Motörhead - Overkill (1979) [Japanese Limited Release. Bonus tracks]

Motörhead's landmark second album, Overkill, marked a major leap forward for the band, and it remains one of their all-time best, without question. In fact, some fans consider it their single best, topping even Ace of Spaces. It's a ferocious album, for sure, perfectly showcasing Motörhead's trademark style of no holds barred proto-thrash – a kind of punk-inflected heavy metal style that is sloppy and raw yet forceful and in your face. Motörhead, the band's self-titled debut from 1977, had been rush-recorded, and its stripped-down, super-raw sound wasn't all that impressive, at least not relative to what would follow. Overkill is what followed, recorded in December 1978 and January 1979, and released not long thereafter. The band's sound is fully formed here, and it totally explodes right off the bat on the five-minute title track. A number of Motörhead standards follow, among them "Stay Clean" and "No Class". Produced by Jimmy Miller, who had helmed a number of classic Rolling Stones albums, Overkill sounds wonderful, especially on the numerous remastered editions of this album. The band's classic lineup is well in place here, and they seem eager to rip loose wildly on every single song. This, in addition to the solid track listing and Miller's production, makes Overkill a perfect Motörhead album. Several great ones would follow, of course, but Overkill was the first of the great ones, and quite possibly the greatest of all.

~ Jason Birchmeier, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. Overkill
02. Stay Clean
03. (I Won't) Pay Your Price
04. I'll Be Your Siste
05. Capricorn
06. No Class
07. Damage Case
08. Tear Ya Down
09. Metropolis
10. Limb From Limb
11. Louie Louie [single A-Side] #
12. Louie Louie [alternative version 1] #
13. Louie Louie [alternative version 2] #
14. Tear Ya Down [alternative version] #
15. Tear Ya Down [instrumental version] #
16. Too Late, Too Late [B-Side 'Overkill' single] #
17. Like A Nightmare [B-Side 'No Class' single] #
18. Like A Nightmare [alternative version] #

# - bonus tracks

all songs written by Kilmister/Clarke/Taylor except "7"
by Kilmister/Clarke/Taylor/Mick Farren & "11-13" by Richard Berry
Original Recording Produced by Jimmy Miller except "8", Produced by Neil Richmond
Original Album Recorded in December 1978 – January 1979 at Roundhouse Studios & Sound Development Studios
except "Tear Ya Down" ("8") originally recorded at Wessex Studios, 1978

*Huge thanks to Igor191965

• Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister - vocals, bass, second guitar solo on "10"
• "Fast" Eddie Clark – guitar
• Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - drums

Original Release Date: March 24, 1979
Release Date: March 26, 2008 (July 2007)
Format: K2 24-bit Mastering
Cardboard sleeve, limited edition
Label: BMG Japan
Catalog No.: BVCM-37960