helterskelter.ca

ANNIHILATOR
1989 - Alice In Hell.
1990 - Never, Neverland.
1993 - Set The World On Fire.
1999 - Criteria For A Black Widow.
way more Helter Skelter.

April 17, 1989 - 2024: 35 years of: Alice In Hell.

Canadian pride and pristine metal perfection.

At the tail-end of the thrashmetal movement, one unit would send the genre deep into never, neverland. After VOÏVOD's hatröss evolution and RAZOR's chainsaw rage, heavymetal World, please welcome aboard the mean, melodic ...and phantasmagoric: ANNIHILATOR !

The beautiful "Crystal Ann" flamenco unison guitar-intro sets the mood right and the cryptic "Alison Hell" sets us back into the left hand path. Progressive power-thrash not from the Big Four. Lethal riffing and the hardcore voice of rampage, this new dangerous mix is highly addictive. No time to die, as "W.T.Y.D." is the ultimate welcome to your death speedmetal eulogy ...and the Malmsteen-esque breakdown-part is worth the price of admission alone.

Fury and circle-pit fiend is found on the perfect Bay-Area mosh "Ligeia" and the rough "Wicked Mystic". Menacing melodies mesmerizes the mind on the instrumental "Schizos (Are Never Alone) Parts I & II" ...an elite riff-marathon. Setting the world on fire, the album's closer "Human Insecticide" is genocidal speedmetal of the purest kind. Another audio overkill of NWOBHM power-chords and American downstroking.

Can you feel the threat: that lovely sonic homicide from the Great White North.

Recorded as a three-man band: ex-D.O.A. madman Randy Rampage, drummer Ray Hartmann and string extraordinaire Jeff Waters ...yet the Alice In Hell LP doesn't feel compartmented. Fluid, vile and menacing, this new metal-attack is the definite thrashmetal stalwart from the Class Of '89.

From maverick to marvelous, their instant touch is rapidly felt worldwide. Clever thrash with melodic-finesse, as proven by their next move that would also sadly push singer Rampage aside for a decade. No problem: second album, second singer in Coburn Pharr. The kings of the kill would crack the nineties wide open, with 1990's Never, Neverland CD.

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Alison Hell = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTYHYglem-M
Alice In Hell = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7a8EOwByZM&list=OLAK5uy_nRULnsixyjnkeiFcmD-zr4ustpHzKkbwc
Interview in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66lcb0CztOo
Live in Frankfurt in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cd2w6AnvJM

September 12, 1990 - 2020: 30 years of: Never, Neverland.

Thrashmetal filled with love and butter ?

1990, the immortal pillar for intelligent thrashmetal. Quality and exquisite musicianship. After terrorizing the scene since 1983, thrashmetal was by now, a fine oiled-machine, with commercial incentive and even some MTV-appeal.

Canada land of poutine, maple-syrup and the speedmetal of SACRIFICE, RAZOR, INFERNÄL MÄJESTY and ANNIHILATOR. More than a one-man band, Jeff Waters and crew left Alice in hell and were off to never, neverland. Album #2, singer #2 ...enter Coburn Pharr.

The punchy riffing of "The Fun Palace" takes a bite, sink it's teeth's and doesn't let go. Clever guitars and Euro-powermetal vocals, a lethal solution. This track's follow-up would incarnate itself on 1999's Criteria For A Black Widow CD in "Back To The Palace". Impact is imminent on the don't drink and drive PSA "Road To Ruins", while the catchy single video-cut for "Stonewall" is a superior metal anthem. Environment-themed lyrics in thrash, smart metal-topics for 1990, just like with SACRED REICH and NUCLEAR ASSAULT.

Aggression and melody ? yes it is possible and proudly displayed on the title-track. A full 5:30sec of power / thrash exhibition. A mix you won't find in typical American thrashmetal, you really have to go up North to find these goods. Speaking of goods, let the water boil and inject some beloved "Kraf Dinner" within. Speedmetal-delicacy in the most culinary-way. A fun thrash sing-along with the coolest subject in mind. Mr. Waters is a born genius and street-poor rock-dude, one cannot not like this track ...mosh along macaroni maniacs !

Recorded by Glen Robinson, Never, Neverland is one top-class melodic thrashmetal feast. Unfortunately a little late to the party, as 1990s scene was way saturated by bands mixed with the mathematical fact that Roadrunner Records was still an independent label, with limited means to break this band into the paths of the current METALLICA's and SLAYER's.

The mini-live In Command CD shows that the boys can do it outside the studio too. The band would return in 1993, with album #3 and singer #3, on the even more melodic Eurometal: Set The World On Fire CD.

Humanity is stupid, remember that: We're our own worst enemy !

