Overkill "The Grinding Wheel"

The Grinding Wheel is the eighteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on February 10, 2017. This is the last Overkill album with drummer Ron Lipnicki, who left the band shortly after its release and was replaced by Jason Bittner (formerly of Shadows Fall and Flotsam and Jetsam) for the album's tour and its follow-up The Wings of War (2019).

Vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth said about the album's style:

"At the end of the day Overkill is Overkill. Our trademark is that we are always recognizable on every release. For the three decades we have been around we were always Overkill. So sure it is a metal record and like always it will have sort of a thrash vibe to it with some melody in it. It's always best to try to make it better or at least think in your mind that it is going to be better. That becomes the challenge. I think that is what keeps the band rolling. A lot of bands are known for what they have done, but I feel being known for where you are and what you are doing is where true value lies. I feel we accomplished that on the last few albums."

The album's title was revealed in an interview with Alternative Nation in August 2016, along with a projected release date of November. It was originally planned to be released in October 2016 before being pushed back a month later; however, the album's release date was pushed back to February 2017 to coincide with the band's US tour with Nile. On November 16, 2016, it was announced that The Grinding Wheel would be released on February 10, 2017, and its artwork and track listing were revealed on the same day.

The Grinding Wheel debuted at number 69 on the Billboard 200, making it the second highest position of Overkill's career (after its predecessor, White Devil Armory, which charted at number 31).

Track listing

All tracks are written by D. D. Verni and Bobby Ellsworth.

No. Title Length

1. "Mean, Green, Killing Machine" 7:29
2. "Goddamn Trouble" 6:21
3. "Our Finest Hour" 5:49
4. "Shine On" 6:03
5. "The Long Road" 6:45
6. "Let's All Go to Hades" 4:55
7. "Come Heavy" 4:59
8. "Red White and Blue" 5:05
9. "The Wheel" 4:51
10. "The Grinding Wheel" 7:55

Total length: 60:12

Bonus tracks

1. "Emerald" (Thin Lizzy cover) 3:52
2. "Sanctuary" (Iron Maiden cover (Japanese version)) 3:16

Trivia:

- The album peaked at #69 on the Billboard 200.

Music videos:

- Goddamn Trouble

- Shine On

Recording information:

Produced by Overkill.

Recorded at Gear Recording Studio, NJ; SKH Studios Stuart, FL and JRod Productions.

Drums recorded at Shorefire Studio, Long Branch, NJ.