If there’s any such thing as an atomic clock in heavy metal, OVERKILL are it. Every other year, a new platter surfaces from the Jersey Boys and almost never does it disappoint. Usually a 10 tracker as well, just like The Wings Of War.
What can we say about the 19th album from this most dependable of wrecking crews? New drummer Jason Bittner – late of SHADOWS FALL and FLOTSAM & JETSAM – has given the band a kick in the ass. His drumming here is explosive and machine gun-like in its velocity. Much like Scott Travis did for JUDAS PRIEST on Painkiller, Bittner adds some spice to OVERKILL. That’s heard nowhere better than the first track ‘Last Man Standing’, which comes tearing out of the gate like a nitro-fueled funny car. This is one of the fastest OVERKILL songs ever, and certainly one of their best opening tracks. Just incredibly merciless for a band of this vintage!
There is a harder and heavier edge overall to The Wings Of War as compared to last album The Grinding Wheel, which was the first OVERKILL record in a while to kind of drop the intensity. This new one I would compare more to The Electric Age. It is true, most of the songs here fit a predictable OVERKILL pattern and that can be seen as a slight drawback, but come on, you’re not gonna get post-punk or symphonic metal from these guys at this stage of their career.
‘Head Of A Pin’ is definitely more of the “groovy” OVERKILL but it builds to a fierce climax and one of Blitz’s most hair-raising screams. ‘Welcome To The Garden State’ is punky, super catchy and is almost like a thrash metal RAMONES, though I could have done without the “millennial whoop” Whoa-oh-oh’s. ‘Hole In My Soul’ ends the album with another intense thrasher. Everything in-between is the OVERKILL we’ve all come to know and love over the years.
Reviews are hard for these guys, just like they were for MOTORHEAD. Quality guaranteed…just pick the damn thing up, already!
Review By: Dr. Mality
OVERKILL
The Wings Of War
Nuclear Blast
5 / 6