Customer Reviews

From the Underground & Below

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!!

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

Except for "Promise," the cheesy 80's soap opera ballad, all the songs are perfect bone crushing metal. Espiecially "Half Past Dead." Overkill's finest 45 minutes. I really like that classical ending to "I'm Alright." It really shows off the two guitarist's skill. Nome of the songs are very long. The longest is 6 minutes. When i first saw the picture of the band, it was kin've weird. The singer looks like he was in a cheesy boy band, the guitarist looks like a delivery boy, the other a biker. The bassist looks like Tony Iommi, and the drummer looks like a Indian. But together, they rock! Good music.

Would you like to hear some music that'll slap you straight in the puss then kick you square in the ass? Overkill's music basically does that in general, but this album is a fantastic example of this, especially if you aren't too familiar with the group. Unlike many of the thrash bands of the good ole days, Overkill have never forgotten who they are. Granted, Underground sounds quite a bit different from Taking Over, but then again Kill Em All sounded different from Puppets, didn't it? Overkill don't seem to be playing as fast as they used to, but they sure are playing heavier. I mean frickin HEAVY! Like speed in your car, start a fight with a stranger on the street heavy. Maybe it's the advances in recording technology, I'm not sure, but I think this is as heavy as music is able to get. Listen to this stuff(or any of their recent output for that matter) and tell me if you really think Linkin Park is "heavy". Unfortuntely, the younger folks won't have the time of day for an older group of fortysomethings who don't try to clone Phil Anselmo's vocal style. But us twenty/thirtysomethings who were around when the whole thrash thing started know what the score is, don't we? These old bands are like Corn Flakes-The Original and Best. Get From The Underground and see what I'm talking about. It's heavy, it's catchy and it's fun......and you can take that to the bank!

This cd is amazing. Everything kills. The grooves present on every song are spectacular. These guys write such great stuff, they deserve to be popular. This stuff is heavier and groovier than any of that new metal junk out there.

Ive been a fan since the years of decay. And although I have not heard Necroshine yet. I can say that this is the best Overkill album yet. They sound nothing like Nirvana. This is real Metal. I haven't gone a week since this album came out without listening to it in its entirety

Listen to this disc immediately after Horrorscope and it might not be all of that..... Listen to this disc after 90% of the Heavy Metal albums put out today, and I think you will be surprised. I have been listening to OverKill since 1987 and would have to consider myself a large fan. I have heard them evolve from Feel the Fire into Years of Decay and Horrorscope and have also been there with I Hear Black. This is a Full Force Metal album which holds true to their original form, but also has the sound of today. This is a great one to add to your collection.

Overkill is what I remember heavy metal used to be. Loud, loud, edgy guitars, booming drums and screaming but understandable vocals. The guitar work on this CD is excellent and the riffs are some of the best Overkill has done over the years. Easy to slide right into and start head-banging. The singer's voice has lost a little power but still does the job. The only misstep to me is the attempted power balled "Promises" The song isn't necessarily bad, but the singer doesn't have the voice to pull it off.

Greetings from the other side: Forget those posers,this is REAL metal.
I agree with other reviewers that this is one of Overkill's best if not thee best effort to date. Released after 'Feel the fire' and before 'Necroshine', this album is produced well from first track to the last. This album is not for new Metallica listeners or Limp Jizdick fans. Its fast, ferocious and unrelenting speed metal.(with the exception of 'Promise' which belongs on a Motley Crue album) Some say they are similar in style to Slayer, but I feel they have developed their own style thats honed to perfection on this record. Buy or Die!