I’m not sure
how they pulled it off but there isn’t a single outlier track on Annihilator’s
seventeenth album. No joke songs, out of genre experiments, groove metal
slowdowns, or even a power ballad to be found anywhere on Ballistic, Sadistic. What you will
find are ten songs of nonstop high-octane thrash metal from start to finish.
This setup seems poised to expand upon the technical attitude that returned
with 2017’s For the Demented and just might be the most punishing,
straightforward effort they’ve ever released.
Alas, the Annihilator
flavor seems to always be vanilla no matter how consistently it’s portrayed.
Somehow the disconnects
between the band’s musicianship and songwriting skills are even more apparent without all the weird shit on display. The drums are executed with mechanical
precision and the guitar work is as intensely intricate as ever, but the
structures generally opt for energetic sweeps and drive-by melodicism in lieu of
memorable riffs. The vocals even manage to show noticeable improvement and greater
confidence yet are stuck delivering the same predictably stilted verses and
flatly barked choruses.
Their tendency
to recycle song concepts is also more blatant than usual. The “Stonewall”
flashbacks on lead single “Psycho Ward” are manageable thanks to it having a
memorable chorus in its own right, but the “Knight Jumps Queen” miming on “Lip
Service” is far too close for comfort. It’s especially egregious when you
consider that “The Demon You Know” off the previous album had already retread
this ground with a much more enjoyable spin.
Ballistic,
Sadistic is hardly the worst Annihilator album out there but it certainly
highlights their one step forward, two steps back trajectory. The prospect of an
effort completely free of any bizarre experiments is ultimately hindered by the
unmemorable results. Fans of the band are sure to get something out of the relentless
playing but even the more solid thrashers come out generic as what should be a
savage barrage just lapses into soundalike speed. There must be a way to
channel the varying moods of Annihilator records past without getting saddled
with their awkwardness. As much as I'd love to see it happen, I’m rather skeptical.
Highlights:
“Psycho Ward”
“I Am Warfare”
“I Am Warfare”
“Riot”
Final Grade: C-
