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ANNIHILATOR
Suicide Society
2015 UDR Music

Canadian thrash metal band ANNIHILATOR has returned with their fifteenth studio album Suicide Society, set to be released September 18th. ANNIHILATOR is basically the alias for Jeff Waters – songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, engineer – and once again (for the first time since 1997’s Remains)– lead vocalist. The only thing Jeff didn’t do on this album was play drums; they were again played by Mike Harshaw, who also played on Feast (2013).

While I was not a huge fan initially of the Dave Padden-fronted version of ANNIHILATOR, the band eventually won me over with some quality albums, particularly Annihilator (2010) and Feast (2013). Padden has now moved on, and Jeff has continued to exorcise his demons on topics like society/the environment (“Suicide Society”), relationships (“Snap”), drug abuse (“Narcotic Avenue”) and being the victim of crime (“Break, Enter”). The album is not too far removed from Feast and is more or less a continuation of that sound, perhaps with a little more streamlined mix. There is a little more groove and melody overall, and a slicker production.

“Suicide Society” sets up the groove theme immediately, and then about two minutes in, turns into a modern MEGADETH-ish track, only to exit the solo back into the groove again. “My Revenge” is more vicious, reminding me of a little of METALLICA’s “Damage Inc.” in pacing. “Snap” slows things down and focuses more on melody and mood. A thick main riff and slick bassline permeate this track. “Creepin’ Again” is another nice up-tempo track featuring Jeff’s melodic vocals.

“Narcotic Avenue” is one of the album’s standout tracks, with a tempo feverishly echoing the song’s drug overdose-theme. It features a cool shout-along chorus and and tons of double bass drumming from Harshaw. The extended outro seems to mimic a release from the high. “The One You Serve” keeps things rolling along at a blistering pace. Jeff’s solo on this song is fantastic. “Break, Enter” recounts a break-in, apparently at Jeff’s house. “Death Scent” slows things down, and features some bloody lyrics and another great solo from Jeff. The album ends with “Every Minute”, a solid track about living life to the fullest before you die.

Jeff Waters once again proves his skills as a songwriter and guitarist. There are plenty of meaty riffs and solos to enjoy on Suicide Society. As a vocalist, Jeff Waters is not too different from Dave Padden. There are nine songs and the album is about 46 minutes in length. ANNIHILATOR has had some really cool album covers, and it is once again outstanding. Overall, Suicide Society is a pretty good album. If you like your thrash up-tempo and melodic, ANNIHILATOR’s Suicide Society may appeal to you.

4.0 Out Of 5.0

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