Overkill – LIVE: Islington Academy 2010

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The second of what will hopefully become an annual event, Overkill’s Killfest tour this year also happens to be their 25th anniversary and the tour to support new album Ironbound, with a support package of Savage Messiah, Cripper and Greek label-mates Suicidal Angels.

Although the bill this time didn’t include anyone of quite the same status as Exodus who were the special guests in 2009, the trio of bands selected made for probably one of the best support packages Overkill have ever taken across Europe. Germany’s Cripper and their Angela Gossow-like front-woman Britta Görtz opened with their crushingly heavy brand of thrash which did a perfect job of warming up the early group of fans on the front row.

Savage Messiah delivered a blistering set culled mostly from their excellent new Insurrection Rising album, and probably proved to be the most well-received of the support bands. Suicidal Angels also pulled most of their set from latest CD Sanctify The Darkness, but as good as they were, they weren’t quite able to deliver the performance of Savage Messiah, who relied less on an in-your-face enthusiasm and more on the strength of their songs; a confidence which transferred to the audience.

All were secondary to Overkill however, who were all most of the audience seemed to be interested in. The setlist wasn’t changed as much as it could have been from last year’s, but with the apparent popularity of Old School, In Union We Stand and Feel The Fire last time out, including them one more time was probably a wise move. But as tracks like Rotten To The Core, Elimination, Wrecking Crew and Hello From The Gutter seem to have become ever-presents, and set lengths particularly in the UK rarely if ever breaking two hours, there isn’t much scope for bringing different songs into the set, especially when there’s the obvious requirement to include two or three from the new album.

They still did an admirable job of adding some different tracks for the fans who attended both previous Islington Academy shows in 2008 and 2009, and as well received as Battle and Bare Bones were, the roar for Gasoline Dream eclipsed them both. When a band is as consistently good live as Overkill the song selection at once becomes vitally important and completely inconsequential. For many it really doesn’t matter what they play; they will always be faultless. For others they don’t need the “hits” every time to make the shows good, the band archive that with anything, so different songs are essential.

Either way, a good performance is a guarantee and for the third time in a row Overkill delivered. Perhaps a bigger venue next time.

“ All were secondary to Overkill ”

Savage Messiah Setlist: Spitting Venom / The Serpent Tongue of Divinity / In Absence of Liberty / Enemy Image (Dehumanization) / He Who Laughs Last / Insurrection Rising

Suicidal Angels Setlist: Bloodthirsty / The Pestilence of Saints / Inquisition / … Lies / Mourning of The Cursed / Dark Abyss (Your Fate Is Colored Black) / Apokathilosis

Overkill Setlist: The Green And Black / Rotten To The Core / Wrecking Crew / Battle / Hello From The Gutter / Feel The Fire / Ironbound / In Union We Stand / Bare Bones / Gasoline Dream / Overkill / Bring Me The Night / Elimination // Necroshine / Old School / Fuck You > Sonic Reducer > Fuck You

Written by Andy Lye
More: Gigs, Thrash Metal, Overkill