Thrash Royalty
THRASH METAL
Annihilator
Ballistic, Sadistic
If Annihilator don’t get your heart pumping, call a doctor. Few bands sound this pumped on their first album, let alone their 17th, but these mugs come off as wild and dedicated as they did on Alice in Hell in 1989. Seriously, listen to “I Am Warfare” and see if you can guess which decade it came out in. Impossible. Annihilator’s career puts them in the category of thrash metal royalty. Like their comrades at the top, they figured out the formula sometime between 1986 and 1991. They’ve improved rapidly since guitarist Jeff Waters took over lead vocals in 2016 and Ballistic, Sadistic is another fearsome
FOLK entry into the catalogue. It falls on the heavier Slayer/Death Angel side of thrash, evil with just the right hint of cheese.
But behind the flash is true talent. Annihilator have always been underappreciated as technical musicians, and it’s hard to argue with riffs like those in “Out With the Garbage,” “Lip Service” and “Psycho Ward.” It’s the sort of thing you play your little relatives when they ask you what metal is. Annihilator are one of Canada’s hidden treasures. You can hear how happy they are in every note on this record. It’s enough to make any red-blooded Canadian metalhead smile. (Silver Lining) ability and an unbridled experimental spirit; after all, this is a group whose own mandate has been to create electronic music without electronics. Deleter finds the band recruiting guests like Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor to help deliver an energetic and danceable record. However, it lacks the urgency of their strongest material.
Holy Fuck have always used their live band setup well, and Deleter is further proof. The rhythmic interplay and heavy use of polyrhythms is front and centre across the record, and it makes an effective backdrop for the band’s electronic madness. Tracks like “Moment” and “Free Gloss” show the band really embracing their electronic rock leanings, pairing Krautrock-esque rhythmic drive with dreamier textures. Opener “Luxe” is a good showcase of the band’s playful spontaneity, and makes good use of Taylor’s guest appearance.
Those looking for the breakneck speeds or the hang-on-for-dear-life atmosphere of LP or Latin might be let down by the more conventional approach to Deleter. The band have used their unpredictability in the past to create compelling material that feels like it’s coming apart at the seams, which just added another layer of excitement. It’s not like their transition from aggressive dance-punk to more refined electronic rock has caused them to lose their edge. Their funky, rhythmic side is as good as ever; they just don’t need to create musical maelstroms at every turn. (Last Gang)
HIP- HOP