Ultimate-Guitar.com recently spoke with OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth about the band's new album, The Electric Age. An excerpt is available below:

UG: The band has just reached album number 17 with The Electric Age. How do you keep from writing the same song after so many records?

Ellsworth: "I think we’ve done so many records and obviously Overkill is Overkill and it’s not a large scope of music—we’re a thrash band. I think for me to make it interesting is there’s a fine line between style and repetition. Obviously I like to be known for a style; I think there’s a comfort zone with style. But when it comes to repetition, I think if it comes to rehash and recycle, we try or me specifically I try not to do that with melody lines. Words can be part of that style but if I’m gonna rehash something from Ironbound or as long ago as Horrorscope, I’d rather stay away from that."

UG: You actually go through the older albums and listen to what you’d done previously?

Ellsworth: "So I try to give stuff a quick listen and see, 'Is this evoking anything in my mind?' Say '21st Century Man' or 'Electric Rattlesnake'—has that been done before? And I think, 'I’ve touched on this but I’ve never taken it to this level.' Then it gets the checkmark from me to pass the continuum."

UG: As someone who has been a true flag-waver for thrash metal, how have you seen the music change over the years?

Ellsworth: "I think records and bands like EXODUS, TESTAMENT and ourselves are getting great results based on the health of this scene and based on the state of it. This is about young bands that came along and tried to take the flag with kudos to the old school but wanted to do something with it. And I think the older bands came along and said, "No, this is how you do it. This is what you’re supposed to do.' I think everybody kinda got down to bare bones and brass tacks and started releasing records into a healthy scene. Older bands especially that increased the health of that scene."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Overkill recently revealed part one of a two-part series giving fans a behind the scenes look into their brand new video for 'Electric Rattlesnake'. Watch the footage below. The official video for 'Electric Rattlesnake', directed by veteran Kevin J. Custer, is also available: