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Rating: "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.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 World of Hurt (05:19)
Aggravation, fuelin' me
Money powered, hypocracy
I have no feelings, you're much the same
We have no feelings, we feel no pain!
I am numb to all I see
This the way it has to be
Gone is hope, gone is need
I know! stone don't bleed
What's it worth? if I die
What's the reason? they all cry
I have no feelings, too much the same
Not my problem, I feel no blame
We are blind and we are cold
We're afraid of growing old
We are numb to all we see
Nothing sacred
Backs turned to madness
Backs to misery and I put the
Brush to the canvas!
An' paint a world!
Paint my world of:
Hurt!
World of hurt. Of hurt
We are blind and we are cold
Still afraid of growing old
We are numb to all we see
Nothing sacred
Hurt!!!
Paints my world of hurt
Paints my world, in my world of!
In my world of hurt!!!
06 Spiritual Void (05:13)
Bless me with that special pain,
That makes a man feel right as rain.
My soul-a-fire, feelin' so alive in your own way.
If you need a reason,
To get some healin'.
If your spirit's bleedin'
Then get some healin'!!!
I need a new religeon!!!
Laughin' like a true beleiver,
Laughin' hard the true deceiver.
Without a worry in this world no friend of time.
Do we get higher?
Ha ha ha higher...
Are we all higher?!
In a spiritual void.
One for neglecting me,
And two on the way to three.
No I never felt so low I never, felt so low as in this void!
Bless us all with what we need!
Self indulgent constant greed.
What's mine is mine is mine you get your own leave me alone.
Spiritual void.
10 Undying (05:25)
Wake up baby, daddy's comin' to crack your skull in two
Hit you like a hammer baby, down the play a fool
No to the kicking!
No more to say!
No having just one meaning!
Nothing left to say
No way
Surface the anger
Through immortality
Should you be, undying?
You never were, undying
Wake up break down daddy's comin', all you heard is true
So bite your lip and shut your mouth, it's no longer up to you
No to the licking!
No more to say!
No leavin' you alone...
Nothing more to say!
No way! no
Surface the anger
Immortality
Should you be, undying?
Undying
No! for! give! ness!
No! more! to! say!
No way... no
Surface the anger
Immortality
You never were, undying?
Undying
Undying, never be undying
You never were, undying
You never seem, undying
How can you be? undying...
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