YEARS OF DECAY so many times back in the day that I'm kinda burnt out on those CDs now and don't pull them off the shelf very often. (FEEL THE FIRE still gets spins a-plenty though, even after all these years!)

Whoever said "everything past HORRORSCOPE sucks" obviously has never listened to NECROSHINE or FROM THE UNDERGROUND AND BELOW. "F.T.U.A.B." is quite possibly my favorite Overkill disc ever. These days I listen to that one most often.

old Overkill! Everything up to "Years of Decay"! After that I stopped caring for them.

I have to listen to FTUAB again. I knew ult was a huge fan of it, and now Freddy? I must have missed something before because I wasn't blown away with it. I'll have to get it out when I get home.

I love From the Underground and Below. Listening to it right now as a matter of fact.

Blitz also lists it as one of his favorite Overkill releases. It's not a fan favorite though

old by a light-year

spectrefate wrote:

I have to listen to FTUAB again. I knew ult was a huge fan of it, and now Freddy? I must have missed something before because I wasn't blown away with it. I'll have to get it out when I get home.

I love FROM THE UNDERGROUND... the only song that doesn't really fly with me is the power ballad (!!) "Promises," which kinda sticks out like a turd on a birthday cake. (I remember a review of the album which described that song as "A 'God Gave Rock N Roll To You' for the thrash-addled"... haha!) The rest of the album freakin' rips though!!

Temple of Blood wrote:

old by a light-year

Why? Is it just personal preference or is there something specific you don't like about the direction that Overkill took?

I can honestly say I have no preference. It all depends on the mood I'm in. Sometimes I'll reach for Under the Influence, somedays I'll reach for ReliX. Much like Anthrax, I believe these guys have never released a bad album. Some better than others, sure, but all of them have something I like.

Wow really? From the Underground to me shows like they lost their fire. Sounded more like Machine Head in ways than it did an Overkill album.

The only Overkill album that I have is RELIXIV. I like it pretty well.

ultmetal wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

old by a light-year

Why? Is it just personal preference or is there something specific you don't like about the direction that Overkill took?

I think Gustafson is by far the best songwriter guitarist they have had, although pretty much all his replacements have been superior in technique. He wrote the best riffs and his songs had the best arrangements. He also didn't rely on unfulfilling groove-riffs and back during his era of the band Blitz was singing more which made for catchier songs. Having Rat Skates/Sid Falck and having some albums produced by Terry Date (one of the best all-time metal producers) certainly helped as well.

The duo that replaced Gustafson was also good but once they left there haven't been a lot of good riffs in the OVERKILL catalog from what I have heard. It's pretty obvious to me that they just crank out any old material now so they can hurry up and play more shows, which is what they really love. They admitted as much on their DVD that came out a few years ago.

I prefer the earlier stuff.

Temple of Blood wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

old by a light-year

Why? Is it just personal preference or is there something specific you don't like about the direction that Overkill took?

I think Gustafson is by far the best songwriter guitarist they have had, although pretty much all his replacements have been superior in technique. He wrote the best riffs and his songs had the best arrangements. He also didn't rely on unfulfilling groove-riffs and back during his era of the band Blitz was singing more which made for catchier songs. Having Rat Skates/Sid Falck and having some albums produced by Terry Date (one of the best all-time metal producers) certainly helped as well.

The duo that replaced Gustafson was also good but once they left there haven't been a lot of good riffs in the OVERKILL catalog from what I have heard. It's pretty obvious to me that they just crank out any old material now so they can hurry up and play more shows, which is what they really love. They admitted as much on their DVD that came out a few years ago.

Ok, so basically, you don't like the more groove oriented riffs and the harsher vocal approach? I think the "groove" element seems to be the common factor in those who don't like the newer stuff.

i like them both equally. just as i like both old & new Anthrax. of course, i like all kinds of metal. thrash & groove are just two of many.

ultmetal wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

old by a light-year

Why? Is it just personal preference or is there something specific you don't like about the direction that Overkill took?

