Artist: Annihilator
Label: AFM Records
Release: 2003
Rating: 4.5/5
The second live album, after a long twelve years, has finally made it into the world. Honestly, that hardly matters given the sheer quality Annihilator deliver on it. There’s no tamer out there who can handle this fire-breathing beast!
The perfectly synced sawing of the two ESP axes (yes, you guessed it, one of them is of course a copy of the Gibson Flyin’ V) under the baton of Jeff Waters (who, don’t worry, besides the copy is also armed with an original black Gibson Flyin’ V) is brilliantly split up in the production. Jeff’s work on the right channel and Curran’s on the left is perfectly distinct and delivers an exact replica that blasts the listener straight into an Annihilator show, where you can picture the wild little mohawked madman bathing, guitar and all, in a hellish pool of his own sweat. The guitar duo clicked phenomenally and staged a true ode to riffing! Opener Murder takes us in with the perfect “timing” of both guitars’ riffing. The rhythm section is tight, damn near hair-splittingly precise. How in sync these guys are on stage is especially obvious in the pauses between the uncompromisingly wound-up, razor-sharp riffing, in the complex transitions, and during the devastating pounding of the drums’ double bass pedal. Annihilator know only fifth gear. The lineup smashes out an incredible chemistry on stage, the prime culprit behind the incredible energy of the performance. Joe Comeau proves once again that he’s the right choice for the band, and with his wild, aggressive vocals, which dutifully adapt to the structure of the verses, he successfully brings the band’s musical mission back to life. A fantastic mix of raw, cheeky, uncompromising ultra-noble thrashing, hints of classic eighties Priest/Maiden metal and Motörheadesque and AC/DC-style rock’n’roll arrogance managed to capture the band’s raw beat in the best possible way and give its worshippers a direct shot in the vein!
On the first disc the band covers songs from the “King Of The Kill” era up to today (songs from “Criteria For A Widow” didn’t make the set list), while on the second disc you can feast on the older, unsurpassed creations. The unhinged Phantasmagoria, I am In Command, Set The World On Fire, Crystal Ann/Alison Hell (hey, what a killer vocal performance, this classic is still without doubt the best piece of the whole set list) and of course Never, Neverland. From the “Waking the Fury” album the guys fire off the sharpened Ultra-Motion, the classic heavy-metal-flavored Torn, My Precious Lunatic Asylum with a fantastic middle section of rumbling bass and Jeff’s brilliant soloing, The Blackest Day with Curran’s “intro” (for Jeff, the ex-Nevermore guitarist is surely a lucky NBA number one pick) of polished guitar “slides” and impressive tremolo leaning, and they don’t forget the bloodthirsty attacker Striker either. Bang your heads! A thoroughly convincing and honest performance!
Nitpickers are taken care of too, since you can hear the tiniest subtlety in the sound of the band’s stage show. Throughout, with real balls and spotless clarity, this release radiates the band’s “down-to-earth animal” and raw, realistic expression. Reborn through a new lineup, Annihilator belt out incredible chemistry on stage, and the sound is fresh and creative. Don’t think twice about this double live “annihilation,” just get yourself a copy.
Lineup
Joe Comeau – vocals
Jeff Waters – guitar
Curran Murphy – guitar
Russ Bergquist – bass
Randy Black – drums
Track list
CD 1.:
1. Murder
2. Ultra-Motion
3. The Box
4. Denied
5. The Blackest Day
6. King Of The Kill
7. Torn
8. Lunatic Asylum
CD 2.:
1. Set The World On Fire
2. I Am In Command
3. Refresh The Demon
4. Syn. Kill 1
5. Never, Neverland
6. Striker
7. Bliss
8. Phantasmagoria
9. Crystal Ann
10. Alison Hell
11. Shallow Grave
Running time: 92.36
