Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. Th… Read Full Bio ↴Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many lineup changes, leaving bassist D.D. Verni and lead vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth as the only constant members. In addition to Verni and Ellsworth, Overkill's current lineup includes Dave Linsk on lead guitar, Derek Tailer on rhythm guitar and Jason Bittner on drums. Along with Nuclear Assault and Anthrax, whose one-time lead guitarist Dan Spitz was also an early member of Overkill, the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal bands, and they are often called "the Motörhead of thrash metal", based on their unique playing style, which was influenced by punk rock and the new wave of British heavy metal. The band has a notable mascot named "Chaly", a skeletal bat with a skull-like face, horns, bony wings and green eyes, who has appeared on most of their album covers.

To date, Overkill has released nineteen studio albums, an album of cover songs, two EPs, one demo tape and three live albums. They were one of the first thrash metal bands to sign to a major label (having signed to Atlantic Records in 1986), and rose to fame as part of the genre's movement of the mid-to-late 1980s, along with the "Big Four" (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) as well as Exodus and Testament. Overkill achieved their first mainstream success with its second studio album and Atlantic debut, Taking Over (1987), which peaked at number 191 on the Billboard 200. The band's next five studio albums—Under the Influence (1988), The Years of Decay (1989), Horrorscope (1991), I Hear Black (1993) and W.F.O. (1994)—were also successful on the Billboard charts, with the latter two cracking the top ten on the Top Heatseekers chart. Following their split from Atlantic in 1995, Overkill went through some label changes, but continued to enjoy moderate underground success, particularly in Europe and Japan. The band experienced a resurgence of popularity in the U.S. during the 2010s, with three of their studio albums released that decade—The Electric Age (2012), White Devil Armory (2014) and The Grinding Wheel (2017)—reaching the top 100 on the charts. Overkill has sold over 16 million records worldwide; they are also estimated to have sold more than 625,000 records in the United States since the beginning of the SoundScan era.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overkill_(band)

Studio albums
Feel the Fire (1985)
Taking Over (1987)
Under the Influence (1988)
The Years of Decay (1989)
Horrorscope (1991)
I Hear Black (1993)
W.F.O. (1994)
The Killing Kind (1996)
From the Underground and Below (1997)
Necroshine (1999)
Bloodletting (2000)
Killbox 13 (2003)
ReliXIV (2005)
Immortalis (2007)
Ironbound (2010)
The Electric Age (2012)
White Devil Armory (2014)
The Grinding Wheel (2017)
The Wings of War (2019)
Scorched (2023)

Black Line
Overkill Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What was done is licking me with fire
Do with me,do what you will
I'm cold and sick,I'm cold and sick and tired
Yeah I've had enough.I've had my kill
And dare I say that I'm walking on today
With no direction ever had
Please forget me,leave me to what will
I'll be with you again at the end of the line

We all walk in a long black line
We all walk in time
We all walk in the black sunshine
We don't know who we are
we all walk in a long black line
We all walk in time
We all walk in the black sunshine
We don't know who we are
What is done still licking me with fire
Do with me,do what you will
I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired
Yeah I've had enough,I've had my kill
And dare I say that I'm missing you today
With no direction ever had

I can't forget you,or leave you to what will
I'll see you once again at end of the line

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Overkill's song "Black Line" seem to explore themes of exhaustion, confusion, and desperation. The lines "What was done is licking me with fire" and "I'm cold and sick, I'm cold and sick and tired" convey a sense of weariness and hopelessness. The singer feels like they've hit their breaking point, declaring "Yeah I've had enough, I've had my kill."

The chorus repeats the phrase "We all walk in a long black line" several times, emphasizing the idea that everyone is moving forward blindly without fully understanding their purpose or where they're headed. The line "We don't know who we are" suggests a sense of identity crisis or loss of self. The singer seems to be searching for some kind of resolution or closure, saying "Please forget me, leave me to what will / I'll be with you again at the end of the line" and "I'll see you once again at the end of the line."

Overall, the lyrics of "Black Line" suggest a kind of resignation to fate, tempered by a hint of longing for something or someone lost. The repetitiveness of the chorus, combined with the bleak tone of the verses, creates a sense of cyclical despair, as if the singer is stuck in a never-ending loop of uncertainty and dissatisfaction.

Line by Line Meaning

What was done is licking me with fire
The consequences of my past actions continue to haunt me and cause me pain

Do with me,do what you will
I am at the mercy of those around me and have surrendered control over my own fate

I'm cold and sick,I'm cold and sick and tired
I am exhausted and weary, both physically and emotionally, and cannot take any more

Yeah I've had enough.I've had my kill
I have reached my limit and have accomplished all that I set out to do

And dare I say that I'm walking on today
I am moving forward with uncertainty, unsure of what lies ahead

With no direction ever had
I have never had a clear purpose or path in life, and continue to wander aimlessly

Please forget me,leave me to what will
I am burdened by guilt and shame and wish to be left alone to face the consequences of my actions

I'll be with you again at the end of the line
Despite everything, I know that eventually I will be reunited with those I care about

We all walk in a long black line
We are all stuck in a never-ending cycle of pain, suffering, and uncertainty

We all walk in time
We are all moving forward, but often without any clear direction or purpose

We all walk in the black sunshine
Even in the moments of joy and happiness, there is still a looming sense of darkness and despair

We don't know who we are
Despite our best efforts, we are often lost and unsure of our true selves and purpose in life

What is done still licking me with fire
The consequences of my past actions continue to cause me pain and suffering in the present

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired
I am exhausted and fed up with the constant pain and suffering that life brings

I'll see you once again at end of the line
Despite the uncertainty and darkness that surrounds me, I hold onto the hope that I will be reunited with those who matter most in my life

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CARLO VERNI, ROBERT ELLSWORTH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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