Overkill - W.F.O. (1994) [Original US pressing] RE-UPLOAD

Overkill's self-produced seventh album W.F.O. (which stands for "Wide Fuckin' Open", a common biker term) was released in 1994 as an answer to the criticism that I Hear Black had received. The album presented a fast, heads-down, old school thrash metal style without any of the experimental elements present on the previous record. The music video for "Fast Junkie" was widely ignored by MTV, due to changing mainstream tastes and limited airplay availability for metal bands. With Grunge dominating the airwaves in the US, and many heavy metal radio stations changing formats, W.F.O. failed to find an audience and in 1995 Overkill left Atlantic Records. Overkill were happy to leave the mainstream label, where they felt they received little or no attention and signed to different record companies around the world.

Overkill's second release for Atlantic Records, W.F.O. probably represents the formal beginnings of a '90s commercial swoon for the thrash metal band. The group had formed on the East Coast during the early-'80s thrash heyday, and somehow managed to make a name for itself within a genre dominated by mostly West Coast artists like Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. It seemed like there was very little room for artists from New York's metal underground in the very tight quarters of aggressive metal's small but staunchly loyal market. With the exception of Anthrax, there weren't too many bands capable of making a real mark on the national metal scene, but Overkill was never discouraged, and on a couple of occasions (most notably after the 1991 release of the band's finest effort, Horrorscope) it seemed that things might work out for the group. But by the time of this 1994 release, the group's popularity might have been waning a little due to rock fashion trends leaning heavily away from thrash or anything that reminded listeners of the '80s. That's not to say that W.F.O. isn't a fine recording. It is probably one of the band's best, and last, thrash juggernauts. Standouts like "Fast Junkie" and "Up to Zero" are a slight return to the group's musical roots when compared to music from the 1993 release, I Hear Black. Other highlights like "They Eat Their Young" demonstrate some musical growth and overall attention to heaviness that many fans have found endearing about the group. Well-produced and featuring punchy, classic material, W.F.O. is yet another powerful, underappreciated '90s Overkill recording.

~ Vincent Jeffries, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. Where It Hurts
02. Fast Junkie
03. The Wait - New High In Lows
04. They Eat Their Young
05. What's Your Problem
06. Under One
07. Supersonic Hate
08. R.I.P. (Undone)
09. Up To Zero
10. Bastard Nation
11. Gasoline Dream
##. Hidden tracks

Tracks "12–97, 99" are all silence (Blank)
Track "98" is "Heaven And Hell"/"The Ripper" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" in rehearsals


All songs, except hidden tracks written by Overkill
Produced by Overkill. Engineered by Tom Bender and Doug Cook
Recorded & Mixed at Ambient Recording Co, Stamford, Connecticut, April – May, 1994
Mastered by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk, New York City

• Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth - vocals
• D.D. Verni - bass, backing vocals
• Rob Cannavino - guitars, backing vocals
• Merritt Gant - guitars
• Tim Mallare - drums

Release Date: July 15, 1994
Format: Original Recording
Label: Atlantic Records
Catalog No.: 82630-2