The Overkill

About

Overkill picked their name from a Motörhead album, and that tells you most of what you need to know. This New Jersey thrash band grew out of a punk outfit, and you can still hear it in the speed and bite of their sound, which has earned them the nickname "the Motörhead of thrash metal". Bassist D.D. Verni and vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth are the two original members still standing, and they have steered the band since 1980. The 1983 Power in Black demo got them noticed in the tape trading scene, and their 1985 debut Feel the Fire became a thrash landmark. They soon signed to Atlantic, one of the first thrash acts to land a major label deal. Taking Over, Under the Influence and Horrorscope followed, along with a string of albums that kept them going strong in Europe and Japan. The 2010s brought a real second wind in the U.S., with The Electric Age, White Devil Armory and The Grinding Wheel all reaching the top 100. Their skeletal bat mascot Chaly turns up on plenty of their covers.