Annihilator
For The Demented

Jeff Waters is a big joker.

He got me again, made me believe once more that there was a remote and distant possibility that he could return to his former self. But let's go in order. "Never, Neverland" (1990) and "Alice In Hell" (1989), two albums that managed to give a huge jolt to the Thrash movement, showcasing a power expertly combined with an unprecedented technique by Jeff Waters, a guitarist with great musical abilities, who in just two years succeeded in bringing two musical products to light that would influence hundreds of bands to come. Sadly, it all stopped there.

In 1993, "Set The World On Fire" was released, an album that veered towards a softer Thrash, with more rhythmical and easy-listening pieces, some ballads, but the guitar style of Waters was still there, and it was for this reason that both in the year of the album’s release and in the years to come, fans did not completely turn their backs on Annihilator... even though they were always very close to doing so.

"Inside me, I know I'll never be able to produce an album with the same characteristics as Alice In Hell or Never, Neverland again. I try to look to the future."

These were Waters' words to an American review site, perhaps nostalgic words, in memory of years that will never return, but certainly courageous. It is clear that Annihilator never really gave up, alternating between more than good albums ("Criteria For A Black Widow, King Of The Kill, Waking the Fury") with others on the verge of obscene (All For You, Remains, or the horrible Metal). Different styles have been tested and retested in their now almost thirty-year career, among Industrial, sounds close to Metalcore, and others recalling the 80s’ Speed. I give credit to Annihilator, but especially to Waters, for always continuing with what they wanted to do, regardless of whether it was done well or poorly, but trying anyway, for a result that would primarily satisfy the band, and secondly the fans.

After a certain stability in the lineup with Dave Padden on vocals, present since 2004, and finally high-quality releases, first the self-titled "Annihilator" in 2010, and "Feast" in 2013, the Canadian singer decided to leave because he was embittered by being away from his family for so long during tours. Waters then decided, after holding several auditions, to take on the role of singer himself, as happened in 1994 with "King Of The Kill," an album entirely produced, played, and sung by the leader of Annihilator, except for the drums. The results, however, are neither those hoped for nor so remotely disastrous. "Suicide Society" in 2015 is a work that is generally appreciated, perhaps guilty of sounds too close to heavy, but especially of the aforementioned plagiarism of "Ich Tu Dir Weh" by Rammstein in the track "Snap."

Therefore, the announcement in the summer of this year of "For The Demented" was supposed to serve as confirmation that Annihilator had not run out of ideas, not yet. One thing I have always appreciated about the leader of the Canadian band is the fact of not calling, as other musicians often and willingly do, their latest album the best ever released, or the return to the sounds of the most famous. Waters defined "For The Demented" as a different album, in which many different styles will be present. The cover didn't give much confidence in this regard, but by now I'm used to this. Never judge a book by its cover, they say...

Since the release of the first singles, I had hoped for the best. "Twisted Lobotomy" is the classic Annihilator track, fast, accompanied by a great riff, and a simple yet immediate structure, ideal for live performances. "Pieces Of You" excessively recalls the (too many) slow tracks of the Canadian group proposed between '94 and the early 2000s, accompanied by a video that isn't all that visually appealing. "The Demon You Know" and "Not All There" instead are songs that leave good hope for the course of the album, with the former embracing some more rocking sounds mixed with Waters' unmistakable style, and the latter, to the delight of many, seems to have emerged from that now distant "Never, Neverland," it's just a pity about the duration. To deliver the final blow to all hopes invested in the album, however, are the pointless "Dark," a skippable intro that is quite tedious to listen to, and the subsequent "The Way," a track that seems to have come out of a more recent Green Day album given how catchy and inclined towards more commercial sounds it is. It's known that for many years now, Waters has tried to combine his never-lost thrash side with a more melodic one. Sometimes great pieces came out, other times not.

I am of the opinion that those who still listen to Annihilator do so largely because of Jeff's riffs, convinced that one day they might perhaps listen again and savor those musical compositions of the early albums. The mastermind of the Canadian band today is unfortunately different, and the countless musical currents that have influenced him in his career, aside from the many lineup changes, have in some way transformed Waters, yet he hasn't forgotten his origins. "For The Demented" therefore does not represent an album of innovation, but neither is it to be forgotten, but rather it's just another record from a group that despite ups and downs still manages to prove it hasn't completely lost its touch, albeit with some slip-ups. But I will still be here with the hope that Waters will be able to produce a gem like those he published in '89-'90, when a mere 24-year-old managed to shake the world of music in a decisive way... I still hope so.