by Vincent Jeffries

This full-length debut from New York thrash band Overkill made quite a splash within the heavy metal community and listenership. While certainly not the group's best effort, Feel the Fire possessed all the blistering riffs and complete abandonment fans would learn to expect from Overkill. With band classics like the title track and "Rotten to the Core," this 1995 Megaforce release solidified a loyal fan base that would grow steadily as the band expanded their sound and catalog through the mid- and late '80s. The classic original band lineup of Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth on vocals, Bobby Gustafson on guitars, Rat Skates on drums, and bassist D.D. Verni sounds surprisingly accomplished on this major-label debut, giving tight performances and ultimately helping (along with fellow second-wave thrash bands like Flotsam and Jetsam and a myriad of Bay-Area metal outfits) define a generation of spastic, but impressive second wave of aggressive thrash metal.