"And to be able to have a record like 'Ironbound' sixteen records into our career is a great testimony to how strong the scene is."

'Ironbound' - the new album of East coast thrash legendsВ OVERKILL is set to be releasedВ onВ 29В January 2010В through Nuclear Blast/Wizard. It's more than natural for us to want to talk to vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth.

an interview conducted by Vassil Varbanov
photo: Hakon Grav

HEY BOB, HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?
Hello Bulgaria! Hello Vassil, how are you?

I'M GOOD I WAS JUST PLAYING SOME STUFF FROM YOUR UPCOMING NEW RECORD. AT THE MOMENT IT'S THE TITLE TRACK, BUT LET'S START WITH "THE GREEN AND THE BLACK". TELL ME PLEASE, WHAT'S THE MEANING BEHIND THE TITLE?
Well, Overkill's obviously been a green and black band during its history, the identifiable colour being what's called "Overkill green" and the song is primarily written about those who have, let's say, supported us and followed us and sacrificed...Not necessarily just the band, but those again who involve themselves in the shows, involve themselves with support of the band.

ACTUALLY I CAN THINK OF ANOTHER BAND WHO USE THE GREEN AND BLACK COLOURS - TYPE O NEGATIVE. DO YOU KNOW THOSE GUYS?
Sure I do. Sure. Of course I do.

SEEING AS YOUR NEW ALBUM WILL BE RELEASED NEXT YEAR, END OF JANUARY/EARLY FEBRUARY. WHY HAVE YOU STARTED PROMOTING IT SO EARLY?
This is our first time with Nuclear Blast, our first go-round with them. They obviously set the schedule for promotion. Let's say Nuclear Blast is really the monopoly when it comes to promotion for metal, so we were obviously willing to do their schedule.

We think there's no such thing as too much promotion. So this is gonna work out really good to get the Ironbound Overkill message to everyone, including people in Bulgaria.

DID YOU AND D.D. WRITE THE ENTIRE ALBUM?
That's how it always goes through, but obviously the other guys have input on this. Dave Linsk is all over this record with regard to ideas and his guitar playing ability. D.D. and I will always start the idea, start the project, but we do want it through the other band members. I think you can also hear that Ron Lipnicki, our drummer, is all over this record. And though written by D.D. and myself, this is about Ron's talent also.

PLEASE GIVE US SOME INFO REGARDING THE TECHNICAL DETAILS, LIKE WHERE YOU RECORDED THE ALBUM AND WHO PRODUCED IT.
The production was done by ourselves. We recorded it in New Jersey, at D.D.'s studio where we've done our last handful of records. We've been around long enough to know that we should keep the money in the family, so that's necessary.

But Peter Tegtgren of Hypocrisy mixed the record. He did that in his studio in Sweden and this is the first time for us that we've not been directly involved in the studio with the mix. It was unique having it mixed by somebody who's actually a fan of the band and having his objective opinion about it.

I THINK THIS IS YOUR 16TH ALBUM, SO I GUESS YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, EH?
I think you're calling us old, eh? Haha!

NO, WHAT I MEANT IS THAT SO MANY GOOD BANDS HAVE COME AND GONE, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE STUCK AROUND.
Yeah, it's a great feeling to be able to do this for as long as we have. Obviously we've found something that we love and I think that's evident in Ironbound. The age thing never bothered me. Every day you get to do this is a great day. And to be able to have a record like 'Ironbound' sixteen records into our career, I think it's a great testimony to how strong the scene is as opposed to let's say how strong we are as individuals.

YOU GUYS STARTED OUT IN THE EARLY 80S. LATER ON THE HIP HOP PHENOMENON EXPLODED WITH ITS EAST COAST/WEST COAST THING. WOULD YOU SAY THERE WAS A THRASH EQUIVALENT TO THIS EAST/WEST COAST THING,В A LINE OF RIVALRY?
I think so. I think the West Coast most certainly had their own distinctive sound, which had almost orchestrated guitar parts at times. On the East Coast I'd say we were more influenced by let's say an aggressive hardcore scene and it was a blending of the two together, which in my opinion was quite unique. Sure there was a line, but in reality within that line there was very friendly competition, not necessarily negative competition.

I REMEMBER THAT ON YOUR PREVIOUS RECORD 'IMMORTALIS', WHICH CAME OUT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, YOU HAD RANDY BLYTHE FROM LAMB OF GOD GUESTING ON A TRACK. WILL THERE BE ANY GUEST APPEARANCES THIS TIME ROUND?
No, it's only Overkill performing, there are no guests on this record. I think probably when we always think of who the guest is, it's probably the fans of the band.

YOU PLAYED YOUR FIRST BULGARIAN SHOW BACK IN 2008, DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES OF THAT GIG?
Going to new places is the fun part in all this, going to see what the differences are. But as soon as the music comes out of the amps, comes out of the PA system, it becomes a complete levelizer, it becomes the common thing between people of different countries and different cultures. I did enjoy it very much. We look forward to coming back in February 2006, sorry 2009.

YOU MEAN 2010...
2010, correct hahah!

IS IT OFFICIAL ALREADY?
I see that they're booking it now and talking about doing a gig in Sofia.В 
В 

YOU MENTIONED A CERTAIN EAST COAST HARDCORE INFLUENCE IN OVERKILL'S MUSIC. WHO, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE BEST PUNK BAND EVER?
The best punk band would have to be the RAMONES. One of the feelings that we've always had, being from New York, is that the Ramones were ours, although they're obviously the world's, not just ours. When you were a kid growing up you could see the Ramones down in Greenwich Village in New York, just walking down the street having a beer, having a slice of pizza, so there was always a very strong bond between New York and its favourite punk band.

COOL. WHICH TRACK FROM YOUR NEW ALBUM WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO PLAY NOW?
Why don't you try 'Bring Me the Night', it's the third one and one of my favourites, sounds like Overkill on good speed.

OK, THANKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW.
Vassil, good time talking to you. We'll see you in Sofia, it's February 18th, 2010. I just checked it.

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