Annihilator "Ten Years in Hell" (SPV)
By Eric Chon
Tuesday. Apr 18, 12:19 AM
Sign me up for 10 more years!

Annihilator? Who the hell are these guys? Didn’t they release that one album back in the day? “Alice in what...?”

It’s truly sad that most of North America doesn’t know about, much less admire and appreciate, the truly awe-inspiring speed and technicality of thrash pioneers Annihilator. But guitar-hero Jeff Waters never skipped a beat and soldiered on, releasing quality album after quality album to adoring fans abroad. So while we witnessed the decline of thrash titans like Metallica and Anthrax, something amazing was happening right under-neath our noses.

Not too long ago, Annihilator released their 10th studio album, Schizo Deluxe, a bold and powerful evolution of Jeff Waters’ virtuoso guitar playing and his band’s signature sound. But what have they been doing these past 15 years? Ten Years in Hell answers the question beautifully.

A two-disc DVD set, Ten Years... covers the entire gamut of Annihilator’s existence. Exclusive interviews with the band, appearances on TV, release parties and music videos: it’s all inclusive. For those new fans not sure where the band has been, this will be an education worthy of the nerdiest of nerds out there. Live performances and crazy-ass “on-the-road” shenanigans fill the first disc to bursting. That alone would be worth the price!

But on the seconnd disc, we’re treated to a long and in-depth interview with Jeff Waters himself, discussing his entire career and what makes him tick. Anyone who is a completist will jizz all over themselves when they get their hands on this. Obsessive Annihilator fans will probably stuff this thing in their pants, it’s that complete. But if you’ve never heard of Annihilator before (or even only when Alice in Hell came out back in ‘89), this is a great introduction to one of thrash metal’s most creative, technical, and amazing artists. If this is what 10 years in hell feels like, sign me up for 10 more.
www.annihilatormetal.com
www.spvusa.com

Eric Chon

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