I am not sure If I should be happy or troubled by the fact that “Feast” is the 14th studio Annihilator album…14 albums since the monumental “Alice in Hell” (1989)…I guess I am getting dangerously old! In addition, this is the third album in a row by the Canadian outfit where Jeff Waters curves a steady upward course perfectly combining the old school thrash genre with a more modern sonic incarnation (especially production-wise). As a matter of fact, I’d say that “Feast” includes far more traditional elements compared to “Metal” or the band’s self-titled record of 2010.
I am pretty certain that Waters has managed to find the golden rule in order to retain a high level of quality in their studio offerings. On the one hand, the guitars are always of high standards while the production is in perfect harmony with the 21st century demands of the music business. The ace in Waters’ deck is non other than singer/guitarist Dave Padden whom Waters must certainly think high of as he has kept him in the Annihilator ranks for almost a decade (quite a fit for the Annihilator tradition, I must say).
“Deadlock”, “No Surrender” and “Demon Code” take you by storm and are the obvious standout moments while of special notice is the once again spectacular cover sleeve! So, all in all, welcome to the feast of Annihilator…Alice might not be here but the inspiration shines!
Highlight: The deluxe edition of the album includes 15 re-recordings of classic Annihilator tracks.
