| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING 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 Release Date: January 24, 2020 Label: Silver Lining Music Website: www.annihilatormetal.com www.facebook.com/annihilatorband |  |
ANNIHILATOR IS:
Jeff Waters - Guitars, bass & lead vocals / Aaron Homma - Rhythm guitars & backing vocals (not on album)
Rich Hinks - Bass (not on album) / Fabio Alessandrini - Drums
Jeff Waters - Guitars, bass & lead vocals / Aaron Homma - Rhythm guitars & backing vocals (not on album)
Rich Hinks - Bass (not on album) / Fabio Alessandrini - Drums
Jeff Waters is the definition of a workaholic, and I mean that in a good way. Ever since the release of the last Annihilator album For The Demented in 2017, the man has moved from his native Canada for a new residence over in England. It kind of makes sense because it's less travel time for him, being that Annihilator do all their touring in Europe, and his bassist Rich Hinks lives in England too, so he most likely did it for the sake of convenience. He re-opened his Watersound Studios over there, and got right to work on what would be Annihilator's seventeenth studio album. The resulting album is Ballistic, Sadistic. For me, it's the best thing they've put out since Feast. I don't know what rattled Jeff's cage, but I don't think he has ever sounded this fierce vocally and musically. It's also the first time he has kept the same lineup for more than one album. Although the recording lineup was just Jeff handling all the vocal, guitar and bass duties, with Fabio Alessandrini handling drum duties, it's the first time that the band's live lineup managed to stay consistent from one album to another.
The album opens with a vicious smack to the face with "Armed To The Teeth", a song about retaliation that many people will relate to. One thing I noticed with this album is that Jeff has gotten so much better vocally. It sounds like he's channeling a little of his inner Chuck Billy. Of course, like always with Annihilator, you're going to get a good mix of speed and groove. There might not be any full melodic songs on this album, but melodic elements surely make their presence known, like in the chorus of "Psycho Ward" and the harmonized guitar section in "Lip Service". Even though there's a good dynamic in the heaviness, I think one melodic song would've done nicely, but that's just me.
Jeff is also known for incorporating some joke songs on albums from time to time, or at least songs with some pretty silly lyrics. However, he seemed to leave that behind for this album, which I think was a smart move. On the last album, he had the song "Pieces Of You", which I later read was a ficticious story that was pretty gnarly, but I found the lyrics to be a pure cringe-fest. Ballistic, Sadistic certainly lives up to its name. Jeff and the boys are not screwing around. See them live when you can!
Highs: "Armed To The Teeth", "Psycho Ward" and "Riot"
Lows: The inclusion of one melodic song would've been nice.
The album opens with a vicious smack to the face with "Armed To The Teeth", a song about retaliation that many people will relate to. One thing I noticed with this album is that Jeff has gotten so much better vocally. It sounds like he's channeling a little of his inner Chuck Billy. Of course, like always with Annihilator, you're going to get a good mix of speed and groove. There might not be any full melodic songs on this album, but melodic elements surely make their presence known, like in the chorus of "Psycho Ward" and the harmonized guitar section in "Lip Service". Even though there's a good dynamic in the heaviness, I think one melodic song would've done nicely, but that's just me.
Jeff is also known for incorporating some joke songs on albums from time to time, or at least songs with some pretty silly lyrics. However, he seemed to leave that behind for this album, which I think was a smart move. On the last album, he had the song "Pieces Of You", which I later read was a ficticious story that was pretty gnarly, but I found the lyrics to be a pure cringe-fest. Ballistic, Sadistic certainly lives up to its name. Jeff and the boys are not screwing around. See them live when you can!
Highs: "Armed To The Teeth", "Psycho Ward" and "Riot"
Lows: The inclusion of one melodic song would've been nice.
FINAL RATING
| | |
RSS Feed
