Review: Overcharge – Accelerate

When it comes to Italian metal, we’ve been blessed with some pretty heavy bands to complement the genre. We all know about Lacuna Coil, but some of my favorites are underground sensations like Dustineyes, MadHour and Tehtra, whom I feel can make Italy a metal capital. Now, to add to the list of kick ass Italian metal is a band that channels the classic riffing of “Fast” Eddie Clarke and the larynx-grinding vocals of Toxic Holocaust’s Joel Grind. This band, Overcharge, delivers songs that pulsate with an equal amount of speed and groove—“Accelerate” and “Drown in Your Own” hit like a battering ram of thrash metal with double bass drumming and blues-based guitar solos. These guys are living proof that metal is alive and well around the world, and Overcharge have enough grit and raw vitality in their music to pound their way to the top of the genre. –Eric U. Norris