OVERKILL Twenty Years In Wrecking Your Neck In Decay The Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, PA
By Steve Trager
It is exactly twenty years to date since the formation of Thrash titans Overkill, who have recorded more then several studio blistering CD's, and have tour rentlessly to support each one. seems almost like yesterday that this band first made their mark on the world of thrash metal with their EP which is a hard piece to get these days. Overkill is certainly a band that goes without saying, each year has matured this band from several line up changes from a four piece in the late eighties, to a current line up of five with Blitz at the wheel and DD Verni on bass. to some these to guys are overkill still, fact is these are the only two remaining original Members' who really represent the band live wise. If any fan has seen this band from day one, you basically know that when they step on to a stage anywhere in the world, they come to shred in a performance that only can be labeled "wrecking your neck with overkill" although you wont see this band getting any awards at some MTV gig or anything like that, you still have to give props to overkill for staying true to the music and believing in what they set out to accomplish as a band from the very beginning. each recording throughout overkill's history signifies them as one of many bands who really stayed true to the music even with a re - polished recording of Coverkill songs which some trash bands recreate the nostalgia of certain bands either past or present who they have admired in some cases.
Recently, I caught up with the legendary thrash titans Overkill at the trocadero theater in Philadelphia on their current limited date tour celebrating twenty years of overkill as a live touring act. With an endless set list to go over during a show, you find some old school overkill songs and a few newer or lesser popular ones from recordings that generally get tossed in from many years as a band at a live show. As Blitz mentioned to the crowd, its always great to be back in Philadelphia, he also mentioned about places his band has played over the years airport music hall that was in Allentown pa, and lamours in Brooklyn, NY where years ago overkill was more then just a typical heavy drawling metal act. I myself have always been a fan of overkills music, yet when it comes to a set list you say wait a minute, they could have played this or that, or why didn't they play that one. Fact is with soo much material over the years overkill could basically be an evening with overkill and shred through twenty plus songs spanning their history.
Still great as a five piece as ever, overkill performed an amazing one hundred minute set with many pit favorites like "Elimination ," " Wrecking Crew ," " Hello From The Gutter ," " Rotten To The Core ," " Thanks For Nothin,'" and "Fuck You " which seem to be the highlight of the show. Yet still overkill can kick major ass with these songs, suprisingly enough twenty years have gone by quicker then a blink of an eye that sometimes we have the tendency to forget how good it feels when a band like overkill comes to town and sets the place on fire musically speaking that is ofcourse. As we know in today's music a lot of bands manage to run the mill in their career, line up changes, record deals and or various things that put a damper on a band, yet for the likes of overkill twenty years down the road, still holding true to the music, and enjoying what they do live is all about the fans and what they do that separates overkill from the rest of the world.... enough said.
