Overkill
I Hear Black

THE REVIEW

"I Hear Black", the seventh release by Overkill in the distant 1993, was a surprise, if not a disappointment, for many fans of the American band.
They were coming from a series of fresh, lively, very youthful albums; from "Feel The Fire" they had come a long way and had made themselves known in the homeland and abroad for their characteristic traits: speed, grit, the almost punk mood of their thrash metal, personal but not overly innovative. With this release, Bobby "Blitz" and company try to make a turn in their career, even though they were coming from what could undoubtedly be considered a success, the legendary "Horrorscope".
It's in this album that Overkill maximizes their Blues vein, which will return in other works but never so evident; and the influence of Sabbath is felt here more than elsewhere, where instead the almost Priest-like acidic tones will prevail.

But the real flaw of the album, in my opinion, is not the subjective (in?)opportunity of the direction taken in songwriting and execution; unfortunately, the production falls behind like never before (and never will again) in Overkill's history. The sounds are gray, empty, lacking body and brilliance, the setting is nonexistent, the drums have a sound that seems to come from a fisher price, and even the voice is dull and opaque. It's a pity because the tracks are not all to be thrown away; on the contrary, there is some good material that will perform excellently live.
It starts with "Dreaming in Columbian"; as usual, Overkill choose one of the most devastating tracks from the album as the opener. It drops a bit with "I Hear Black", quite catchy, and climbs steeply with "World Of Hurt", probably one of the most successful pieces, although not particularly original. "Feed My Head" is heavily influenced by the Ozzy-style, especially in the vocal lines and the bluesy march progression. Then comes "Shades Of Gray", a rather pleasant slow piece but penalized by the unfortunate choice of sounds. "Spiritual Void" is a breath of originality: the most bluesy and personal track of the entire album. It quickly slides towards the end of the album, through "Ghost Dance", a completely useless interlude, "Weight Of The World", a thrash ride not particularly notable, "Ignorance & Innocence", another I-Hear-Black-style piece, "Undying", yet another great track ruined by the production.
It reaches the last track, "Just Like You", and a new confirmation is obtained: the last track of an Overkill album is always one of the best pieces. JLY is a powerhouse of strength and speed that grips you from the first to the last note, a preview of that violent and obsessive thrash that Overkill will revisit many years later.

What remains of this "I Hear Black"? A transition album by a group still searching for a turning point, a soul, a change. A change announced but not yet accomplished; a beautiful but unripe album, which nonetheless leaves us with a handful of songs that will prove their worth in the subsequent live performances.