» Overkill 2008 03 21  
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Reviewed by Thomas
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Special guest: Mortal Sin, Drone
City: Gothenburg, Sweden
Venue: Sticky Fingers
Date: 21 March 2008
Drone set length: 35 minutes
Mortal Sin set length: 45 minutes
Overkill set length: 95 minutes

Drone

Drone from Germany was the first band on the stage this evening, and perfect on time I might add as well. Although, that was all that I saw as perfect from these severe Machine Head wannabes that didn't do much for me to get warm from the icy cold night that had embraced Gothenburg this evening. What I have heard from them on album is better then what this uninspired performance of insignificant songs that lead nowhere gave proof of.

2 chalices of 10

(sorry, no setlist)

Mortal Sin

What Drone failed to do, Mortal Sin on the other hand succeeded rather well with; to get me in a good, pumped up mood prior to Overkill. I'm almost ashamed to say that this Aussie thrash outfit has passed me by, as their songs held a high quality for the most of the time and their confident performance further established them as a really good band in my ears. This was good ol' school thrash with a sense for the melodic even though the emphasis is on the thrash, and definitely something I must looking further in to in the future.

6 chalices of 10

(sorry, no setlist)

 

Overkill

An introduction to Overkill will not be necessary I suppose. If you are in to thrash this band ought to be familiar to you, at least it should be according to me. With about 27 years in the service of thrash and never compromising with their style, they know their way around and the hunger still burns in their eyes. It has been 11 years since they played in Gothenburg or Sweden as far as I know, although they did one helluva show at Sweden Rock Festival (still something of the best I have seen during my years there) in 2005 and my expectations were set high before this evening metal bash.

They started off with Devils In The Mist from their current release Immortalis and, safe to say, they put the pedal to the metal right away. The intensity and dedication from stage set the mood and created a momentum that was kept intact all the way only to increase when older (I guess you could call it classic songs) were delivered, as when they continued with Hello From The Gutter and Rotten To The Core. You could doubtless establish that Overkill was a tight outfit that came to deliver and that looked determined to wreck fucking everything. As usual, this and that could be said about the setlist, but let's not forget that what they did, they did awesome, regardless of which song they performed. Although their new material holds up well, there is no question that it is with their older songs the concerts really peaks, as well within the band as with the audience. Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth is one charismatic vocalist and also what puts the final topping on the band with his unique voice.

The sound was not the best at the beginning, but it got better all along, and soon enough it was not a concern anymore. There were room for more people in the venue, but since the spirit was high and the mosh-pit seemed nicely chaotic at times and there was plenty of stage divers, I think it is fair to say that Overkill came, they saw, and they wrecked. This was surely very welcome and warming in the blistering winter cold.

8 chalices of 10



SETLIST:

Devils In The Mist
Hello From The Gutter
Rotten To The Core
Bastard Nation
Skull & Bones
Thanks For Nothing
F.U.C.T.
Skullcrusher
Long Time Dyin'
Hammerhead
Walk Through Fire
Nice Day For A Funeral
Wrecking Crew
Fatal If Swallowed/Elimination
Old School/Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Fuck You

Related links:
www.wreckingcrew.com
www.myspace.com/overkill
www.droneband.de
www.myspace.com/dronemetal
www.mortalsin.com.au
www.myspace.com/mortalsinners