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)
Let Us Prey
Overkill Lyrics
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Heard he's comin' straight from hell
With a fast track bleedein' and siren screamin
If you don't listen you could never tell
Three days dead and risin'
Where you goin' now.I widh you well
Three days dead and risin'
Let us prey
Three days gone for the misson man
Three days gone and risin'
Three days gone hear the mission man say
Time to get down to business
Let us prey
He walked in like the duke he was the mission man
He had death leakin' from his eyes
Machine gun bigger with his linger of the trigger
Said it took me three days to rise
Three days dead and risin'
I think these here are yours. I couldn't tell
Three days dead and risin'
Then he handed on back the dreams that he couldn't sell
Lord I got a bleeder it a taste track feeder
And it nailed me down tight for the rest a' my life
It's a double damn shot a ' what I need when I want it
And it's givin' me redemption through the darkest og night
Lord I lost the lightenin' it was so damn frightenin'
And it pulled me up close like I was losin my life
Was a double damn shot, knocked me down, yeah I got it
And it givin' me some light through the rest a' my life
The lyrics to Overkill's "Let Us Prey" tell a story of a mission man who has recently risen from the dead after being gone for three days. The mission man comes straight from hell with a lethal aura, and nobody can tell where he is headed. As he encounters the singer of the song, he introduces himself as the mission man and states that it's time to get down to business.
The mission man seems to have a profound impact on the singer's life, for he symbolizes redemption and hope. The singer describes feeling "nailed down tight for the rest a' [his] life," possibly indicating that he was stuck in a rut before encountering the mission man. The mission man hands him back his dreams that he couldn't sell, which could also represent the singer's renewed sense of inspiration and purpose.
Furthermore, the chorus of the song, "Let us prey," could be interpreted as a warning to those who did not listen to the mission man's words. Overall, the lyrics of "Let Us Prey" paint a vivid picture of a mysterious, ominous figure who brings change and redemption to the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
It took three damn days for the mission man
The mission man was missing for three days and no one knew his whereabouts
Heard he's comin' straight from hell
The mission man is rumored to be returning from a dangerous or difficult mission
With a fast track bleedein' and siren screamin
The mission man returns with a sense of urgency or emergency, possibly due to injuries sustained on the mission
If you don't listen you could never tell
The urgency and danger of the mission man's return is not immediately apparent to everyone
Three days dead and risin'
The mission man was thought to be dead for three days before returning
Where you goin' now.I widh you well
After returning from the mission, the mission man is moving on to his next adventure and the singer wishes him good luck
With a half head full a ' dreams I could never sell
Despite the danger and difficulty of the mission, the mission man had aspirations and ambitions that he did not give up on
Let us prey
The artist is inviting the listener to join them in a moment of reflection or prayer
Three days gone for the mission man
The mission man was gone on his mission for three days
Three days gone and risin'
The mission man has returned from his mission after being presumed dead for three days
Time to get down to business
It is time to focus on important matters at hand
He walked in like the duke he was the mission man
The mission man entered with confidence and authority, like a noble or royal person
He had death leakin' from his eyes
The mission man had a strong and intimidating demeanor, possibly due to the horrors he has witnessed
Machine gun bigger with his linger of the trigger
The mission man is heavily armed and ready to take action if needed
Said it took me three days to rise
The mission man took three days to recover from injuries sustained on the mission before returning
I think these here are yours. I couldn't tell
The mission man returns something to someone, but they cannot recognize what it is or why he returned it
Lord I got a bleeder it a taste track feeder
The artist has a painful and persistent injury, possibly caused by the mission man
And it nailed me down tight for the rest a' my life
The injury will have a lasting impact on the singer, potentially affecting them for the rest of their life
It's a double damn shot a ' what I need when I want it
The singer has found a powerful solution to their problems, possibly referring to drugs or alcohol
And it's givin' me redemption through the darkest og night
The solution the artist has found is providing them with a sense of purpose or salvation, even during difficult times
Lord I lost the lightenin' it was so damn frightenin'
The artist has lost something important to them, causing them to feel scared or anxious
And it pulled me up close like I was losin my life
Despite the fear and uncertainty, the artist feels a sense of comfort and safety from the solution they have found
Was a double damn shot, knocked me down, yeah I got it
The solution the singer has found was initially overwhelming or difficult, but they eventually embraced it
And it givin' me some light through the rest a' my life
The solution the artist has found is providing them with hope and relief for the future
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CARLO VERNI, ROBERT ELLSWORTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind