I Hear Black

I Hear Black is the sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on March 9, 1993 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first to feature drummer Tim Mallare.

Overview

Produced by Alex Perialas (Anthrax, Testament), I Hear Black was the first Overkill album released directly through Atlantic Records. The album once again presented a change in style for the band, from the up-tempo thrash of Horrorscope to a more groove metal style. The result was a metal album which had a much darker feel to it. The European leg of the 1993 "World of Hurt Tour" featured Savatage as a support act. A music video was made for the track 'Spiritual Void' but it saw very little airplay due to the decline of metal in the mainstream. This album and W.F.O. were re-released on Wounded Bird Records in 2005.

Reception

AllMusic's Jason Anderson gave the album a positive review, awarding it three stars out of five and stating, "After releasing perhaps the finest, most musical recording of the band's already considerable thrash metal career in 1991, Overkill followed up Horrorscope in 1993 with I Hear Black, a slightly more dense, ambitious recording, and the band's first for Atlantic Records." Anderson then added, "While not an important release for its genre or even for the band, Overkill's I Hear Black is still a respectable post-thrash offering."