I Hear Black
| I Hear Black | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Overkill | ||||
| Released | March 9, 1993[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||
| Studio | Pyramid Sound Studios, Ithaca, New York | |||
| Genre | Groove metal, thrash metal | |||
| Length | 51:38 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Alex Perialas, Overkill | |||
| Overkill chronology | ||||
| ||||
I Hear Black is the sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on March 9, 1993 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first to feature drummer Tim Mallare.
Overview
Produced by Alex Perialas (Anthrax, Testament), I Hear Black was the first Overkill album released directly through Atlantic Records. The album once again presented a change in style for the band, from the up-tempo thrash of Horrorscope to a more groove metal style. The result was a metal album which had a much darker feel to it. The European leg of the 1993 "World of Hurt Tour" featured Savatage as a support act. A music video was made for the track 'Spiritual Void' but it saw very little airplay due to the decline of metal in the mainstream. This album and W.F.O. were re-released on Wounded Bird Records in 2005.
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
AllMusic's Jason Anderson gave the album a positive review, awarding it three stars out of five and stating, "After releasing perhaps the finest, most musical recording of the band's already considerable thrash metal career in 1991, Overkill followed up Horrorscope in 1993 with I Hear Black, a slightly more dense, ambitious recording, and the band's first for Atlantic Records." Anderson then added, "While not an important release for its genre or even for the band, Overkill's I Hear Black is still a respectable post-thrash offering."[2]
I Hear Black was one of Overkill's most successful albums to date, as it got their second-highest chart position,[3] debuting at #122 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album also gave Overkill their highest ever chart position on the Billboard Heatseekers, peaking at number three.[4]
Track listing
- All tracks written by Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and D.D. Verni[5] except where noted.[6]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dreaming in Columbian" | Ellsworth/Verni/Gant | 4:00 |
| 2. | "I Hear Black" | 5:37 | |
| 3. | "World of Hurt" | 5:19 | |
| 4. | "Feed My Head" | 5:36 | |
| 5. | "Shades of Grey" | 5:19 | |
| 6. | "Spiritual Void" | 5:13 | |
| 7. | "Ghost Dance" | 1:46 | |
| 8. | "Weight of the World" | 4:07 | |
| 9. | "Ignorance and Innocence" | 5:00 | |
| 10. | "Undying" | 5:25 | |
| 11. | "Just Like You" | Ellsworth/Verni/Cannavino | 4:13 |
Total length: |
51:38 | ||
| Japanese Bonus Tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 12. | "Killogy" | 3:11 |
Usage
- "World of Hurt" was featured as an unlockable song on the heavy metal-themed game, Brütal Legend.[7]
Personnel
- Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth – Vocals
- D.D. Verni – Bass
- Merritt Gant – Guitars
- Rob Cannavino – Guitars
- Tim Mallare – Drums
- Recorded at Pyramid Sound, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Produced by Alex Perialas and Overkill
- Engineered by Rob Hunter and Alex Perialas
- Mastered by Tom Coyne at Hit Factory
Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Top Heatseekers | 3[4] |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 122[4] |
References
- ↑ "Overkill - I Hear Black - Encyclopaedia Metallum". The Metal Archives. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
- 1 2 "I Hear Black - Overkill". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
- ↑ "Overkill - Awards". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
- 1 2 3 "I Hear Black - Overkill : Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
- ↑ "BMI: Songwriter/Composer: VERNI CARLO". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
- ↑ "The Only Overkill Interview You Ever Need To Read". invisibleoranges.com. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
- ↑ "Brutal Legend Soundtrack Revealed [Update] - IGN". M.ign.com. Retrieved 2013-06-26.