Overkill - The Grinding Wheel Review

A very much earned nickname Overkill has acquired recently is “The Motorhead of Thrash Metal”. I can’t think of another band that have shown the consistency that Overkill has both in terms of workload and quality. Having never left more than a three year gap between albums and the band have unleashed their eighteenth album “The grinding Wheel” while I’m still blasting “white devil Armory” on a regular basis.

“The Grinding Wheel” is an hour of pure Thrash the way only Overkill knows how. It really is a case of business as usual. It gives the fans a quick glimpse of where the band are right now and it’s “yes, we are still Awesome!” and its back on the road.

Kicking off with “Mean Green Killing Machine”. This track is vintage Overkill which I think would be a good set closer rather than an opener. It has an epic feel to it especially with a melodic passage in the middle of the song. “Goddamn Trouble” is a fast one with a rapid sung chorus that is catchy as hell. “Come Heavy” is a highlight for me this is a mid tempo stomper and it’s more of a straight ahead old fashion rock n roll song. It’s an open road, feel good summer track much in the vein of Ac/Dc. Closing with what I assume is a 2 part track “The Wheel” and “The Grinding Wheel” the later closes at just under 8 minutes. This is a grooving traditional track which brings to mind vintage Judas Priest before upping the ante at the end and leaving you battered and bruised for the album closes with a big grand finish.

Quite simply Overkill does what it says on the tin. As I mentioned earlier this is business as usual but in the best possible way. This sits nicely alongside their latest hits like “Ironbound”, “The electric age” and “White Devil Armory”. If you are new to the band this album is as good a place to start as any. There’s simply no stopping this band.

4/ 5