Overkill "Horrorscope"

Horrorscope is the fifth studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on September 3, 1991 through Atlantic and Megaforce Records. It was the first Overkill album to feature the duo of guitarists Merritt Gant and Rob Cannavino, and the last to be released through Megaforce; although they remained on Atlantic until 1995.

Following the departure of longtime guitarist and songwriter Bobby Gustafson, who left the band after disagreements with bassist D. D. Verni, Overkill added two new guitarists in Cannavino (who had been Gustafson's guitar technician) and Gant (previously from thrash metal band Faith or Fear). Drummer Sid Falck left the band during the Horrorscope tour in 1992, being replaced by former M.O.D. drummer Tim Mallare.

AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia gave Horrorscope a positive review, awarding it 4.5 stars out of five and stating, "The insecurity felt among Overkill fans by the departure of founding guitarist and key songwriter Bobby Gustafson in 1990 ultimately proved unfounded when the New York thrashers' expanded two-guitar lineup—featuring Rob Cannavino and Merritt Gant—arguably delivered the finest effort of the group's career in 1991's Horrorscope."

The album reached No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard Heatseekers chart and as of 2010 remains Overkill's best-selling album of the Nielsen SoundScan era, having sold over 120,000 copies in the U.S. In a 2013 article by WhatCulture!, the album was ranked fourth on their list of "10 Greatest Thrash Metal Albums of All Time"

Track listing

All tracks are written by Overkill, except where noted.

1. "Coma" 5:23
2. "Infectious" 4:04
3. "Blood Money" 4:07
4. "Thanx for Nothin'" 4:07
5. "Bare Bones" 4:52
6. "Horrorscope" 5:49
7. "New Machine" 5:18
8. "Frankenstein" (Edgar Winter; instrumental) 3:28
9. "Live Young, Die Free" 4:11
10. "Nice Day... for a Funeral" 6:17
11. "Soulitude" 5:25

Total length: 53:01

Trivia:

- The album peaked at #29 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.

Music videos:

- Horrorscope

- Thanx for Nothin'

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Carriage House Studios, Stamford, CT., March-April, 1991.

Mastered at Masterdisk, NYC.