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Not many bands manage to fight against the tides of time as confidently and successfully as thrash metal veterans Overkill. Few bands manage to stay alive and well for more than 20 years but Overkill have been pulling their weight since 1981. This is a band that almost every modern day thrash metal band mentions as one of their most important influences. All of this does of course hold a value from a historical viewpoint and should be common knowledge to any well educated metal fan but is not of great importance to this particular review. Instead we should question the validity of this release in the metal climate anno 2005. Is it able to compete with the majority of thrash metal releases of today? The answer comes easy with a metallic hell yes! Even today few young newcomers can live up to and surpass the past glorys of the genre, nor the latest offerings from other genre giants such as Kreator, Exodus, Annihilator and Overkill. These guys know what it's all about, they were around back then and took part in formulating and developing the genre itself. "ReliXIV" prove my previous point once more and despite nog being able to compete with the previous peaks in the band's career it is a solid slab of old-school thrash metal that should satisfy metal fans who have been around the block for a while but also attract younger metalheads who wish to drink directly from the source. This is purity, it is the passion and soul of thrash metal personified through the five New Yorkers spearheaded by Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth who performs as solid as ever with his rough-edged voice. Who needs evolution when there is Overkill? Tasteful solos, classic thrash riffs and a raw punky attitude mark the return of a beast that desires yet another kill. There is just one minor problem, the music reaches a steady state situation rather quickly and I would have liked to see a few ups and downs or at least slightly more dynamic song writing which is the only thing lacking here. "Wheelz" is a good example that breaks away from the standard pattern with D.D. Verni providing audible bass lines and displaying his accumulated talents. Keep stapling riffs and the wind will keep the ship sailing for many years more.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Within Your Eyes |
| 2. Love |
| 3. Loaded Rack |
| 4. Bats In The Belfry |
| 5. A Pound Of Flesh |
| 6. Keeper |
| 7. Wheelz |
| 8. The Mark |
| 9. Play The Ace |
| 10. Old School |
: 50.39
| Buy other Overkill albums |