Review Summary: Skillfully executed guitars and top-notch production yield an album that deserves to be listened to by all.
Annihilator is a technical thrash band hailing from Canada. They formed in in 1984, and have remained Canada's biggest selling heavy metal band for years. After hearing this, you might be asking your self; "Then why haven't i heard of them before?" That is because they sold most of those records in Europe and Asia, and here in the Americas we often tend to overlook talent. With that said, this album is oozing talent. The band's debut, 'Alice In Hell", was recorded from 1987-1989, and upon it's release, sales were reported in the hundreds of thousands. Thus, the band was catapulted to the forefront of the thrash metal scene.
In order to really understand why this album took off the way it did, you have to know Jeff Waters. Jeff Waters is the guitarist and key songwriter for the band, and he can shred with the best of them. The guitars are so heavy, fast, and just down-right dirty that i can't begin to understand how one can come up with this stuff. Some of the most mosh-inducing riffs and shredding guitar solos are contained within this beast of an album. And Jeff does a great job of surrounding his self with lots of talent. Throughout the years, Annihilator's line-up is constantly changing. But if i had to pick one line-up that i enjoyed the most, this would be the one. While not the best singer around, Randy Rampage gets the job done. He has the right attitude and raw aggression that this album definitely needed. Some may not like his vocals, but its all preference really. Even the rhythm section does a excellent job here. The drums are powerful and without weakness, And the bass is audible and enjoyable to listen to. This is all thanks to the great production and mixing that this album has.
What i really like about this album is the guitar work. This contains some of the best riffs and solos in thrash. The album even starts off with an acoustic number (Crystal Ann) that is way out of character for a band like this, but its sounds nice and i cant help but like it. The the acoustics stop and we go right into possibly one of the best songs this band has. (Alison Hell) A long intro/buildup and then the main riffs and vocals, followed by blazing guitar solos. This song pretty much sets the tone for the whole album. Other stand-out tracks to me include an instrumental called "Schizos (Are Never Alone)" that showcases the bands talents, and "Ligeia" which is probably one the more heavier tracks on the album. "W.T.Y.D." is also a another favorite for me, due to many different guitar parts used throughout the song. Lyrical Content for much of the album deals with the human mind and its many complexities.
Most of the songs stand out from each other and the guitar work never gets boring which is why this album is receiving a 4.5 from me. For a recording that's close to 25 years old, the album still holds up and does not sound dated like so many other recordings from around that time. It would be heresy for me to give it anything lower. If you like fast and clever guitar work, then this album is for you. This band is quickly becoming one of my favorites and i look forward to hearing more from them in the near-future.
PROS
- Superb guitars
- Great production
CONS
- Hit or miss vocals
RECOMMENDED TRACKS
- Alison Hell
- W.T.Y.D.
- Schizos (Are Never Alone)
- Ligeia
Jeff Waters - guitar, bass, lyrics
Randy Rampage - Vocals
Anthony Brian Greenham - guitar
Wayne Darley - bass
Ray Hartmann - drums
Produced by - Jeff Waters
Recorded: 1987-1989
Released: September 5, 1989
Roadrunner Records
