Overkill CD/DVD Features Two Classic Albums Performed in Entirety

Ever since I heard two years ago that New Jersey thrash greats Overkill had performed its classic albums “Horrorscope” and “Feel the Fire” in their entirety I’ve been waiting, along with Overkill fans worldwide, for the concert to be officially released.

Two years later, Overkill has granted our wishes. On May 18 the band will release the double CD/DVD “Live In Overhausen,” documenting the one-off show performed in 2016 in Germany.

The package’s many highlights include rarely and never-before performed songs like “Live Young, Die Free,” “Soulitude,” “Second Son” and “Kill At Command,” as well as fan favorites like “Rotten to the Core,” “Feel the Fire,” “Infectious” and “Coma.”

"Feel the Fire," the band’s 1985 debut, immediately established Overkill as a major force on the thrash scene. “Horrorscope” (1991), their best-selling album, marked a turning point as Overkill expanded to a two-guitar lineup.

The band is led by singer Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni, who co-founded Overkill in 1980. The group also includes longtime guitarists Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer. Drummer Eddy Garcia performs on the DVD; he took over the drum stool temporarily after Ron Lipnicki's departure.

Overkill gives a top-notch, intense performance on "Live in Overhausen" worthy of Overkill's well-earned, never disappoint reputation, replete with searing guitar riffs and solos, thunderous bass and drums, and Ellsworth’s signature high-pitched shrieks – the guy hasn't lost an octave in four decades.

The band, with new drummer Jason Bittner, is currently working on its 19th album, set for release in February 2019.

We recently conducted an in-depth interview with Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth.

Q. How did the idea to play and record “Horrorscope” and “Feel the Fire” come about?

We were on tour in Belgium and D.D. and I and the guys are sitting around the dressing room and saying, "we've got to do a DVD for the contract." Out of that blossomed this. So it was something that was required of us but I think from that first statement what followed became a great idea and very Overkillesque by doing two albums instead of one.

The discussion was so quick. I was having a beer, D.D. was drinking coffee and Dave Linsk was playing guitar. The whole conversation was, yeah, that'd be cool, Germany would be cool, two albums would be good. What really locked us into it was within the hour one of the Nuclear Blast guys came in and we told him. He said, 'you're going to do two albums? Why?' We said, 'because it's Overkill. We want to do more.' From then on we were very hands-on with the whole project. D.D. was very involved with the production.

Q. Why film in Oberhausen, Germany?

We chose Oberhausen because it's a killer venue and we had filmed 15 minutes from there in 1986, the Feel the Fire Tour, 30 years prior, and in April, the same month. It was the Metal Hammer Roadshow VHS. So it was like a second homecoming for us. We're like, 'something's falling together here with karma.' Germany has always welcomed us with open arms. Thirty years later we see people still dressed in the same thrash uniform as 86: high-top sneakers and denim vests with all the patches. These aren't just kids; these are 45-year-olds. They’ve held on to the tradition.

Q. What were your goals back on that first tour in 1986?

To get to 1987 (laughs). There’s no long-sightedness in young men, not for me anyway. I was living in the moment. I don’t think anyone could've seen us doing this three decades later. In hindsight I see why it happened. All this is hard work and one day rolls into a month into a year into a decade.

Q. Were you nervous about playing old songs you hadn't performed in a while during the show.

It wasn't hard to do onstage. The work was pre-show. We're energizer bunnies. You put the batteries in and turn us on and we know what to do under the lights. It was getting to that point which was the harder thing and probably great for the results of the DVD because that's where we excel, under the lights. It was captured that night and it feels really successful. It doesn't feel like we're milking the cow.

Q. Which songs did you enjoy revisiting the most?

The ones that we never did or hadn't done forever, especially the ones off “Feel the Fire”. Almost all of “Horrorscope” has come in and out of our set except for "Live Young, Die Free" and "Soulitude," and those were great to do. But when we got back to that "Feel the Fire" stuff I felt like I was a kid with a beer in each hand. Like, 'oh my God we're doing "Second Son.’” I remember when D.D. came in with the lyrics for that when we were still unsigned and out in Staten Island in [former guitarist] Bobby Gustafson’s basement. Playing those old songs took me all the way back. I felt like I was playing at the Showplace in Dover or L'Amour. It was a great feeling.

Q. “Horrorscope is Overkill’s best-selling album. Why do you think that is?

I think it's a couple of things. things. We had come off a record, “The Years of Decay,” that got some pretty good acclaim critically and by fans. In the interim we had shifted over to Atlantic Records. The promotion for "Horrorscope" was huge. We had two videos and toured the hell out of the record. We had Atlantic, that machine behind us keeping us on the road so we had the visibility.

Q. In the video you joke that you feel like you’re 50 again. All kidding aside you still hit the high note screams on “Coma,” “Overkill” and a host of other songs. How have you kept your vocal cords in shape?

I suppose it has something to do with looking forward so much to the shows and the adrenaline that makes you reach down deep. And now that I stopped smoking it seems like it gets better. But if I overthink it I'm only going to ruin it. I know me too well!

Q. Did you ever think 10 years ago, "I wonder how long the voice will last"?

Yes I did. But I was smoking. I was always strong onstage but I'd come home from tours and I couldn't talk for a month. I dropped the cigarettes and was like, 'holy shit, who is this guy.' If I didn't get knocked down by that I'd still be sitting here with an ashtray full of Marlboros, but it's not possible to do that and sing at a high level.

Q. You’re working on your first album with new drummer Jason Bittner, which is due out next February. What has Jason brought to the band?

He's put a lot of work into the album and his excitement has spread to all of us. He's the first person in this band who's deeply, technically trained. That's one of the most exciting things about this project. This guy is pretty close to a virtuoso when hitting the skins.

Q. What can you tell us about the new music?

What I notice about it is that there are parts of it that delve into really classic heavy metal that are spawned off the riff. There's kind of a brutal metal riff and then there's a heavy metal riff. The brutal riff being more in the modern sense of Overkill but the classic riff goes back into the feel of "Feel the Fire," "Taking Over," "The Years of Decay" kind of influence.

I think what we’re doing is staying with that classic riff but adding the brutality after. So it has the vibe of classic heavy metal with that spawned aggression off of it. Obviously we're not going to be progressive or off the tracks with where we're going. It's Overkill. But the internal end of that is really exciting because we notice every little different nuance in it. So I think it's going to be interesting.