| I Hear Black | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 9, 1993 [1] | |||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||
| Studio | Pyramid (Ithaca, New York) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:38 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Alex Perialas, Overkill | |||
| Overkill chronology | ||||
| ||||
I Hear Black is the sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on March 9, 1993, by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first to feature drummer Tim Mallare.
I Hear Black was produced by Alex Perialas, who had previously worked with Overkill in the late 1980s, and was the band's first album released directly through Atlantic Records, whereas their previous albums were co-released by Megaforce.
The album once again presented a change in style for the band, from the up-tempo thrash of Horrorscope to a more groove metal style. [2] The result was a metal album which had a much darker feel to it, incorporating Black Sabbath-influenced blues, doom and stoner tones, although the album retained many of their traditional thrash metal roots. [3] [4] The change of style from thrash to groove metal can be seen as a genesis of the experimentation that would continue into most of Overkill's 1990s and 2000s output.
The European leg of the 1993 "World of Hurt Tour" featured Savatage as a support act. A music video was made for the track "Spiritual Void" but it saw very little airplay due to the decline of metal in the mainstream. This album and W.F.O. were re-released on Wounded Bird Records in 2005.
At the beginning of the supporting tour the band played eight songs from the album live. However, the songs were quickly dropped from the setlist, and none have been performed since 2002. [5]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Rock Hard | 7.5/10 [7] |
AllMusic's Jason Anderson gave the album a positive review, awarding it three stars out of five and stating, "After releasing perhaps the finest, most musical recording of the band's already considerable thrash metal career in 1991, Overkill followed up Horrorscope in 1993 with I Hear Black, a slightly more dense, ambitious recording, and the band's first for Atlantic Records." Anderson then added, "While not an important release for its genre or even for the band, Overkill's I Hear Black is still a respectable post-thrash offering." [6]
I Hear Black was one of Overkill's most successful albums to date, as it got their fourth-highest chart position (behind three of their 2010s albums The Electric Age , White Devil Armory and The Grinding Wheel ), [8] debuting at #122 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album also gave Overkill their highest ever chart position on the Billboard Heatseekers, peaking at number three. [9]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dreaming in Columbian" | Ellsworth/Verni/Gant | 4:00 |
| 2. | "I Hear Black" | 5:37 | |
| 3. | "World of Hurt" | 5:19 | |
| 4. | "Feed My Head" | 5:36 | |
| 5. | "Shades of Grey" | 5:19 | |
| 6. | "Spiritual Void" | 5:13 | |
| 7. | "Ghost Dance" (instrumental) | 1:46 | |
| 8. | "Weight of the World" | 4:07 | |
| 9. | "Ignorance and Innocence" | 5:00 | |
| 10. | "Undying" | 5:25 | |
| 11. | "Just Like You" | Ellsworth/Verni/Cannavino | 4:13 |
| Total length: | 51:38 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Killogy" | 3:11 |
| Total length: | 54:49 | |
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [13] | 122 |
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [14] | 3 |
Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many lineup changes, leaving bassist D.D. Verni and lead vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth as the only constant members. The band's current lineup includes Verni, Ellsworth, Dave Linsk on lead guitar, Derek Tailer on rhythm guitar and Jason Bittner on drums. Along with Nuclear Assault and Anthrax, whose one-time lead guitarist Dan Spitz was also an early member of Overkill, the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal bands, and they are often called "the Motörhead of thrash metal", based on their unique playing style, which was influenced by punk rock and the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM). The band has a notable mascot named "Chaly" who has appeared on many of their album covers.
The Years of Decay is the fourth studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on October 13, 1989 through Atlantic and Megaforce Records. It is the last Overkill album to feature guitarist Bobby Gustafson, who either left or was fired by the band amid a feud between himself and its founding members Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (vocalist) and D. D. Verni (bassist). The Years of Decay was also the first of two Overkill albums produced by Terry Date, who took on the same role for their follow-up album Horrorscope (1991).
Under the Influence is the third studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on July 5, 1988 through Megaforce Records and Atlantic Records. This was Overkill's first album to feature drummer Sid Falck, who had replaced Rat Skates when the latter left the band in 1987 during the Taking Over tour.
