Search - Overkill :: From the Underground & Below

Middleaged Metal

Stanley Runk | Camp North Pines | 03/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Would you like to hear some music that'll slap you straight in the puss then kick you square in the ass? Overkill's music basically does that in general, but this album is a fantastic example of this, especially if you aren't too familiar with the group. Unlike many of the thrash bands of the good ole days, Overkill have never forgotten who they are. Granted, Underground sounds quite a bit different from Taking Over, but then again Kill Em All sounded different from Puppets, didn't it? Overkill don't seem to be playing as fast as they used to, but they sure are playing heavier. I mean frickin HEAVY! Like speed in your car, start a fight with a stranger on the street heavy. Maybe it's the advances in recording technology, I'm not sure, but I think this is as heavy as music is able to get. Listen to this stuff(or any of their recent output for that matter) and tell me if you really think Linkin Park is "heavy". Unfortuntely, the younger folks won't have the time of day for an older group of fortysomethings who don't try to clone Phil Anselmo's vocal style. But us twenty/thirtysomethings who were around when the whole thrash thing started know what the score is, don't we? These old bands are like Corn Flakes-The Original and Best. Get From The Underground and see what I'm talking about. It's heavy, it's catchy and it's fun......and you can take that to the bank!"

Overkill is a constant

Paul Bishop | Doylestown, PA USA | 08/05/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"To start off, my overall impression of this album is that it is average to above average. It had been ten years since I last listened to Overkill. In 1995 I was in my speed/death metal phase (pre-black album Metallica, Megedeth, Slayer, Testament, Overkill, Carcass, Entombed, Exodus, Death, etc.). However, college came along and I got swept up into different types of music. Nowadays I don't listen to metal anymore.

A month ago, I was ticked off about my living situation and my landlord, and I went back to my past and popped in my Overkill tapes for my rides in my car to and from work. Let me tell you, it was such a rush, pounding the steering wheel listening to "Elimination", "Who Tends the Fire", "Never Say Never", "Use Your Head", "Thanx for Nothin'", "SupersonicHate" "Infectious", etc. etc. etc. - and even the last album I bought from Overkill - "The Killing Kind - which I found a new appreciation of.

So, I decided to pick up where I left off and start reliving the Overkill experience. I resumed with From the Underground and Below. It's been about a month since I got this album, and it is just now starting to grow on me, sort of like a lot of Overkill's albums (Horrorscope comes to mine and that one turned out to be a classic!). Really digging "Long Time Dyin'", "The Rip 'n Tear", "Genocya", and for some reason, I like "I'm Alright". "Long Time Dyin'" is such a classic Overkill tune - has great lyrics and a great speed-metal bluesy vibe if you will. I don't even want to talk about "Promises". That tune is a total misstep if you ask me. Ballad territory is not where Blitz should enter into. And I don't consider "The Years of Decay" or "Soulitude" ballads. "Promises" for lack of a better term, lacks balls. There are two other upsetting aspects of this album. One is the fact that there's not a lot of D.D. Verni in the mix. Turn that bass up! Oh, don't get me wrong, you can still hear him, but compared to past albums, I'm disappointed. Secondly, I don't really think most of the background vocals add anything good to any song. "The Rip 'n Tear" comes to mind. However, a good overall effort from the band. Joe Comeau and Sebastian Marino don't really set the world on fire, but they sound alright to me. I love the little minute-long dirge or whatever you call that comes before "I'm Alright" - I might be mistaken on that. As for Blitz' vocals: As good as ever (and were talking 10 years since Taking Over came out!) It sounds like he has definitely tweaked his voice a little bit to hit some of the more trouble-spots, but he can still get that classic caterwaul going when he needs to. If you're like me and have been a long-time fan of this band, get this album. If you're new to the band, I suggest you start with The Years of Decay, Horrorscope, and W.F.O."

This is what heavy metal is supposed to be!!

Vader | 01/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is what metal is supposed to be. One of the best metal albums released in the last 10 years and I'm certain that this album was over-loked, under-rated and under-appreciated. It is catchy, blistering fast and represents the best speed metal/thrash metal in years. Overkill has created a masterpiece and it is one of the best albums and probably ranks up there with Metallica's the Black Album. I know one thing- TOP 40 radio won't touch Overkill and that there isn't a place for them in the mainstream. Overkill's album deserves 5 stars and is one of the heaviest albums in years and they were influenced by Black Sabbath and Metallica.



"