review: Overt Enemy

Overt Enemy

Possession

August 9th, 2019

By day they are mild mannered Texan Americans who will tip their hats to you and say, “Howdy,” and “How y’all doing?,” and show you Southern hospitality in a most awesome way as the great people of Texas tend to do, but by night they are a thrash band who want you in the pit, sweaty and sore. They have another identity besides being Overt Enemy because they are a Slayer tribute band, too. This EP is 23 minutes, four originals and a cover of Slayer’s horror-movie themed “At Dawn They Sleep” from the 1980s. Overt Enemy is a thrasher’s band. Fans of traditional thrash who like to keep up with new and DIY bands fighting and elbowing their way to people’s attention will be the most obvious demographic. Of course, for Slayer fans the similarities between the two vocalists and overall style of the band may also be a point of interest. The drumming stays on message and the guitars stay on uptempo and fast riffs throughout, without meandering into other styles nor looking over the fence at other genres. It’s songs for getting a physical reaction out of thrash fans, essentially. The band had an EP in 2018 and this is their second. They are as enthusiastic about thrash as ever. It’s early in the game, let’s see where future Overt Enemy recordings go after this one in the thrash zone.

overtenemy.bandcamp.com