The Electric Age is the sixteenth album by Overkill and it will see the light of day late march 2012, to create some excitement for the album we have spoken to Bobby “Blitz” Ells- worth about this album but also about what almost killed the band and why ice hockey is much more fun than the music and a lot more. Hallowed PDF-article Hallowed PDF-article Design by Daniel Källmalm Design by Daniel Källmalm WRITTEN BY DANIEL KÄLLMALM rather talk about hockey than his Bobby explains that it depends been part of for nearly three de- Bobby explains comes from a fine might come from the competi- PHOTOS: PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS music due to the repetition that and that play the music and the cades and doing promotional in- chemistry between the members tion or from the new versus old PUBLISHED ON 12/3-2012 often comes up in the interviews creation of the music is never terviews is still not always boring of the band. It is an energy that school, but whatever the reason and he had been doing a few of work but that promotion can feel and sometimes he is pleasantly he reckons comes from changes he thinks that the results are gre- The playoffs or as Bobby “Blitz” those already. like work sometimes as it can be surprised by how the interviews around the ”Immortalis” album at. Hallowed have yet to receive Ellsworth says, the second season It is necessary with all this pro- repetitions with questions at ti- turn out, something he did tell in 2007 when new drummer Ron the album from Nuclear Blast so of the NHL is closing in when motion though, he explains and mes. But every now and then so- me at the end of our conversa- Lipnicki became the latest mem- none of our reviewers can com- I am talking to him and he ex- if people are excited still after fif- mething uniques comes through tion that I did ask some different ber to join the band. ment on that statement, Nuclear plains that he is a fan of the New teen albums, he is excited as well. those questions and surprises question so it was interesting, or - Since that album until now Blast. But one of the creators of Jersey Devils being a New Jersey - I mean that we have sixteen him. at least so he said. there seems to be a very positive the album is at least grande in his resident that comes naturally but records and people still have in- - had a guy ask me recently: type of aggression, we’re able to wording about it. also that the team is one likeable terest, to me that’s amazing. So “do you feel that the respect that The Electric Age play with a chip on our shoulder - think that ”The Electric Age” team, especially since Brodeur it is obviously a contemporary Overkill receives from the scene is ”The Electric Age” is the name of like we have something to prove. has that which we think is im- joined the team. For you who presentation that’s been rooted in based on the respect that Overkill the coming album by Overkill, it But that only lends itself to good portant and that’s energy and have no idea what I am talking our past and that it has value in has for the scene?” I said I’ve ne- is their sixteenth studio album. It results and I think ”The Electric contemporary presentation, va- about, use the invention called in- 2012 means more to me than ha- ver thought of such a thing but I is an album from a band that is Age” has got that power pack lue in the present day. ternet and look it up. So why do I ving value in the past. suppose we do have respect for at a unique spot right now, from type feel, that positive aggression As ”The Electric Age” is the new bring this up? Why not? but it is But with all this promotion, is it the scene. a band with a high level of en- with a chip on the shoulder. ”baby” Bobby has a hard time because Bobby explains that he’d work or can it be something fun? It is a scene that Overkill has ergy at the moment, energy that Bobby reckons that this chip comparing it to any of the earlier Hallowed PDF-article 3 4 Hallowed PDF-article Design by Daniel Källmalm Design by Daniel Källmalm albums as his head is so wrap- record with regards to produc- are satisfied and that is a prin- where we can look into the small been letting it develop while al- that that is always necessary for ped around this new album but tion can see that this album has a ciple that Overkill follow, not to details. I remember in the old ways making sure that they have an Overkill presentation. reckons that this album is timed more expensive sound according leave the studio before they are days when you used to lease a been playing live in between ses- correctly. At least the last two al- to Bobby and D.D. (Verni, Bass), satisfied with what they have ac- studio and had 28 days to record sions because if you can bring Interest and Touring bums by Overkill has been timed it has a bigger production where hieved. Therefore it is not that far and ten days to mix and that was that live feel into the album it be- The day before the interview Nu- correctly Bobby reckons and also the guitars are both bigger and fetched to believe that they are it, so if it wasn’t done it wasn’t comes a sort of X Factor that can clear Blast leaked the song Electric that the scene is very healthy at sleeker and it has a wall of sound. satisfied with the album which done. Now we have that luxury make the result something really Rattlesnake so now the interest for the moment. - But there’s a great separation Bobby explains that they are. He of going back and go over and re- special. the album is starting to build, be- - I think that had this record that takes any other instrument doesn’t know where it stands in check things. - If you can’t, you loose so- fore that Bobby explains that he been released in 1995 for instance into the mix but that mix is now comparison with the earlier al- And they have taken their time mething. If we’re playing festi- has had no idea how the interest it might have been overlooked a wall with regards to the sepa- bums but as they have a good with this album, around eight vals for instance in between re- for the album has been other than because the scene was not very ration, I think that’s unique with principle they can focus on the months to be more precise. That cording sessions I think it really the one from the press and media. healthy back then. I think that in regards to a thrash record. details nowadays. is the amount of time they have adds to what the final feel of the And so far they have heard most- 2012 we find ourselves in a situa- As Overkill has the luxury of - I am very happy with the used to assemble songs, record record is going to be and this re- ly positive things towards the tion where people crave this type using D.D.’s studio they have the way it turned out because I think demos and all of that. They star- cord has that kind of hopping followup to ”Ironbound” which of an approach to the music. luxury of time and the ability to that with us as producers of the ted with the drum tracks as far aggressive in your face, could be Bobby reckons was accepted as The comparison to the older remain in the studio until they record, this becomes a project back as June and then they have on the stage type feel and I think quite a successful album both in Hallowed PDF-article 5 6 Hallowed PDF-article Design by Daniel Källmalm Design by Daniel Källmalm terms of reviews and how it was Tuska, they will be doing approx- on stage, never, and when I am last year was my first time in Aus- accepted by the scene. imately ten festivals in Europe, home I miss being on the road so tralia and certain South American - I think from when I talk to and a European tour is planned it is kind of a confused issue. cities, Lima in Peru for instance. people that ”The Electric Age” is for september. According to Bob- And neither is the travelling So this still becomes very exciting seen as the next logical step, it is by a European tour is necessary a problem, as that is something to be able to say that there’s still not ”Ironbound”, it is a different and they are trying to come over Bobby likes doing and that is a places I haven’t seen yet, places record but it still has quite an im- to Europe at least once for each thing he shares with his wife so where I haven’t gone and that’s pact with it. album and it is still great to go even when he is not touring he really awesome. In april Overkill will hit the road one tour after all these years.