W.F.O. (album)
)
W.F.O. (album)
W.F.O. (Wide Fucking Open) is the seventh full-length studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released in July 15, 1994 on Atlantic Records. The album contains "hidden songs" on track 98 the songs start at 10:00, featuring the band warming up in the studio, playing "Heaven and Hell" by Black Sabbath, "The Ripper" by Judas Priest and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" by Jimi Hendrix. The instrumental song "R.I.P. (Undone)" was written as a tribute to Criss Oliva, co-founder of the band Savatage, who died nine months before the release of the album.[2]
W.F.O. is the last Overkill album released by Atlantic Records, who released their previous five albums, and their last album with guitarists Rob Cannavino and Merritt Gant. W.F.O. and I Hear Black were re-released on Wounded Bird Records in 2005.
Production
W.F.O. was the first album Overkill produced themselves. On the making of the album, frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth explained to Gavin Report:
Reception
AllMusic's Jason Anderson gave the album a positive review, awarding it four stars out of five and stating, "W.F.O. probably represents the formal beginnings of a '90s commercial swoon for the thrash metal band." Anderson then added, "By the time of this 1994 release, the group's popularity might have been waning a little due to rock fashion trends leaning heavily away from thrash or anything that reminded listeners of the '80s. That's not to say that W.F.O. isn't a fine recording. It is probably one of the band's best, and last, thrash juggernauts."[6]
W.F.O. reached number nine on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in 1994,[6] making it Overkill's third-highest chart position (after I Hear Black and Ironbound, which peaked at number three and number four respectively).[7] Unlike many of their previous albums, it did not chart on the Billboard 200.[7]
Track listing
All songs written by Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and D.D. Verni.[8]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| "Where It Hurts" | 5:33 | |
| "Fast Junkie" | 4:21 | |
| "The Wait/New High in Lows" | 5:46 | |
| "They Eat Their Young" | 4:57 | |
| "What's Your Problem" | 5:10 | |
| "Under One" | 4:14 | |
| "Supersonic Hate" | 4:17 | |
| "R.I.P. (Undone)" | 1:43 | |
| "Up to Zero" | 4:07 | |
| "Bastard Nation" | 5:38 | |
| "Gasoline Dream" | 6:49 | |
| Total length: | 57:38 | |
Hidden tracks
Tracks 12 – 95 are all silence for 0:03-0:04
96 (blank) – 2:56
97 (blank) – 9:00
98 "Heaven and Hell", "The Ripper" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" in rehearsals – (Starts at 1:00) – 4:55
99 (blank) – 0:04
Sampling
"The Wait/New High in Lows" samples a quote from the 1993 crime film, Carlito's Way.
Personnel
Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth – Vocals
D.D. Verni – Bass
Merritt Gant – Guitars
Rob Cannavino – Guitars
Tim Mallare – Drums
Doug Cook – Keyboards
Recorded April – May, 1994 at Ambient Recording Co, Stamford, Connecticut, USA
Produced by Overkill
Engineered by Tom Bender and Doug Cook
Mastered by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk, New York City, USA
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Top Heatseekers | 9[6] |