Overkill / Death Angel / Mothership at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (03 May 2019)

And who shall ascend to the throne…?

Not a Games of Thrones debate, but with Slayer retiring, the top echelon of thrash metal is again up for discussion, with Overkill often mentioned as the top of that list. The band played a raucous Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on their Wings over the USA Tour, along with touring mates Death Angel and Mothership, to solidly make their case.

Self-described supersonic, intergalactic hard rock road warriors Mothership hail from Dallas, TX, whose last full-length was 2017’s High Strangeness (on Ripple Music). The band’s sound mix draws on the raw edge of an Iron Maiden, mixes it with the southern swagger of ZZ Top and early Molly Hatchet, and throws in a dose of classic Sabbath (with maybe a dash of Pantera influence), for a heaviness best seen live.

Consisting of brothers Kyle Juett on bass/lead vocals, Kelley Juett on guitar/vocals, and Judge Smith on drums, their half-hour opening set was the kind of no-holds barred rock that properly frothed up the crowd for the other acts, including most appropriately, closing with 2012’s ‘Angel of Death’, paving the way for Death Angel to follow.

Bay area thrashers Death Angel are showing no signs of slowing down, despite being active since 1982 with new album Humanicide (on Nuclear Blast Records) due out May 31. Duel guitarists Ted Aguilar and founding member Rob Cavestany remain razor sharp together and vocalist Mark Osegueda still has the needed vocal range and presence to command the stage.

The band showed no quarter right out of the gate, opening their fifty-minute set with the pounding rhythms of 2004’s ‘Thrown to the Wolves’ and chants of the band’s name by the crowd, began loudly and constant in between each song.

Longtime fans appreciated the throwback of 1990’s ‘Seemingly Endless Time’ with Osegueda marveling at the crowd’s reaction – “Mind blown!… your passion and your energy are undeniable!”, also noting the surprising fact that this was the first time Death Angel and Overkill had ever toured together.

Newer songs like 2016’s ‘The Moth’ fit well within the group’s canon and the audience was treated to their newest music, with the raging title track of the upcoming album, Humanicide, “This is who I am, this is who I’ll always be” Osegueda sang confidently. A brief instrumental riff introduced the closing ‘Kill as One’, stirring the center mosh pit to greater revolutions, and getting everyone else in the house, to chant the chorus in time.

It was a special night for thrash legends Overkill—

Not only had the band remembered all the many times they’ve previously played locally, (naming venues like the Cabooze and Mirage) and have a new album out, The Wings of War (on Nuclear Blast Records) with new drummer Jason Bittner, but it also happened to be the sixtieth birthday of vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth as well.

The band was not afraid to showcase the new tracks, as evidenced by opening its ninety minutes with the spinning, driving ‘Last Man Standing’ which re-churned the center stage mosh area into a hectic throwing of bodies against each other, with fists then thrusting in the air for 2012’s ‘Electric Rattlesnake’.

“Where the winter is cold and the metal is hot!” Ellsworth said smiling, about returning to the area, sending heads banging to 1989’s ‘Elimination’. Co-founding bassist D.D. Verni lept on speaker stacks to goat the crowd and guitarist Dave Linsk humbly shredded most of the evening, as rhythm guitarist Derek Tailer on the other side of the stage, complimented Linsk’s licks with some nimble artistry of his own.

“Bite down hard- brand new from us to you” Ellsworth said, introducing the new ‘Head of a Pin’ singing “we are hand in hand, we can’t be undone” perhaps also referring to their own band history since 1980, predating everyone else in the genre including Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax.

A two-fer from 1994’s W.F.O. ignited the crowd and going all the way back to ‘Feel the Fire’ and classic ‘Rotten to the Core’ (both from the band’s debut), delighted the longtime fans in the crowd and closed the main set.

“Twin Cities, together we are… Ironbound!” Ellsworth shrieked to begin the encore, with Linsk’s chord-changing riffs powering the swirling moshers in the middle of the floor. Their Subhumans cover still proved inciteful, still declaring “we don’t care what you say, I don’t care how you look” as middle fingers went in the air, with the band working in the new ‘Welcome to the Garden State’, reaffirming their Jersey roots (even ending the song with the Springsteen ‘Born to Run’ whoah-ohs).

A thrilling, exhausting night headlined by Overkill, thrash legends since 1980 – the debate may rage about the thrash metal throne, but with most rivals being West Coast-based, it’s undeniable that the band reigns supreme in the East (yes, over Anthrax, imo). Where they rank overall, is always up for friendly debate, but a special birthday show in Minneapolis, strongly made the persuasive argument for this band.

(Select photos by Mark Ramm Photography)