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While not nearly as forceful or brutal as albums like recent steamrollers The Electric Age (2012) and White Devil Armory (2014), Overkill's new endeavor to the Thrash dome is still an interesting one. Considering recurrent characteristics of the band such as the powerful opener ("Last Man Standing") and some laid-back, almost party-like moments ("Welcome to the Garden State"), this here is yet another classic "in your balls" Overkill record, full of groovy bass lines, faster than hell riffs and some crazy ass "Blitz" howls.

Unlike their other recent albums, though, there are a couple of songs here that don't bring anything relevant to the table, such as "Head of a Pin," "A Mother's Prayer" and "Where Few Dare to Walk". These are decent, but extremely forgettable and safe, instrumental-wise. The duo Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer (guitars) seem not to be at their best playing, and newcomer Jason Bittner (drums, Shadows Fall) doesn't blast through the kit like a madman as he does on battering rams like "Believe in the Fight" or "Bat Shit Crazy".

Despite finding their latest entry, The Grinding Wheel (2017), a little bit better, The Wings of War is definitely more organic and simplistic than its predecessor, which could grab more listeners to Overkill's ranks. There's no shortage of cool riffs, crushing bass lines and monstrous drumming, as well as some bonkers trademark screaming by Bobby "Blitz", which is always an awesome thing to hear.

As far as Overkill albums go, this probably ranks in the middle of the shelf alongside decent works like Necroshine (1999) and Killbox 13 (2003), but continues with the small step backs seen since Ironbound—which is by far their best album of the 2010s. All in all, by mixing classic US Thrash elements with heavyweight instrumental and adding to that their characteristic unpretentious approach to music, D.D., "Blitz" and company have done it once again in creating an extremely fun album to listen to, especially in places like the gym or on a road trip.