Annihilator

[Thorn]

This new one has just slipped out quietly after Xmas  and currently serving as the antidote to the recent Esoteric I've been wallowing in.
Ballistic Sadistic, goofy title and cover aside, is the best Annihilator since fuck  knows, Criteria?

Total shredfest, like someone locked JW in the studio with  a fridge full of Red Bull and  a few chopped lines on the side. Zero ballads, minimal quirks, no let up.
As usual with Annihilator just disengage brain with some of the lyrics and you're good to go. Heads down. All the way to the end. And yes 'Lip Service' is 'Knight Jumps Queen ' again. Does like a bit of self plagiarism does Jeff.

Not sure how much time I'll be giving this come the end of the year but for a burst of high octane energy in January, it works. Just won't be ordering the tshirt.

[Juggz]

I love the first two albums. After that, a period of complete unlistenability. Criteria for a Black Widow was enjoyable as a facsimile of the first album but entirely unnecessary. The first one with Comeau was alright but the guitar sound of Waking the Fury is a lesson in always needing a second opinion in a one man show. Since then, I just cannot abide anything he has put out.

I've had a listen to a couple of new track from the new one and had to turn them off early because they're making me question my attachment to the first two. Waters could have been huge if he allowed someone to steer him away from the awful decisions he continually makes. If ever a lad needed a strong producer to work with, it is he.

[Nail_Bombed]

Those first couple of Annihilator albums are definite belters - possible thrash classics, even. Never clicked with much of the later stuff really.

[Trev]

Had a listen to it, crap title and artwork, crap lyrics, alright vocals, brilliant solos. Business as usual  really then

Juggz has hit the nail on the head, first two and the Comeau era are worth having, all the rest there's no need to bother with it.

Shame because he's a brilliant guitarist who would've been an asset to any of the other thrash bands from the same time, or if he had a producer to tell him to cop on

[Cryptic Stench]

Dreadful muck altogether.

[Ducky]

Annihilator starts and ends with AiH (a classic) for me, the rest is pure muck.

[AndrewCooke]

Could barely get through the first single, extremely boring and generic modern thrash. Even if he recycled his older riffs they'd be more original than this.
They're great live tho

[Thorn]

CD landed today ( obviously you lot are watching the post) and reckon it's just short of Criteria in ' best of the rest' stakes. Nostalgia or whatever it's just good to have a new Annihilator album, same way as there'll never be a time when I don't buy the new Sodom,  Overkill, Megadeth....drew a line under the reinvented arena friendly Kreator a while back though.
Anyway, giz a shout anyone wants a lend.
( Fuck, who borrows albums anymore )