It overlooks the many bands outside of that top four who have given thrashers a lot to mosh around to over the years. None more so than New Jersey legendary thrashers Overkill who have been hanging around Thrash Alley for forty odd years, and on their 20th album (an incredible feat when you stop and think about it) there is a loose feeling of coming full circle about proceedings, as the fiery title Scorched bears connection to 1985’s debut Feel the Fire.
Aside from a different approach to the making of Scorched – recorded at home and using file sharing as a necessary result of the pandemic, Overkill don’t change the formula too much. The current band clearly possess a love of whipping up thrash ferocity, which they do so on ‘The Surgeon’, ‘Twist of the Wick’, and ‘Harder they Fall.’ A combination of killer riffage, frenzied double bass drum and all-round the kit pummelling, multiple tempo builds to keep you on your toes, displays forthrightly any pent-up energy from the last couple of strange years are channelled productively.
As much of a cathartic release this must have been for the band, there is also a real sense of relishing the opportunity to get back to business. Bobby Blitz sounds like he is having blast, whether propelling his gravel toned vocals to higher levels on the full throttle thrasher ‘Twist of the Wick’, or rolling the words out – with occasional yelps – on the chugger grooving ‘Wicked Place.’
There are many highs, the title track ‘Scorched’ is a blistering opener, and paves the way for a highly-powered opening five tracks, which will add fuel to many mosh-pits. Where Scorched shows creative depth is in the plenty of additional embellishments woven into the textures of the songs – take the solo Cello to end ‘Wicked Place, and the quite brilliant monk choir mid-section contained within ‘Twist of the Wick’ – gives credence to a band showing care and thoughtfulness in the detail; to sound invigorated far beyond a band delivering a 20th album is entitled to.
There are a couple of times they dial down the intensity to leave ‘Know her name’ and ‘Won’t be coming back’ falling short in comparison to the surrounding firepower and thrills. This isn’t just about the tempo, because when they turn off the speed and slow it right down on ‘Fever’, they match it with a burning fierceness. It is also the one song that comes closest for claiming curveball status as the initial opening notes sound like The Cure, plied with Bobby’s clean crooning, before familiar gutsy growls combine with a grinding riff and a close-knit rhythm. It’s a slow burner, which oddly stacks up to eventually lead you to keep going back for extra listens.
Ultimately, Scorched sounds like Overkill, albeit more diverse and expansive than anticipated. If you crave quality bursts of thrash with Overkill‘s trademark sprinkling of classic heavy metal, baked in crisp modern production, then Scorched might be just what the doctor ordered.