Counting the "Power In Black" E.p. in 1983, Overkill are going into their 29th year of making music, along the way not compromising their sound and style, or conforming to trends. Good for them!

"The Electric Age" embraces the electricity (pun intended) and consistent songwriting found on the previous album "Ironbound" for another round of old school yet fresh, ass kickin thrash metal for 2012. The last three albums prior to "Ironbound" ("Immortalis", "Relix IV", "Killbox 13") all had their moments, but on "Ironbound" and "Electric Age" they got back into a strong creative groove. ‘Come And Get it” sais it all; a slow build up jettisons into catchy sharp riffs, busy drums, DD’s bouncing bass, and Blitz’s unmistakable vocals with ‘Electric Rattlesnake’ following suit and even some more umph behind the drums and spicy leads (there’s a little bit of a Sabbath feel to the riffs and tempo change mid way). I’m really liking the opening riff to ‘Wish You Were Dead’, it has a different feel than usual for Dave Linsk and the mid tempo pounding beat is also great. Hits like something off "The Years Of Decay". And you ask…does Blitz still have it when it comes to those screams?...(I have to laugh) He sounds as psychotic as ever. ‘Black Daze’ is one of my favorites with a cool romp and brings back familiar Overkill sounds from what they doing in the 90s ("From The Underground and Below", "Necroshine", opting for more grooves over thrash), having the rhythm guitars drop out during the solo break to let DD’s signature bass add another layer of personality. Just the first riff and verse in ‘Save Yourself’ do I hear the first album "Feel The Fire". ‘21st Century Man’ thrashes and chugs along with those quick switches in the beats, hearing some of the "Horrorscope" album in ‘Old Wounds New Scars’, and ‘All Over But The Shouting’ has an 80s Kill feel and kicks and screams like the title implies. ‘Good Night’ is misleading and I will leave it at that. Just know the album doesn’t let up until the final note.

The production is sick, clean and crisp, and the snap to the drums sound like bones breaking. And another important aspect of presentation is album artwork (an element many bands overlook and think isn’t important, how wrong many times they are). Overkill often include cover art that reflects the music (see "Horrorscope", "Under The Influence", "Years Of Decay", "Necroshine", "Ironbound"), and here again its fitting.