Now -- what are you listening to? V2

I thought the album was pretty solid on first listen, probably a mid tier 3.5, where the debut was initially a 4 but I lowered it because I can barely remember anything about it, so obviously it didn't stick with me as much as I'd like. I think "Cages We Create" really kills the momentum the first half had been building up to that point, but the rest of the album seemed good.

Ulcerate - Of Fracture and Failure

Unitron wrote: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/annihilator/set-the-world-on-fire

Several great tracks featured on this one, although it´s overall inconsistent and quite disappointing considering the two albums which came before. That´s how I felt when it was released, and that´s how I still feel today.

Edited by UMUR - 23 Oct 2016 at 5:21am

http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/soilent-green/inevitable-collapse-in-the-presence-of-conviction

Edited by Nightfly - 23 Oct 2016 at 9:02am

Unitron wrote: UMUR wrote: Unitron wrote: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/annihilator/set-the-world-on-fire Several great tracks featured on this one, although it´s overall inconsistent and quite disappointing considering the two albums which came before. That´s how I felt when it was released, and that´s how I still feel today.   Take into consideration that Annihilator was a band on the top of the World at this point (they sold well and their music videos received frequent air play on MTV´s Headbangers Ball). They were hugely successful with both of their two previous releases, but the quality of this album and the metal hostile climate at the time of it´s release, turned Things bad for Annihilator. I think it would be a masterpiece if it wasn't for the sappy ballad-esque tracks. The thrashy songs on here are among their best imo. I think some bands released some of their best albums around this time, but of course those albums always get forgotten/or aren't liked as much. Slayer's Divine Intervention, Helstar's Multiples of Black, Pantera's Far Beyond Driven, all among my favorites from each band.

I always found it too damn soft sounding, like Helloween's Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon albums. Then there's the awful songs. Knight Jumps Queen makes me cringe, with some of the lamest double entendre lyrics I've ever heard. It's like something a high school metal band would write. And Brain Dance tries to come across as a continuation of the schizoid themes of Schizos are Never Alone and Human Insecticide, but misses the target with the silly vocals and the "wacky" violin part.

This combined with Bag of Tricks put me off Annihilator for the best part of 15 years. I'm OK with them again now, but this seemed like a career low point to me.

Anyway, now playing: