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)
Drop The Hammer Down
Overkill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold your face to the ground
Hold on tight, you're a target baby
Drop the hammer down
I'm a long life, loving hate
I'm a bomb that makes no sound
Could you please, would you loosen these
I'm about to fucking drown
Lowdown and overloaded, keeping you alive
I see that you've exploded
On the other side
Lowdown and lowdown, kicking it around
I see that you've exploded
Drop the hammer down
In a mock execution
In a house of gag and bound
Not the best solution
Drop the hammer down
I'm a long life, hating love
I'm under my dirt mound
If you could stand where we stood
We're not fucking around
Let's hear it for the black and blue
For the tortured soul, for the battered crew
Three cheers for the black and blue
Raise a glass to the beaten down
To their dignity and bloodless frown
Three cheers for the beaten down
Drop dead dreams in a deep, dirt ditch
Buried by a shovel hand
Dead screams from the son of a bitch
Coming out to beat the band
Oh baby how I love your bite
Turn my smile upside down
Oh baby how I hate your light
As you drop the hammer down
The song Drop The Hammer Down by Overkill can be interpreted as a call to action or a declaration of war. The opening lines "Hold your feet to the fire, Hold your face to the ground" set the tone for the rest of the song as a message to those who stand in the way of the singer. The repeated phrase "Drop the hammer down" reinforces the message that it is time to take action.
The lyrics suggest that the singer is not afraid to take risks, even when faced with the possibility of drowning. The line, "I'm a long life, loving hate, I'm a bomb that makes no sound" reinforces this idea, suggesting that the singer is willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve their goals. The song also touches on themes of torture, execution, and being bound, suggesting that the struggle for power and domination is not always a fair fight.
Overall, the song's message is one of aggression and determination. It encourages listeners to stand up to their enemies and take action to achieve their goals, no matter how difficult the task may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold your feet to the fire
Prepare to face the consequences for your actions.
Hold your face to the ground
Accept defeat or submission.
Hold on tight, you're a target baby
Be ready for anything and try to stay alive.
Drop the hammer down
Take decisive action and let the full force of your power be felt.
I'm a long life, loving hate
I am the embodiment of a deep-seated resentment that endures for a lifetime.
I'm a bomb that makes no sound
I am dangerous and unpredictable, without warning or fanfare.
Could you please, would you loosen these
Please give me some breathing room, I am suffocating.
I'm about to fucking drown
I am overwhelmed and struggling to stay afloat.
Lowdown and overloaded, keeping you alive
Despite the challenges and burdens, you keep on living.
I see that you've exploded
I see that you have reached your breaking point.
On the other side
Going through this experience will change you forever.
Lowdown and lowdown, kicking it around
Doing whatever it takes to survive in harsh and difficult circumstances.
In a mock execution
In a cruel and staged display of power.
In a house of gag and bound
In a place of captivity and silencing.
Not the best solution
This is not the ideal way to solve a problem, but it may be the only option available.
I'm a long life, hating love
I represent a deep-seated distaste and rejection of affection and kindness.
I'm under my dirt mound
I am figuratively buried and hidden away from view.
If you could stand where we stood
If you experienced what we have been through, you would understand our perspective.
We're not fucking around
We are serious and will follow through on our intentions.
Let's hear it for the black and blue
Let's give recognition and respect to those who have suffered and been bruised.
For the tortured soul, for the battered crew
For those who have experienced pain and distress, physically or emotionally.
Raise a glass to the beaten down
Let's honor those who have struggled and persevered against adversity.
To their dignity and bloodless frown
Despite their wounds and scars, they have maintained their self-respect and composure.
Drop dead dreams in a deep, dirt ditch
Abandon or bury failed aspirations in a place where they can never be fulfilled.
Buried by a shovel hand
Purposely concealed and covered up by someone else.
Dead screams from the son of a bitch
The guttural cries of a hated and despised individual.
Coming out to beat the band
Demonstrating immense effort and energy in a show of force or performance.
Oh baby how I love your bite
Expressing admiration and attraction for someone's fierce and unyielding nature.
Turn my smile upside down
Having a profound impact on one's emotions, causing a shift from happiness to sadness.
Oh baby how I hate your light
Feeling a strong dislike or resentment towards someone's positive influence or success.
As you drop the hammer down
As you move forward with cold, ruthless determination to achieve your goals.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Carlo Verni, Robert Joseph Ellsworth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean Ninneman
WOW... Brilliant exhibition in Thrash Metal... nobody can really do it like the originals, can they ?
alessandro hernandez manzano
el solo es tan perfecto lo adoro tan nostalgico y potente que se me pone la piel de gallina
spok mad 4 maiden!!!
such a fucking masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!
Raptor Jesus
bobby bltiz is legend
Ricardo Remo
outstanding guitar solo! And song!
rebelrocker10
FANTASTIC SONG!!!
Chris Smith
Hell Yeah stick the headphones in & crank it up Loud!!!!
TheNozgot
My life has meaning now and its to listen to over kills new album :DD
H. R.
I can hear the Iron Maiden influence, this.... is.... GREAT!!!!
Brian Stewart
Nihilist Hedon they been around just about as long as Maiden