Horrorscope is the fifth studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on September 3, 1991, through Atlantic and Megaforce Records. It was the first Overkill album to feature the duo of guitarists Merritt Gant and Rob Cannavino, and the last to be released through Megaforce, although they remained on Atlantic until 1995. Like its predecessor, The Years of Decay (1989), Horrorscope was produced by Terry Date.
Taking Over is the second studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released in March 1987 through Atlantic and Megaforce Records. The album is Overkill's last to feature drummer Rat Skates, who left the band later in 1987 and was replaced by Sid Falck. It was also the first to be released through Atlantic, who would release all of the band's albums up to W.F.O. (1994).
W.F.O. is the seventh full-length studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on July 15, 1994, on Atlantic Records.
The Killing Kind is the eighth studio album released by thrash metal band Overkill in 1996. It was the first album to feature new guitarists Joe Comeau and Sebastian Marino, and was released on CMC International, whereas their previous studio albums were released by either Megaforce or Atlantic Records.
From the Underground and Below is the ninth studio album by the thrash metal band Overkill released in 1997 by CMC International. Two cover songs were recorded during these sessions: "No Feelings" by Sex Pistols and "Space Truckin'" by Deep Purple. Lead singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth considers From the Underground and Below to be one of his favorite Overkill albums.
Necroshine is the tenth studio album by thrash metal band Overkill released on February 23, 1999, on CMC International records.
Coverkill is a cover album released by thrash metal band Overkill in 1999. The album consists of cover songs by artists that influenced the band, including Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Kiss, Judas Priest, Jethro Tull, Ramones, Sex Pistols, the Dead Boys, and Manowar. This was Overkill's first release with guitarist Dave Linsk.
Bloodletting is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on October 24, 2000, by Metal-Is. It is the first after the departure of guitarists Joe Comeau and Sebastian Marino and the addition of Dave Linsk. Bloodletting also marked the first and only time since 1989's The Years of Decay that Overkill had recorded together as a four-piece.
Wrecking Everything is a 2002 live album by thrash metal band Overkill which is the counterpart to Wrecking Everything – An Evening in Asbury Park VHS/DVD. Recorded at The Paramount, Asbury Park, New Jersey on March 23, 2002. As of 2006, the album had sold over 5,300 copies and according to Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, the VHS/DVD has sold around 15,000–20,000 copies in the U.S.
Killbox 13 is the 12th studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released in 2003. It is the first album with rhythm guitarist Derek Tailer. The name stems from the fact that the band considers this to be their thirteenth release because they include the Overkill EP as their first, or that they had released the covers album Coverkill, which would have been their eleventh studio album. "Well, it is the thirteenth, but it's only really the thirteenth for people who followed the band. There was an EP called Overkill back in '84...", said Bobby Ellsworth.
ReliXIV is the 13th studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released in spring 2005. The reason the Roman numeral 14 is included in the title is because the band includes the Overkill EP in their lineup of studio albums, which would make this album the 14th by their chronology. It can also be because Overkill released the covers album Coverkill, which would have been their eleventh studio album. While this diction left it unclear how the title was to be pronounced, Blitz just mentioned it as "Relics" when announcing songs from the album on stage. The album produced the popular "Old School", which has been played at every Overkill show since it was first released. As of late 2007, ReliXIV sold over 16,000 copies in the U.S.
Feel the Fire is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on October 15, 1985 through Megaforce Records.
Carlo "D.D." Verni is an American musician, best known as a founding member, bassist and songwriter of the thrash metal band Overkill. He and vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth are the only two original members who have remained with the band throughout its entire history. In addition to his work with Overkill, Verni has recorded four albums with his side project the Bronx Casket Co. and released several solo projects. He is also the composer of The Bronx Casket Co.... A New Musical.
Wrecking Everything – An Evening in Asbury Park is a 2002 live DVD by thrash metal band Overkill. It was recorded at The Paramount, Asbury Park, New Jersey on March 23, 2002. This is the very first Overkill DVD/VHS and the video counterpart to their Wrecking Everything live album.
Ironbound is the 15th full-length studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, which was released on January 29, 2010 in Europe on Nuclear Blast and in the U.S. on February 9, 2010 on eOne Music. It was their first studio album in more than two years since the release of Immortalis in the fall of 2007, and their first release on their current label Nuclear Blast.
White Devil Armory is the 17th studio album by the American thrash metal band Overkill. It was released on July 18, 2014 in Europe through Nuclear Blast and July 22 in North America through eOne Music.
