Canadian thrash band Annihilator are back with a brand new album “Ballistic, Sadistic” and it’s one we’ve been anticipating, the veterans very rarely let us down and at album number 17, it appears there is no slowing down with what looks to be one of their best yet. We take a look at the new tracks on offer and see how they they match up.
For years I’ve championed the opinion that Annihilator are one of the most underrated bands to have ever come out of the metal scene in the 80’s, a band whose determination to strive for ultimate success and most importantly, the ultimate riff has seen some of the best metal albums of all time go largely unnoticed. While releases like “Alice In Hell” and “Set The World On Fire” helped put the band on the musical map early on, it was those middle albums in the 90’s like “King Of The Kill” and “Refresh The Demon” that really jumped the gun as far as perfecting the ultimate riff based heavy metal all the while flying under the radar. Solos blazing, double bass flailing, gritty and soaring vocals which have been shared by main visionary Jeff Waters himself along with a slew of singers that have come and gone which have all seemed to fit the puzzle at the time, Annihilator at least in my eyes are just about the most perfect band a metal band could be. A few changes here and there before the brilliant “Schizodeluxe” came out in 2005 (a name I also personally have borrowed as a sort of pseudonym for writing as a tribute to both the band and the psycho-antics of internet flame wars) cemented this band as a real piece of legendary work.
So come 2019 and Annihilator continue forward, with the upcoming release “Ballistic, Sadistic“, the follow up to the also brilliant “For The Demented”. The one thing Jeff Waters and co have done over more recent years is add an element of aggression and heaviness that their old classics were missing. The technicality of it all has always been there even if things were somewhat simplified in the 90’s but Jeff, who has pretty much been running everything with this band since day one has really found the perfect balance on the last couple of albums with that over the top frenzied guitar attack, that all important hook and groove as well as the heaviness of it all. Those modern elements were captured fittingly well on the “Feast” bonus CD with the re-recordings of old songs and it was that extra beefed up production level that made those recordings so much better than the original.
With “Ballistic, Sadistic”, Annihilator step it up and the first thing you notice is that this is vintage Annihilator down to a tee. The signature elements, particularly found in much of the early releases are heard instantaneously and while that’s not something entirely new as Jeff has been known to throw in a few nods to previously used riffs, ideas and such, here it almost seems like it’s the basis of the album. That’s not to say this is a rip-off of anything, quite the contrary, the songs are written in such a way that the band just simply sound like Annihilator in every possible way. Those super familiar with the bands sound will know what I’m talking about and what’s fun about it is that you almost feel like hearing Annihilator for the first time again. Don’t we all wish to have that feeling with every album? It’s why classic bands remain successful, that craving for familiarity, a time warp to possibly happier times or even just that connection as a kid to something completely new to you, even if others already know it.
On to the songs tho, opening track “Armed To The Teeth” does remind me a little of “Carnival Diablos” in that classic metal sense and it’s great to see Jeff get comfortable once again in that trademark vocal snarl he uses. He embellishes it to great effect here and it reminds me once again how much I have always preferred his vocals to anyone else. As great as Dave Padden, the late Randy Rampage and the rest of them were, Jeff’s voice just fits the music perfect which makes sense since he writes the songs.
Moving on, “The Attitude” has riffs galore and it’s a Formula 1 race here with as many gear changes as you could expect. “Psycho Ward” has a deep and dark lyrical content but embodied in this very fun package that Annihilator do so well. Serious topics shouldn’t be so catchy, but this is.
“I Am Warfare” is an all out thrasher, combining technicality with modern sounds as well as a massive breakdown halfway all the while tackling the issue of bullying and standing up for yourself. “Out With The Garbage” is a twist and turn sort of number, driven by fantastic riffs and a groove element that has that “21” vibe all about it. “Dressed Up For Evil” is the weirdo track here that Jeff loves to throw in on most albums, this one will definitely take you back to such antics found on “Word Salad” and the “Never Neverland” world. “Riot” is a galloping groover with a solid consistent beat flowing through in a sort of industrial metal kind of way that probably wouldn’t be too far removed from the “Remains” material.
Going on from that, “One Wrong Move” is one of the highlights and brings the old school and later sounds together, much like what “Schizodeluxe” did with it’s ferocity. “Lip Service” is another vintage throwback but again with that extra muscle in the way it comes across. Finally we end with “The End Of The Lie“, an ultra tight thrash piece with some nice melodic sections.
But all those descriptions are far from really getting to the nitty gritty of what this album has to offer. If you were a little thrown off by some of the more experimental or even harsher or overly technical stuff that Annihilator have previously been doing in the last 20 years, “Ballistic, Sadistic” is sure to hook you right back in. It has all the very best elements of what makes Annihilator a great band and if this hasn’t sold you, I’m afraid nothing will which is a shame as Jeff Waters alone is criminally underrated as a musician, as a songwriter and as a veteran in thrash metal history.
Annihilator fans will love this album, thrash fans have to dig it and metal fans in general would be crazy to dismiss it. It’s only January by the time this comes out but we may already have our metal album of the year!
10/10
TRACKLIST
Armed To The Teeth
The Attitude
Psycho Ward
I Am Warfare
Out With The Garbage
Dressed Up For Evil
Riot
One Wrong Move
Lip Service
The End Of The Lie
