From the Underground & Below

Over Kill | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 30, 1997)
• Original Release Date: September 30, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• ASIN: B000001YAF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,026 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

More than 10 years and three labels after its crusade began, New Jersey's Overkill is still churning out solid slabs of molten metal. Perhaps the band has been thrashing away too single-mindedly to notice how little ground it has gained, but instead of whining about the collapse of its industry or the fickle nature of its former fans, Overkill has kept on keeping on. From the Underground and Below is a thundering sludge-fest that features enough rhythm changes and diverse mood shifts to keep the songs surging even when they lack solid vocal hooks. --Jon Wiederhorn

Product Description

Japanese edition of the metal veteran's 1997 album withtheir cover of Deep Purple's 'Space Truckin'' added as abonus track. 11 tracks total. 1997 Victor release. The fulltitle is 'From The Underground And Below'. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A different Overkill, but still very good, February 22, 2005

By 

General Zombie (the West) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From the Underground & Below (Audio CD)

After the experimentation of 'The Killing Kind' Overkill settled into a sorta bluesy groove-metal sound. Lotsa Overkill fans aren't real big on this style, and I certainly don't like this album as much as 'Years of Decay' or 'Horrorscope' but this is still a damn fine metal album, and probably better than the 2 albums that preceded it. It may not be classic Overkill, but it does what it does extremely well.

The first thing you will likely notice about `From the Underground and Below' is that this album is monstrously heavy. 'The Killing Kind' was too, but the more consistent, bruising tempos of 'From the Underground and Below' makes their ever increasing intensity all the more apparent. Though this is a groovy album, it's still pretty energetic and rarely truly plodding, and it avoids the sorta senseless, excessive solemnity that slower metal albums sometimes adapt. The riffs are definitely punishing, but still fairly memorable much of the time, though definitely not as much so as on their thrash albums. Fortunately, Blitz's vox continue to improve, with some of the most consistently catchy chorus's of their career, and a bit more genuine melody every now and then. Though the rhythm section doesn't draw too much attention to itself, it must be doing a plenty good job, considering how well this album grooves along.

It opens up with three devastatingly heavy, and excellent tracks. They aren't all that different from one another, but they have the stomping intensity and energy that makes them all worthwhile, along with more than sufficiently catchy choruses. 'Long Time Dyin'' is the best of these, and probably the best song on the album. It also has perhaps my favorite Overkill chorus, and is definitely a modern 'Kill classic. 'Genocya' is a bit different, more dense and moody, with some creepy, hissed vocals. Still, it's brutally heavy when it gets going, and is another very strong track. "Half Past Dead' is probably my second favorite track on the album. It starts out a bit balladish, but it cranks up the intensity, particularly during the powerful, shrieking chorus. 'F.U.C.T.' and 'Little Bit O' Murder' are two of the faster tracks on the album, though they're still basically groove thrash played faster. They definitely work, though they aren't two of the best tracks on the album 'I'm Alright' is a slower, doomier piece. Quite atmospheric, and with some of the best vox on the album. (particularly when everything else drops away) 'The Rip n' Tear' reminds somewhat of Overkill's bouncier pieces, though it still a groove track. This general tone doesn't work as well unless you're gonna thrash it up, but it's still a pretty fun track. 'Promises' is the oddball track. It's a ballad, and an unusually soft and overtly melodic one by Overkill's standards. It's a little weird, and Blitz voice doesn't always fit is so well, but it's effective anyway. It's got some nice melodic, but still pretty heavy riffing, and provides a good change of pace.

Kcin likes it. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the mouth of the gone, laughing out loud...this rocks!, September 15, 2000

By 

Anand Lakshmikanth "metal_dazed" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Underground & Below (Audio CD)

One hell of a bone crusher this is! The guitars sound like bulldozers mowing you down with an awesome force and the speedy drums just rattle your constitution. The opening track, "It Lives" is one of the best openers I have heard in a long time. The band plays as a tight unit and so, no one overplays anything here. My picks are "Half Past Dead", "Long time dying", "Promises" and "The Rip n' Tear". Metal have been contorted to a mangled old monster with hip-hop, rap and other influences, but Overkill does not give a damn about that at all. The grooves are great and a lot of melody and doses of aggression shroud the listener like a dark cloak. A great buy!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than ever!, March 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: From the Underground & Below (Audio CD)

This album slaps you right in the face and does not say sorry! Overkill has adapted to the times with out being like Met*****a. All I have to say is WOW. I have been listning to Overkill since 1989, and they blow me away. Overkill just keeps on putting out quality metal music. This one is a keeper, so buy it! Thank You Overkill for a decade of butt kicking music