Review: "All For You" the Album by Canadian Thrash Metal Band Annihilator Released in 2004

1. All for You
2. Dr. Psycho
3. Demon Dance
4. The One
5. Bled
6. Both of Me
7. Rage Absolute
8. Holding On
9. Nightmare Factory

Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator came into 2004 on a very high note. They had a terrific album Waking the Fury which saw them experiment with a dirty guitar tone but that did not affect their greatness one bit. In 2004, Guitarist and vocalist Dave Padden entered the picture as their then new vocalist replacing Joe Comeau. Mike Mangini who had been such a great drummer for the band on their 1993 album Set the World on Fire makes another appearance for the band.

The album starts in ferocious fashion with the outstanding title track “All for You.” Once again, this is another attempt by the band to address a song about a failed relationship that has become highly dysfunctional. And it may sound like Padden is becoming too much like a nu-metal vocalist but I can assure you that he is not. He is more than an effective replacement for Comeau. The song is about someone that has sacrificed nearly everything, given control to his partner or spouse only to find out that she has become highly negative, critical, and abusive. She has become so dishonest that he has had enough of her. Relationships are sometimes a pain in the neck and they seem to be not worth it. I guess nearly every one of us gets the point. The guitar work by band founder and creative mastermind Jeff Waters is especially impressive in this song.

"Dr. Psycho" is a song about someone who is supposed to undergo a medical procedure but he is terrified because he does not know how it is going to turn out. It turns out that he is having a nightmare and he wants to escape the nightmare.

The band turns once again to a massive incredible display of speed with the song "Demon Dance." The song is about someone that is having so much pain that they do not want to live anymore. In usual Annihilator fashion, the band uses melody to their advantage in the middle of the song with an impressive interlude. “The One” is the first ballad style song in this album. It is the band’s first ballad song in a long time. We would have to go all the way back to the Remains era when there was the bonus track called It’s You. "The One" is about someone who misses the one that he loves because she is so far away. Dave Padden says “I try to put myself to sleep but I miss the one I love.” Even this ballad is a good song. Annihilator is one of the best bands at writing quality ballad style songs beating elite bands such as Metallica in this category. The talent of Jeff Waters is something to really appreciate and be proud of as this man has been writing quality songs for more than three decades!

"Bled" is another song that continues the fine tradition of heavy songs about toxic relationships. Those of you that have been following this band over the years will remember the classic Jeff Waters’ vocal version of Loving the Sinner and the way he sings such an awesome song. Bled also discusses the fact that he wants to correct the wrongs of the relationship and make it right. He feels that he has no time to lose and that the time to act is now. However, he finds out that she “bled him dry” and he has lost his money as a result of her manipulation. These kinds of women are often referred to as gold diggers.

Both of Me starts out fast and heavy and gets softer with a time change. The speed and melody kicks in as the aggressive vocals of Padden makes this one a classic! What makes the band’s melodies so impressive is that they are highly technical. Annihilator can be classified as a technical thrash metal band but whatever we classify them, these guys are one of the best bands to ever come onto the music scene. It is a real shame that Annihilator has not achieved the level of fame that bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, and Testament have. Holding On is one of the most beautiful ballads that you will ever hear! The song is dedicated to Waters’ wife who died of cancer. The beautiful acoustic melody in the middle of the song is one that you will want to play over and over. The band has excelled in this category since their great power ballad song Snake in the Grass. “The Nightmare Factory” is a heavy song that has lots of constant riffing that is slower in nature however, it starts with a sort of atmospheric guitar sound to make things interesting.

How good is the album "All for You?"

All For You is another outstanding release by Canada’s best thrash metal band of all time and they seem to do nothing wrong in the songwriting category. They release one good album after another and history will record eventually that Annihilator were one of the best bands in the history of heavy metal once the band calls it quits one day. The final score for this album is a 95 out of 100 points easily!