OVERKILL: Taking Over LP.. SIGNED / Autographed by bobby gustafson + d.d verni.

OVERKILL: Taking Over [Track List • Deny The Cross • Wrecking Crew • Fear His Name • Use Your Head • Fatal If Swallowed • Powersurge • In Union We Stand • Electro-Violence • Overkill II (The Nightmare --Continues).

Studio album by Overkill
Released 1987
Recorded September – December 1986
Pyramid Sound Studios,
Ithaca, New York, USA
Genre Thrash metal, Speed metal
Length 45:22
Label Megaforce Records
Producer Alex Perialas

Taking Over is the second album by thrash metal band Overkill, released by Megaforce Records in 1987. The album, was the last to feature Rat Skates on drums, who would leave the band later that year. Taking Over reached #191 on the Billboard 200.
"In Union We Stand" was the song which was chosen to be Overkill's first music video. Another European tour followed the release of Taking Over, this time opening for Helloween.

All music, lyrics and arrangements by Overkill
"Deny the Cross" – 4:42
"Wrecking Crew" – 4:30
"Fear His Name" – 5:23
"Use Your Head" – 4:18
"Fatal if Swallowed" – 6:44
"Powersurge" – 4:34
"In Union We Stand" – 4:23
"Electro-Violence" – 3:43
"Overkill II (The Nightmare Continues)" – 7:10

Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth – vocals
Bobby Gustafson – guitar
D.D. Verni – bass, backing vocals
Rat Skates – drums

Kicking off with the brutal riffing of "Deny The Cross", the band make it obvious that in no way have they compromised, if anything they've got heavier! "Wrecking Crew" is next, the best song on side one, with brilliant guitar work from Bobby Gustafson. Powerful rifferama as always, and a great solo which rips the speakers to tatters. Mr. Gustafson pisses all over most of the so-called guitar heroes, most of whom can't write a song to save their lives. But no way are OVERKILL a one-man band, the crunching rhythms are an essential part of their sound and are ably provided by D.D. Verni on bass and Rat Skates on drums.
"Fear His Name" and "Use Your Head" are next up, both good songs delivered strongly, the latter featuring the great chorus line "You, you've got a lot to learn, you heads up your ass!" Great! The last song on side one is a re-recorded version of "Fatal If Swallowed" from their EP of a couple of years ago, and this is a far superior version.
Over on to side two, "Powersurge" has a catchy chorus and a great bass intro while "Electro-Violence" has some speedy riffing and shouted backing vocals. But vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth has such a distinctive voice that when combined with the guitar of Gustafson it gives OVERKILL their own sound which makes them one of the few bands that are instantly recognizeable. "In Union We Stand" is a classic chant in the style of JUDAS PRIEST's "Take On The World", but this is done so much better. Ellsworth's voice does let him down a bit on this but it's such a good song it hardly matters. My favourite track one the first album was "Overkill", and on here it"s "Overkill II", in the same vein as part one. This song is so powerful it's frightening. From the doomy gothic intro, through the classic chorus with it's brilliantly melodic guitar hook, to the acoustic guitar on the fadeout, this song says everything about the band. As the song says, "The nightmare continues"!