Annihilator - Annihilator (2010)

The last few years have seen quite a few classic thrash metal acts up their game and return from the woods to churn out spellbinding records. For those of you who, like me, got fed up with Metallica in 1988, then you should be seeking out stuff like this. This is thirteen albums down the line and still Jeff Waters and whatever merry band of musicians he assembles, are blasting from on high. Dressed in a pretty cool sleeve, this self-titled record is a pummelling ride of fearsome riffs and aggressive vocals, long gone are the days of Randy Rampage from the bands debut many, many years ago. Waters is still a master at putting cold steel on record, finding a niche which drifts between the precision and glinting swords of say Metal Church, Megadeth and even Pantera on '25 Seconds'. If Metallica hadn't turned to shit after 'Master Of Puppets', then maybe they would have recorded something like 'Ambush' or 'Death In Your Eyes', but who needs Metallica when we've got Exodus, Heathen, Overkill, Death Angel, Forbidden and Annihilator still battering the senses. Good stuff.

7.5/10