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Stonewall = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oooqGHuWuXU
Never, Neverland = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k8gLyE0jqQ&list=PL4AE0E723F33D5665
Interview in 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5B-w0E7Nj4
Live in Belgium in 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFU6ar0D8ms

June 15, 1993 - 2023: 30 years of: Set The World On Fire.

Album #3, singer #3.

Welcome to the new era of thrashmetal, where some went lighter while some went deadlier. With new California powermetal singer Aaron Randall, the Canadian ANNIHILATOR now presents: melodic-thrash during the post-Black Album era.

The doomsday-machine tics down and ends it all as we "Set The World On Fire" ...1993's best thrashmetal offering. Pure power and clinical precision, this deep cut solidifies the genre. Metal shines thru the fog on the hot riffings of "Bats In The Belfry" and the switchblade slicing of "Don't Bother Me". Guitarist Jeff Waters is a national treasure, but you already knew that.

On the road to ruins, the crew rides into the "No Zone", rolls the dice and rocks the game on "Knight Jumps Queen" and gives that extra push over the cliff off "The Edge". An actual powerballad appears, in the form of the almighty "Phoenix Rising", not cheese, but sophisticated metal with dark undertones. The Japan-only bonus-track for JUDAS PRIEST's "Hell Bent For Leather" is a modern homage to the British Gods.

Album #3, singer #3, on paper, still at the pole-position for metal-meltdown ...and for added precision, on the throne future drum-God: Mike Mangini. Sadly 1993's grunge-infested scene gave the very cold-shoulder and the band was later drop from Roadrunner Records.

Going indie yet still staying thrashmetal, Jeff would regroup as an almost solo-venture, and strike again with 1994's King Of The Kill CD.

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Set The World On Fire = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8UlPDMJWsM
Set The World On Fire = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf_tm62LE0M&list=OLAK5uy_kGp4AnuHe9-r_kAV9D8ntYlQPG0tzJMW8
Live at Dynamo in 1993
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYkCVGPGLnQ

June 1, 1999 - 2019: 20 years of: Criteria For A Black Widow.

Alice's nightmare became true: Randy Rampage is back !!! ...not only the thrashmetal reunion of the decade, but a solid riff-fiesta return from top to bottom.

The 90s were really rough on the thrashmetal genre, as most acts whimped-out, died-out or simply turned into laughing-stock ...yes we are looking at you MEGADETH. Albeit these, by the very end of the millennium, a handful of core thrashers still had some interesting material to offer to the die-hards: OVER KILL, GRIP Inc. VOIVOD, TESTAMENT and ANNIHILATOR.

Ottawa's legendary thrashmetal outfit, led by axe-master and one-man-band visionary Jeff Waters, have been representing Canada on the map since 1985, but the real deal was put to reel with 1989's classic mosh-massacre debut: Alice In Hell. Since then, Waters has used the services of three other lead-singers, including himself, to fill-in behind the mic ...but in 1999, after a couple of phone-calls, the classic lineup was once again a band.

The guitar-maelstrom opens-up with "Bloodbath", the massive rotary-riff intro surrounds you and when the beat kicks-in, body-parts fly as Rampage goes on a rampage ...instant classic: THEY'RE BACK ! Immediately "Back To The Palace" picks-up were 1990's "The Fun Palace" left us: speed, aggression, more speed and more aggression, all wrapped with machiavellian-melodies ...a Waters trademarked riff-pattern.

The title-track sets the tone for another musical murder, the sick vocal-line draws you down and jack-hammers you to the floor, begging for more. "Loving The Sinner" is a personal song about the lead-guitarist's recent divorce and "Sonic Homicide" slaps us in the face with yet another speedmetal wrist-warmer, an old demo-track revamped with current technology, one of the most sincere blazing aural-assault ever released by ANNIHILATOR.

We finally get to close the chapter with "Schizos (Are Never Alone) Part III", the missing link from 1989's "Part I & II" ...and this is were Jeff proves, once again, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he is one of heavymetal's most fierce and creative 6-string genius. Riffs abound left and right for a full 5:53sec of pure clinical-precision guitar mayhem and thrashmetal explosion.

20 years later, Black Widow is a record that hasn't aged, since the material was, is and shall always be, fresh and relevant in this genre. It also stands as the band's second most brutal offering right after 1989's Alice In Hell LP ...featuring you know who on vocals ! One cool fact on this opus, beside the drums, all was recorded at Waters's condo on portable-equipment as Rampage was shouting along and the record was then assembled with these raw cuts. Sadly on tour, the reunion abruptly ended in real-life rampage as a drunken Randy went berserk on the other people on the bus: he was let go in the middle of the night at some local bus-stop in Europe ...how rocknroll !

RIP Randy Rampage (1960-2018)

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Criteria For A Black Widow = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dKmHEOgrxY
Tour rehearsal in 1999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqSgTgkl_os
Live in 1999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EGq9jt88kE
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTYOrWdLZic