ANNIHILATOR: Suicide Society: Review/Opinion

We had almost forgotten in the last few years that Annihilator was for a very long time the scene of incessant line-up changes around its stainless steel figurehead, Jeff Waters. For twelve years (a record!), Jeff Padden clung to the microphone, participating in some of the band's best albums, from "All For You" to the aptly named "Metal", which probably explains his longevity in a position that until then seemed like an ejector seat.

Waters' decision to go without a singer again takes us back twenty years to when he was (almost) alone at the helm. So, like at the time of "King Of The Kill" and then "Refresh The Demon", the master took care of everything on this fifteenth round, from vocals to guitar, without forgetting the bass, except the drums, always assured by Mike Harshaw, who is the second collaboration with the Canadian.

Not surprisingly, and whereas Jeff could have taken advantage of this (small) revolution to revive the experimental velleities of "Remains", unjustly underestimated, "Suicide Society" remains on the contrary pure Annihilator, a collection of cartridges bottled with Viagra per box of twelve.

Some won't fail to underline that the guitarist still hasn't become a great singer (it's not a big deal) and that he doesn't mind presenting us the same riffs, the same catchphrases, as illustrated by tracks such as 'The One You Verse', 'Creepin' Again'. In fact, we have to admit that this opus gives the impression of having been made in haste, with creativity on automatic pilot, far from the successes of the past or even more recent ones.

But it takes more to spoil an orgasmic listening experience that is certainly devoid of real bravura, but so effective and dynamic. Waters knows his trade and throws raging uppercuts at us he has the secret ('My Revenge'), confirming once again that he is not ready to retire.

So you'll have understood, "Suicide Society" is not a great vintage, but it can be nevertheless listened to with a communicative pleasure, a sign of life of a musician whose sincerity and incredible vitality must be saluted. And anyway, an Annihilator in small form (everything is relative) remains much superior to many other bands...