REAL ONE FOR SUBSCREBERS ! Now we have here in exclusive the 2024 remastered reissue of OVERKILL 1987’s album “Taking Over”, their second album but the first on major label Atlantic, which secured the band a major exposure and for many a place in the thrash metal pantheon alongside the ‘big four’ Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax.
After many poor reissues with faulty sound quality and minimal package, now finally we get a proper 2024 release of “Taking Over” housed into a digipak.
Though still heavy and fast like most thrash bands, Overkill tightened their songwriting in favor of a more technical side, including more extensive guitar riffs and drum parts than the debut. The overall feel of “Taking Over” varies. Some songs come off as very angry and aggressive, and yet some feel rather ominous and intense.
The production at charge of respected Alex Perialas gets a nice boost; each instrument can be heard clearly and the mix is separated. If you enjoy classic thrash metal, there are no weak tracks to be found on “Taking Over”.
In many ways, ”Taking Over” is the definition of ’80s thrash metal. Not a single riff, melody or vocal line appears too little or too much. It’s a perfect balance of everything. Bobby ”Blitz” Ellsworth is an amazing metal front man and his voice, while not perfect, is the perfect voice for this type of music.
Why is this album so good? The answer is actually very simple. The songs are just superb, and the variety of them adds to the overall experience of the album. Numbers like ”Deny The Cross”, ”Wrecking Crew” and ”Fatal If Swallowed” are nothing but thrash metal anthems, performed with an energy and relentlessness that you can almost touch on.
With songs like ”In Union We Stand”, ”Overkill II” and ”Powersurge”, you get something like ”power thrash”, songs that gives the impression of being written by a power metal band but still has that rawness and destructive feel that makes thrash metal the source of magic that it is.
The variety of the songs is definitely one of the main factors of why ”Taking Over” is so strong.
Few bands could match the sheer intensity of this 1987 sophomore release from one of thrash’s most respected bands. With Bobby Blitz’s unique vocals and shrieks, DD Verni’s powerful bass, Rat Skates on drums, and Bobby Gustafson’s lightning fast and lethal performance, Overkill released one of their best and most intense albums here.
Overkill’s “Taking Over” is one of the best Thrash metal albums of all time and a classic. If you haven’t listened to “Taking Over” from beginning to end, you’re missing out on one of the greats. Now with this 2024 reissue you can finally enjoy the record in all ita sonic glory.
Highly Recommended
1 Deny The Cross 4:42
2 Wrecking Crew 4:30
3 Fear His Name 5:23
4 Use Your Head 4:18
5 Fatal If Swallowed 6:44
6 Powersurge 4:34
7 In Union We Stand 4:23
8 Electro-Violence 3:43
9 Overkill II (The Nightmare Continues) 7:05
for subscr
Overkill – Taking Over 2024 Reissue, MP3+FLAC , CD-Rip
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