For over 3 and a half decades their bottom line crazy method of thrash has produced
some of the most signature moments in the world of metal. Now in the
latter half of their career, all the experience is showing face with SCORCHED as
it somehow rings more mature, refined, and embellished with hints of more than
just thrash metal. “It’s not aggression for the sake of aggression,” explains vocalist
Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, “there are a lot of different elements on the record. To me,
it’s more heavy metal, and less of an outright thrash record. There’s a hell of a lot
of melody on it.”
Thanks to technology, with all members recording at home and file sharing, the
long distance writing process was made easier. Soon after getting off the road in
2020, different elements began recording until “all of a sudden it was 2022 and the
leads came in. I continued to work on lyrics and eventually had finished tracks to
use,” describes Blitz. “I think that may be one of the reasons that you hear that experience,
or those rough edges that are actually thought about. We got a different
result based on the fact that there was so much time to go from the start to finish,
and that’s new for us.”
Over in the UK, Colin Richardson and his assistant engineer Chris Clancy were sent
the album for mixing. “We wanted something that you could turn up to 10, and it
wouldn’t get you tired after listening to it for 3 songs. Colin’s work is an 80’s throwback
mix with a modern punch,” explains Blitz. Johnny Rodd helped with producing
vocals, and finally Maor Appelbaum took over mastering and adding finishing
touches.
The end result is something born of heaviness, wisdom, and violent, melodic energy.
The title track is an explosive representation of a 35 year history of burnin’ things
up along with The Surgeon, which is also Overkill 101. Opening with the chunk and
clunk of a classic DD Verni bass line, it breaks open into machine gun vocals racing
round and round with the guitar to see who tires first. “Although the record may
be a little different, there are still the characteristics that have brought us to this
point, and The Surgeon is the track that does that the most. Move it along, Electric
Rattlesnake kinda Overkill, ‘thrash with class’ I call it; the thrash that makes us what
we are,” laughs Blitz.
SCORCHED will be released Spring, 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records. OVERKILL
is vocalist Bobby Blitz, DD Verni on bass, Dave Linsk on guitar, Jason Bittner on
drums, and Derek Tailer on guitar.