Band:	Overkill
Album:	The Wings Of War
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	February 22, 2019
A review by:	nikarg

01. Last Man Standing
02. Believe In The Fight
03. Head Of A Pin
04. Bat Shit Crazy
05. Distortion
06. A Mother's Prayer
07. Welcome To The Garden State
08. Where Few Dare To Walk
09. Out On The Road-Kill
10. Hole In My Soul
11. In Ashes [bonus]

I can hardly believe that it's been exactly 30 years since I first listened to Overkill and their absolute masterpiece The Years Of Decay. What is even harder to believe is that these dirty old thrashers absolutely refuse to slow down and let up after so many years.

Overkill have been insanely consistent during this decade and The Wings Of War is the fifth album in a winning streak that defies logic. Despite the lineup changes of these last fourty years, the hooligan-styled, contempt-filled, madman-screaming trademark vocals of Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and the badass motherfucking rhythm dictator that has always been D.D. Verni's bass, make the band's sound instantly recognisable among a million others.

The Wings Of War is typical Overkill; nothing more, nothing less. "Last Man Standing" kicks the door with fury and lets you in the band's room that is full of thrash wonders, also introducing drummer Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, ex-Flotsam And Jetsam) and I'll tell you right from the start that the man with the sticks has blended very well with the rest of the gang (not that anyone expected anything less from such a talented musician anyway). "Head Of A Pin" drips Black Sabbath's blood through its veins and would have been the best track off I Hear Black, had it been in that album's tracklist. "Distortion" is the longest and most interesting song with a soulful solo in the beginning to set the mood, then a homage-to-Dimebag humongous groove, some distorted backing vocals in the chorus and a lead guitar towards the end taken straight from Iron Maiden's book of melodies.

Further down the record, "A Mother's Prayer" and "Welcome To The Garden State" are the fun-loving, pumped-up punk/thrash dynamites that only Overkill can craft. Especially the latter has all it takes to become the band's new absolute anthem reminiscing "Old School" off of ReliXIV, only one hundred times better. "Where Few Dare To Walk" is completely addictive, with a sinister melody and fantastic drum and bass work. "Hole In My Soul" wraps up the album with one stunning riff after another and a very catchy chorus so be prepared to feel really pumped up long after it's finished.

It is true that Overkill are not bringing anything new to the table with this album but this is the case with thrash anyway. It is the style of metal that has changed very little, if at all, since it was born and it feels very comfortable with its resistance to change. If you crave original, genre-bending, never-heard-of-before stuff you are listening to the wrong band and this is exclusively your fault.

I can't say for sure how high The Wings Of War is placed in the group's list of albums released during the current decade because I think this is entirely a matter of personal taste since they are close to each other in terms of quality. What I can say with certainty though is that Overkill's 19th full-length is packed with riffs, fun and aggression and that's about everything most discerning thrash lovers need.

"Welcome to the Garden State
The best damn place in the U.S.A.
You may not agree, you bitch and you moan
I've been everywhere but it's never like home"