It’s a band that have been celebrating 36 years of bringing their hyper-style thrash around the world. Yes, they have been around for a very long time, but has the age taken it’s toll on the acclaimed high-energy performances that Overkill have been delivering throughout their career?

[date]13th April 2016[/date]
[venue]o2 Academy Islington[/venue]
[city]London, UK[/city]
[support_bands]Vader, One Machine[/support_bands]

Vader

Admittedly it was a little hard to contrive why Vader were in a support slot tonight. The band could have easily packed out a venue by themselves in London, but it appears the evening is ranked by veteranship in metal. When you are opening up for Overkill, it’s an honour to be placed where you are. Let’s not forget though that Vader are legends in their own right, blasting the finest of Eastern European death metal for over 25 years.

There is a lot of Polish chatter around the venue tonight, so clearly the band have brought a crowd of their own. When the band kick off with ‘Wings‘, that crowd make themselves known with high volume responses that liter through Vader’s set.

That brutal stage attitude that has become synonymous with the band is all there as they burst through classics such as ‘Triumph of Death‘ and ‘Come and See My Sacrifice‘. The energy was all there, albeit the sound being a bit muffled in places.

We have been looking forward to a new Vader album for a while, and we were hoping to get a glimpse with a new track this evening. Sadly this was not the case as the band finished up with the ever-brilliant ‘Helleluyah! (God is Dead)‘. But we did receive the assurance of a new record this year, and that surely means Vader will be back in a headline capacity to completely tear it up.

Overkill

Finally after all these years of being a dedicated metalhead, I can see Overkill live. Being such a prominent figure in the thrash metal scene, it’s hard for myself to believe that I keep missing this band. That curse is shattered tonight as the New Jersey legends return to the London stage, and prove that age is but a number. Overkill are here to destroy.

Breaking into the electric ‘Armorist‘, it is true indeed that Overkill have not slowed down one bit after 36 years. Frontman Bobby Blitz is doing what he does best, roping the audience in and having them work his every command – all the signs of a veteran frontman.

What amazes me most about the evening, and something that I’m still buzzing about, was the sound of the band. Frequently I have said how great some of these bands that play the Islington Academy manage to pull off their mix and push it well through out the venue – Overkill raised the bar 10-fold – they brought a live sound I didn’t even think possible. Crystal sharp guitar sounds, completely audible leads, a thunderous bass line and Earth-shattering drums were fired off in what was quite possibly the most perfect mix I’ve ever heard.

Tracks like ‘Electric Rattlesnake‘ and ‘Feel the Fire’ really demonstrated that incredible sound that captured the most intense crowd moments of the evening. And it was classics like ‘Horrorscope‘ and ‘Hello From The Gutter‘ that brought the most out of the fans in appreciation of the classic Overkill, from old and new fans alike.

While having the vibe of a standard Overkill show, the band execute their job in such a flawless manner that it’s impossible to don the occasion as ‘just another show’. It’s metal entertainment at its finest. Just ask any one of the hyped up fans after the last notes of ‘Overkill‘.