Metal Storm logo
Overkill - Killbox 13 review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
7.0

208 users:
7.59
Band: Overkill
Album: Killbox 13
Release date: March 2003


01. Devil By The Tail
02. Damned
03. No Lights
04. The One
05. Crystal Clear
06. The Sound Of Dying
07. Until I Die
08. Struck Down
09. Unholy
10. I Rise

For over two decades [and counting], New Jersey thrash metal outfit Overkill rose to prominence in the eighties thrash movement, and have stayed true to their old school roots and released a string of solid and consistent albums year after year. While some might claim there's been little progression with the familiar Overkill sound over the years [some even going as far as to call them the AC/DC of thrash], there have been some noticeable moments of experimentation with different atmospheres.
Three years have passed since Overkill's last release [Bloodletting], but plenty has happened in the meantime. Their first venture into D.V.D. came out last year in Wrecking Everything ? Live, vocalist Bobby ?Blitz? Ellsworth suffered a minor stroke in June last year thirty minutes into a show in Germany and new guitarist Derek Tailer has been added to the line up [who joins fellow members Dave Linsk [guitar], D.D. Verni [bass] and Tim Mallare [drums].

Overkill's thirteenth album Killbox 13 sees the band giving fans exactly what they expect with Verni's bass leading the attack on ?Devil By The Tail?. The twin guitar attack of Linsk and Tailer is exceptional, particularly in ?Until I Die?. The riffs don't get any bigger than they do in ?The One? and ?Crystal Clear?. Both are the heaviest and thrashiest numbers Killbox 13 has to offer, and the best the band have come up with in a long time.
The remainder of the ten track album by no means falls at any point, and Ellsworth's piercing snarl still has retains that unique pitch. Also worth a mention too is the production. Famed British producer Colin Richardson [Napalm Death, Machine Head, Carcass], who has previously mixed the bands albums in the past, has given Overkill a thick sound without sacrificing their well-known precision guitar edgy sound.

Overkill have never sold out, bowed to commercial pressures or jumped on some hip bandwagon. For those reasons alone, they've managed to boast a strong fan base that will be there till the end. That end, is thankfully nowhere to be seen just yet !

Written by Justin | 18.09.2003




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 94 users
13.12.2006 - 08:45
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
ok, the review makes its seem flawless, then you give it a 7? wtf? this album deserves at least an 8. This is Overkills best work imo. Your forgetting the amazing track 'damned'. So if you give this album such a low rating I wish you would elaborate on that. Otherwise your review is useless.
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Loading...
13.12.2006 - 15:24
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Doc G. on 13.12.2006 at 08:45

ok, the review makes its seem flawless, then you give it a 7? wtf? this album deserves at least an 8. This is Overkills best work imo. Your forgetting the amazing track 'damned'. So if you give this album such a low rating I wish you would elaborate on that. Otherwise your review is useless.


7 is NOT a low rrating, it means it is above average but nothing special as everything has been heard and done before. everything under a 6 is low because that would mean below average.
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

Loading...
23.07.2008 - 15:41
Samuel550
Account deleted
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.12.2006 at 15:24
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.


Come on man, at this point Overkill have more right being a thrash band then Faketallica...erm I mean Metallica. The fact that most of they're music isn't very original is highly irrelevant and can easily apply to the musical logic of bands like Iron Maiden: more of the same=good. So why should Overkill have to change for anyone?

New big 4 of Thash Metal: Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth and Lamb of God(Slayer and Megadeth retain they're positions for obviouse reasons).
Loading...
23.07.2008 - 19:32
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 15:41

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.12.2006 at 15:24
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.


Come on man, at this point Overkill have more right being a thrash band then Faketallica...erm I mean Metallica. The fact that most of they're music isn't very original is highly irrelevant and can easily apply to the musical logic of bands like Iron Maiden: more of the same=good. So why should Overkill have to change for anyone?

New big 4 of Thash Metal: Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth and Lamb of God(Slayer and Megadeth retain they're positions for obviouse reasons).

What criteria are you basing this "new big 4 of thrash" off of?
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Loading...
23.07.2008 - 22:05
Samuel550
Account deleted
Written by Doc G. on 23.07.2008 at 19:32

Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 15:41

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.12.2006 at 15:24
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.


Come on man, at this point Overkill have more right being a thrash band then Faketallica...erm I mean Metallica. The fact that most of they're music isn't very original is highly irrelevant and can easily apply to the musical logic of bands like Iron Maiden: more of the same=good. So why should Overkill have to change for anyone?

New big 4 of Thash Metal: Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth and Lamb of God(Slayer and Megadeth retain they're positions for obviouse reasons).

What criteria are you basing this "new big 4 of thrash" off of?


The sorry state of todays metal and music in general.
Loading...
23.07.2008 - 22:42
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 22:05

Written by Doc G. on 23.07.2008 at 19:32

Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 15:41

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.12.2006 at 15:24
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.


Come on man, at this point Overkill have more right being a thrash band then Faketallica...erm I mean Metallica. The fact that most of they're music isn't very original is highly irrelevant and can easily apply to the musical logic of bands like Iron Maiden: more of the same=good. So why should Overkill have to change for anyone?

New big 4 of Thash Metal: Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth and Lamb of God(Slayer and Megadeth retain they're positions for obviouse reasons).

What criteria are you basing this "new big 4 of thrash" off of?


The sorry state of todays metal and music in general.

Yeah, it has to be a pretty sorry state if Lamb Of God is considered 1 of the big 4. But on a serious note, I have to disagree completely, I think music is more alive than it ever was, theres more bands coming out now than there ever was, unfortunately that means more shit bands, but at the same time it still means theres more and more great bands than ever.
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Loading...
24.07.2008 - 07:24
Samuel550
Account deleted
Written by Doc G. on 23.07.2008 at 22:42

Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 22:05

Written by Doc G. on 23.07.2008 at 19:32

Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 15:41

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.12.2006 at 15:24
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.


Come on man, at this point Overkill have more right being a thrash band then Faketallica...erm I mean Metallica. The fact that most of they're music isn't very original is highly irrelevant and can easily apply to the musical logic of bands like Iron Maiden: more of the same=good. So why should Overkill have to change for anyone?

New big 4 of Thash Metal: Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth and Lamb of God(Slayer and Megadeth retain they're positions for obviouse reasons).

What criteria are you basing this "new big 4 of thrash" off of?


The sorry state of todays metal and music in general.

Yeah, it has to be a pretty sorry state if Lamb Of God is considered 1 of the big 4. But on a serious note, I have to disagree completely, I think music is more alive than it ever was, theres more bands coming out now than there ever was, unfortunately that means more shit bands, but at the same time it still means theres more and more great bands than ever.


I have a feeling you just contradicted yourself there, but no there aren't that many great good bands coming out nowadays. If bands like Good Charlot and Tokyo Hotel are concidered good bands these days then people may as well shoot themselfs.
Loading...
24.07.2008 - 23:36
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by Guest on 24.07.2008 at 07:24

Written by Doc G. on 23.07.2008 at 22:42

Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 22:05

Written by Doc G. on 23.07.2008 at 19:32

Written by Guest on 23.07.2008 at 15:41

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.12.2006 at 15:24
And come on people Overkill is musically quite an average and at times a little above average band. They have a couple of memorable killer songs, but those are all off their first three albums. I never understood why Overkill are lauded so much nowadays, back when they started they were seen as second-tier thrash, and rightly so IMO.


Come on man, at this point Overkill have more right being a thrash band then Faketallica...erm I mean Metallica. The fact that most of they're music isn't very original is highly irrelevant and can easily apply to the musical logic of bands like Iron Maiden: more of the same=good. So why should Overkill have to change for anyone?

New big 4 of Thash Metal: Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth and Lamb of God(Slayer and Megadeth retain they're positions for obviouse reasons).

What criteria are you basing this "new big 4 of thrash" off of?


The sorry state of todays metal and music in general.

Yeah, it has to be a pretty sorry state if Lamb Of God is considered 1 of the big 4. But on a serious note, I have to disagree completely, I think music is more alive than it ever was, theres more bands coming out now than there ever was, unfortunately that means more shit bands, but at the same time it still means theres more and more great bands than ever.


I have a feeling you just contradicted yourself there, but no there aren't that many great good bands coming out nowadays. If bands like Good Charlot and Tokyo Hotel are concidered good bands these days then people may as well shoot themselfs.

Well your talking in a mainstream sense, which sometimes there are good bands still coming out. But frankly I dont pay attention to tv music so I have no idea what Tokyo Hotel is....
About contradicting myself; the first line was a joke, everything except the part about LoG being shit, but yes, there are more great bands coming out than ever, thanks to the internet they are quite easily findable.
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Loading...
13.03.2009 - 18:55
Murder

Overkill is amazing... a thrash fucking legend and a fucking monster , they stay to the roots and keep making an excellent thrash IMO.

One of my fav bands, and well, their last albums has great songs too, I mean, not only the first albums has amazing tracks... their music could be repetitive sometimes... but come on, their sound is fucking amazing
Loading...
15.03.2009 - 21:39
Rating: 8
Dominus
The Shooter
Is a good album.I believe that never they could surpass to horroscope as far as musical quality.
Loading...

Hits total: 7484 | This month: 17