It’s ridiculous to say that a band with almost 30 years worth of recordings has a lot to live up to, on The Electric Age, but Ironbound (2010) was almost universally lauded as the Jersey boys’ best in more than 15 years, so in many ways, people once again expect OVERKILL to deliver the greats (as goods just won’t do this time around). Half of the ten selections clock in at 5:30 or better.

Actually, first single ‘Electric Rattlesnake’ is a better opener than ‘Come And Get It’. Although the later has an introductory title, complete with drum laden kick-off, the former is the strongest track on the album, a sure-fire inclusion not only in the live set, but future greatest hits collections, thanks in part to the ‘I Hear Black’ / ‘Spiritual Void’ reminiscent sludge section of this otherwise pummeling standout. Elsewhere, DD Verni alternates vocals (he did sing on the last BRONX CASKET COMPANY disc) with mainstay Bobby Blitz Ellsworth for ‘21st Century Man’. All out speed? Try ‘Save Yourself’, as opposed to the mid-paced groove of ‘Black Daze’. Real accents on guitars and little bits of ear candy that frequent OverKill listeners will be able to pick out, like a brief beer hall “whoa whoa” soccer chant. “Gotta lot of mouth for a Jersey white boy” says ‘Old Wounds, New Scars’. There’s also ‘Wish You Were Dead’, neither of which are love ballads, haha! The closing ‘Good Night’ (another appropriately bookended title), begins with classical acoustic guitar, a baroque fugue, if you like, before ending the album in another stomp of aggression. I don’t care what you say, fugue you!