Editing Overkill (band) (section)

===Rise to success (1987–1990)===
Overkill's second album, ''[[Taking Over (Overkill album)|Taking Over]]'', was released in March 1987;{{r|metallipromo}} it was the first to be released by Megaforce with distribution from Atlantic Records. The album featured longer songs and improved production. ''Taking Over'' also brought the band public recognition, becoming their first album to enter the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]],{{r|billboard 200}} while Overkill's first-ever music video "In Union We Stand" received significant airplay on [[MTV]]'s ''[[Headbangers Ball]]''.<ref name="hbb">{{cite web|title=Headbangers Ball- The Unofficial Tribute Site - Episode Database|url=https://www.headbangersballunofficialtributesite.com/episode-database|website=headbangersballunofficialtributesite.com|date=April 23, 2021|access-date=April 23, 2021|archive-date=May 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529021919/https://www.headbangersballunofficialtributesite.com/episode-database|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another European tour followed, this time opening for [[Helloween]]. Overkill also opened for [[Megadeth]] on their ''[[Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?|Peace Sells]]'' tour in North America, and then headlined their own U.S. tour, with support from [[Nuclear Assault]] and then-Megaforce/Atlantic labelmates [[Testament (band)|Testament]].{{r|metallipromo}}

[[File:Bobby Gustafson 2014-01-30 11-33.png|thumb|upright=0.85|Guitarist [[Bobby Gustafson]] was a member of Overkill from 1982 to 1990.]]
In late 1987, the ''[[Fuck You (EP)|!!!Fuck You!!!]]'' EP was released, consisting of a studio cover version of the [[Subhumans (Canadian band)|Subhumans]]' "Fuck You", as well as a handful of live tracks recorded earlier that year in [[Cleveland]]. 1987 also saw the departure of founding drummer [[Rat Skates]]. He was replaced temporarily by Mark Archibole, and then permanently by Danish drummer Bob "Sid" Falck, formerly of [[Paul Di'Anno]]'s Battlezone. Overkill closed out the year with a one-off show at the Christmas on Earth festival in [[Leeds|Leeds, England]], together with Megadeth, [[Kreator]], Nuclear Assault, [[Voivod (band)|Voivod]], the [[Cro-Mags]], [[Lȧȧz Rockit]] and Virus.{{r|metallipromo}}

Overkill released their third album, ''[[Under the Influence (Overkill album)|Under the Influence]]'', in July 1988. Once again produced by [[Alex Perialas]], who had worked on the band's first two albums, ''Under the Influence'' was much more raw and thrashy, lacking most of the epic atmosphere heard on ''Taking Over''. "Hello from the Gutter" was released as a single, and its music video gained regular airplay on ''Headbangers Ball''.{{r|hbb}} Overkill kept up constant touring all over the world, furthering their reputation as one of the most active live metal bands; this included opening for Slayer on their ''[[South of Heaven]]'' tour in the United States and Europe, and performing with other bands such as Anthrax, Motörhead, [[Anvil (band)|Anvil]], Nuclear Assault, [[M.O.D.]], Testament, [[Vio-lence]], [[King's X]], [[Prong (band)|Prong]], [[Murphy's Law (band)|Murphy's Law]], [[Ludichrist]] and [[Znowhite]].{{r|metallipromo}}

Overkill released their fourth album, ''[[The Years of Decay]]'', in October 1989. Produced by [[Terry Date]] (who would later work with the likes of [[Pantera]], [[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]], [[Soundgarden]] and [[Deftones]]), the album featured the band's best production value to date, as well as Overkill's most [[progressive metal|progressive]] and diverse work compared to their previous albums.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 10 Best Overkill Albums Ranked|url=https://chaospin.com/best-overkill-albums/|access-date=October 14, 2021|website=Chaospin Magazine|date=May 31, 2021}}</ref> It combined the raw approach of ''Under the Influence'' with more complex song structures and epic elements of ''Taking Over'', resulting in a more serious atmosphere and longer songs, including the eight-minute title track and the ten-minute "Playing With Spiders/Skullkrusher", the latter is the longest track Overkill has recorded to date. Although the album charted lower than ''Under the Influence'' on the ''Billboard'' 200 at number 155,{{r|billboard 200}} ''The Years of Decay'' was a breakthrough album for Overkill, selling over 67,000 copies within the next decade-and-a-half,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metalsludge.tv/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=994&Itemid=39 |title=Metal Sludge - Sludge Scan For May 2000 - The Power & Glory since 1998 |access-date=May 24, 2021 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411215530/http://metalsludge.tv/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=994&Itemid=39 |archive-date=April 11, 2013 }}</ref> and includes one of the band's best-known songs "Elimination", for which a music video received regular airplay on ''Headbangers Ball''.{{r|hbb}} That song became a fan favorite and remains a staple in the band's live repertoire. Overkill toured relentlessly in support of ''The Years of Decay'' between November 1989 and June 1990, with bands such as Testament, [[Wolfsbane (band)|Wolfsbane]], [[Dark Angel (band)|Dark Angel]], Vio-lence, [[Mordred (band)|Mordred]], [[Powermad]], [[Whiplash (band)|Whiplash]] and [[Excel (band)|Excel]].{{r|metallipromo}}