Heavy Song of the Week: Overkill Wield Razor Sharp Thrash on “The Surgeon”
The post Heavy Song of the Week: Overkill Wield Razor Sharp Thrash on “The Surgeon” appeared first on Consequence.
Heavy Song of the Week is a new feature on Heavy Consequence breaking down the top metal and hard rock tracks you need to hear every Friday. This week the honor goes to Overkill’s “The Surgeon.”
Thrash metal is an inherently physical style of music — athletic even. That would make sense, considering it was pioneered by a bunch of caffeinated teenagers in the early ’80s who took punk rock and made it faster and louder. In 2023, the thrash bands of that era that remain active are aging into their fourth decade, and it’s foolish to expect them to still play like 18-year-olds. Generally speaking, the music of their earlier years tends to be more intense and raw.
That is not the case with New Jersey stalwarts Overkill. Like LeBron James still throwing down triple-doubles at 38, these ageless wonders continue to dish out world-class thrash that’s as speedy and maniacal as their older stuff. On “The Surgeon,” they stick to their tried-and-true methods, as frenzied speed metal unfurls into the lean chugging riffs that are an Overkill staple. Meanwhile, frontman Bobby Blitz recounts the tale of a sadistic surgeon through his imitable high-pitch snarl: “I am the surgeon, I am the face of fear / I cut your dreams away, and long to hold you near.”
— Jon Hadusek,
Senior Staff Writer
Honorable Mentions:
BIG|BRAVE – “the fable of subjugation”
The tracks we’ve heard from BIG|BRAVE’s new album nature morte are built on a seemingly freeform approach. On “the fable of subjugation,” the trio are guided purely by emotional expression, translating this wordless language of feeling through their instruments not unlike a jazz ensemble. Their amplifiers are also involved in this process, with cascading bombs of tone and feedback holding equal weight alongside the discernible note or vocal passage. It’s a trait often associated with noise artists, and BIG|BRAVE apply it well to their idiosyncratic drone.
Enforced – “Ultra-Violence”
Carrying the torch that was lit by progenitors such DRI and Suicidal Tendencies, Power Trip brought crossover thrash back to the masses. Although we may have lost the genre’s foremost modern practitioners after the tragic passing of singer Riley Gale, Virginia’s Enforced are here to satiate our crossover fix. “Ultra-Violence” from the band’s upcoming album War Remains is two minutes of much-needed carnality, and the breakneck speed will surely get the pits churning and the stage divers diving. Bonus points for the callback to Death Angel’s debut album The Ultra-Violence.
Slipknot – “Bone Church”
Well this was unexpected… in more ways than one. “Bone Church” is a surprise one-off Slipknot single that’s vastly different from their typical output. Originating during backstage jams on the .5: The Gray Chapter tour, the song is a slow, brooding ballad with cleanly sung vocals and massive crescendo choruses. For those who are sensitive to Slipknot’s more extreme metal tendencies, it’s an accessible number by comparison, if not the band’s most upbeat tune. Corey Taylor’s lyrics are downright grim, and the mournful atmosphere of the production is fitting of a track titled “Bone Church.”
Heavy Song of the Week: Overkill Wield Razor Sharp Thrash on “The Surgeon”
Jon Hadusek
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