I think Gustafson is by far the best songwriter guitarist they have had, although pretty much all his replacements have been superior in technique. He wrote the best riffs and his songs had the best arrangements. He also didn't rely on unfulfilling groove-riffs and back during his era of the band Blitz was singing more which made for catchier songs. Having Rat Skates/Sid Falck and having some albums produced by Terry Date (one of the best all-time metal producers) certainly helped as well.

The duo that replaced Gustafson was also good but once they left there haven't been a lot of good riffs in the OVERKILL catalog from what I have heard. It's pretty obvious to me that they just crank out any old material now so they can hurry up and play more shows, which is what they really love. They admitted as much on their DVD that came out a few years ago.

Ok, so basically, you don't like the more groove oriented riffs and the harsher vocal approach? I think the "groove" element seems to be the common factor in those who don't like the newer stuff.

Uh, no. I said a lot more than that, and that wasn't even the main point.

Songwriting is the #1 highest priority in music and OVERKILL don't have it anymore. And they don't seem to care as long as they can continue to play shows. Fine by me, but their albums have suffered for it and seem like afterthoughts.

I have to disagree. I think Overkill is one of the very few, if not the only big thrash band from the 80's that have continued to either get better or maintain a standard of excellence without having a break up at some point. Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, even Slayer have all become progressively worse over the years.

spectrefate wrote:

Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, even Slayer have all become progressively worse over the years.

Definitely agree with you there. But I think MEGADETH have fared the best over the years.

Temple of Blood wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, even Slayer have all become progressively worse over the years.

Definitely agree with you there. But I think MEGADETH have fared the best over the years.

Yup. Megadeth hit a rough patch in the late 90s/early 00s (like most bands) and released a few sub-par discs (i.e. RISK and WORLD NEEDS A HERO) but Dave has rebounded nicely on the last two albums (THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED and UNITED ABOMINATIONS) I'd say.

Testament was another that came to mind in the "continual standard of excellence" category. But that's probably up for debate.

Hey guys..
for years i ´d hated Overkill..
but today i´m a devoted fan of them...they rulz..

in my opinion..
my top 5 of overkill :
1-Relix
2-Immotalis
3-Bloodletting
4-Killbox 13
5- The Years of Decay ...

.. i mean.. i prefer the newer Overkill...they have more heavy guitars ..and a good production...

now they have made some mix of the old school tones with modern stuff..
very good

Funny that this discussion popped up, because I was talking with my step-brother about this subject just last night. I was travelling back from St. Louis, and in my vehicle were both "Horrorscope" and "Immortalis". I've been listening to "Immortalis" quite a bit over the summer. I had not listened to "Horrorscope" in a while, but after listening to that album, I tend to feel that I like the older of the two. Obviously Gustaffson is not on this record, but it's just a sound that I enjoy more. I just feel like the guitar riffs are more memorable. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the new stuff, but I feel the older material is better.

I will concur with others on here that "F.T.U.A.B." & "Necroshine" are amazing albums. My problem is that I still don't have "The Killing Kind" or "Bloodletting", so I don't know that I can say with full certainty regarding which period of the band I like the most. I certainly don't thnk that it's helped the band that they've had this revolving door of musicians. In fact, I usually resent this from most bands.

I liked KILLING KIND a lot ... the band has said they're not crazy about it in interviews as it was a new lineup at the time (guitarists Sebastian Marino and Joe Comeau had just joined) and Blitz has said they hadn't quite "gelled" yet. There is some real good stuff on that album though, especially the instrumental track "Feeding Frenzy" (DD Verni is ON FIRE on that track!)

However, BLOODLETTING sounds a bit too "all over the place" for me. Again, lineup turmoil had taken place before they did that record (Marino and Comeau were out so new boy Dave Lynsk performed all the guitars on that album, both rhythm and lead) so it sounds a bit choppy at times. The live versions of the BLOODLETTING tracks on the WRECKING EVERYTHING live CD/DVD sound better than the album versions.