Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
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0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

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Band
Overkill
Title
White Devil Armory
Type
LP/EP
Company
Eone
YOR
2014
Style
Thrash
7/23/2014 - Review by: T. Ray Verteramo

Overkill
White Devil Armory

Company: Eone Music
Release: 2014
Genre: Thrash
Reviewer: T. Ray Verteramo

  • Made for the pit



  • I'll say this for them: Overkill knows who they are. "Experimentation, stylistic departures, overtures toward the mainstream? That's somebody else's game." That's what they say and I can't disagree. Strap on your boots boys and girls, this release was made for the pit.

    Spitfire drums, crunching axes, pissy-screaching Vince-Neil-on-crack-vocals to thunder classic riffs reminiscent of the good-ol' days when S.O.D. and Exodus ruled the college airwaves, "White Devil" serves up some unclean fun driving and diving music for the conformity-impaired. Overkill, after 30 years and 14 albums later, took their noise Viagra this year as there is not a single soft track on the 11-cut project that lacks in speed.

    The intro, "XDM" (whatever that means) sounds like a badass engine farting with mock gongs and fanfare which pelts right into the unpretentious "The Armorist," and just keeps right on going. This album is full of callbacks, chants – even the irresistible gothic "aah's" after the bridge in "Down To the Bone" – and will no doubt interpret very well live, should they be wise enough to tour to support this release. "Bitter Pill" demonstrates some guitar work and chord progressions with a dark twist, though the melody line doesn't sound much different than Grace Jones' classic, "Demolition Man" but, I'll be damned if "If There's Smoke" did not take a big ol' page out of Metallica's "Damage Inc.", at least until the vocals kick in. Not saying that the band is shallow; "PIG" may sound like adolescent ranting, but it's actually a thoughtfully well-crafted song. Lyrics like "Dig a grave or foxhole, pile up the bodies – Welcome to the rodeo, got you on the video," aren't pissed out in the bathroom. Credit where credit's due...

    Production? Whatever. Doesn't matter. It's not meant to be pretty. It's not meant to be clean. Yes, there are times when the drums pummel all over everything and the bass sounds like it's emerging from a swamp, but, that's part of the charm. For Overkill, it works. For anyone not determined to stick to the formula since the 80's, maybe not, but that's another review. Overkill, once again, proves they know the difference between "thrashy" and "trashy." If you want deep, then go to your cave, dim the lights, light some black candles, and put on some Xasthur. But, if you want a bite into that York Peppermint Metal for that crisp, cool sensation of having someone's elbow shoved up your nose, just slam it in and hit "play." You'll love this.



    • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
      4.5 :AVE RATING

    ALL REVIEWS FOR: OVERKILL
    TITLE
    DOR
    COMPANY
    REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
    Hellish Videos
    2005
    Sanctuary Records
    Ken Pierce8/17/2005
    -
    Ironbound
    2010
    Nuclear Blast
    Vinaya Saksena5/18/2010
    4
    Killbox 13
    2003
    Spitfire
    Eric Compton4/10/2003
    -
    RelixIV
    2005
    Spitfire
    Susan Wright4/7/2005
    -
    Taking Over
    1986
    Atlantic
    Anthony Burke7/10/2005
    -
    The Electric Age
    2012
    Nuclear Blast
    Chris Kincaid3/23/2012
    5
    The Grinding Wheel
    2017
    Nuclear Blast
    Eric Compton2/15/2017
    4.5
    The Grinding Wheel
    2017
    Nuclear Blast
    Frank Hill1/17/2017
    4.5
    The Wings Of War
    2019
    Nuclear Blast
    David Loveless2/24/2019
    4.5
    White Devil Armory
    2014
    Eone
    T. Ray Verteramo7/23/2014
    4.5
    Wrecking Everything
    2002
    Spitfire
    Ken Pierce4/1/2005
    -
    Wrecking Everything Live
    2002
    Spitfire
    Ken Pierce4/1/2005
    -

    ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: OVERKILL
    INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE
    DD VerniEric Compton, Stygian Steel1/2/2006


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