RUNNING DEATH “Overdrive” /CD/

Debut full-length album by German Speed/Thrash Metal band.
Founded by guitarist and vocalist Simon Bihlmayer, the band calls itself worshippers of 80s European Speed Metal, but “Overdrive” is much more than just pure speed, as the band brings in lots of tasty riffs to give you multiple eargasms. The music is much more diverse and slightly slower than what you can expected with the name and the artwork. Make no mistake, it’s still fast and In-Your-Face speed machine, but just a tad bit slow.
After a rather pale “It Begins”, the album rushes off with the insanely beautiful “Hell on Earth”. The polished production can be felt all over the music as each minute part of the music really pierces through your ears, and those sharp riffs are just pure bliss for your ever Thrash craving ears. With parts of sharp riffage and parts of melodic mid-tempo guitar work, the listen is taken to a roller coaster ride with shades of multiple sub genres sprinkled everywhere in this 6:19 min song, really, everything in “Psycho” is commendable. Axemen Julian and Simon up their anti with “Remote Controlled” as they belt some of the most exquisite riffage from 4:33 to the end. Incredible.
The album chugs through the middle in a similar fast-paced manner, full of juicy guitar work. Jakob Weikmann relentlessly hammers the drums. What is so intriguing about the music here is, the title track “Overdrive” brings in riffage, which tells a story by itself, just like those classic 80s song, something you haven’t heard in any modern bands. Really, that’s class, pure class. The album ends with a classic anthemic song with headbangable riffage “I See A Fire” leaving a Accept-esque feeling in the listener.
Running Death for all the right reasons remind us of Artillery, Megadeth and Coroner as they please our ears with the riff based Speed/Thrash Metal. Everything offered here is commendable and worthy of your time!!
Punishment 18 Records, 2015 (P18R 89). Made in Italy. First press.


Tracklist:
1. It Begins 1:07 
2. Hell On Earth 4:25 
3. Psycho? 6:20 
4. Remote Controlled 5:36 
5. Close Minded 4:10 
6. Raging Nightmare 4:07 
7. Deludium 1:23 
8. Mercenary 5:25 
9. Pray For Death 4:45 
10. Reduced 4:47 
11. Overdrive 6:03 
12. I See A Fire 5:21
Total playing time: 53:31


Samples: https://runningdeath.bandcamp.com​​​​​​​