Album Review: Overkill - 'White Devil Armory'

It’s their 34th year as a band and Overkill are still going as hard as ever. New album, ‘White Devil Armory,’ marks the group's 17th album overall and, if the evident music prevails, the band shows no signs of throwing in the towel. These New Jersey vets have been dominating the thrash scene for years and still manage to come out on top.

The album is energetic and powerful if anything, after a quick 50 second suspenseful introduction the record bursts into life and induces head banging straight away through the agency of trademark thrash guitar work. Along with solid bass lines and mighty vocals the expectations are immediately set high.

‘Bitter Pill’ proves to be a stand out. Classic Overkill. There is something within that you’ll find retains itself in the listener psyche. Overkill have their own formula and they stick to it, which can cause unrest, but when the group can create solid material like this why change that? If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

The execution and musical delivery cooks up a storm. With tracks like ‘Where There’s Smoke’ and ‘Freedom Rings’ providing absolutely shredding, high energy solos accompanied by knock out vocals there aren’t many bad things to say (or, write) at all.

True to the thrash aesthetic, there is absolutely no rest with this album, with every track more enthusiastic than the last. Finale, ‘In The Name,’ ends in style and proves to be another solid moment that reinforces the entire collection.

'White Devil Armory' is an intense and lively album, proving that Overkill have no intentions of backing down anytime soon. The vocals are powerful, the solos are thunderous and the production is ideal. It's fast, ferocious and dynamic.

1. XDM
2. Armorist
3. Down to the Bone
4. PIG
5. Bitter Pill
6. Where There's Smoke
7. Freedom Rings
8. Another Day to Die
9. King of the Rat Bastards
10. It's All Yours
11. In the Name