Annihilator - Carnival Diablos 2 LP Due 17th April

Annihilator’s Carnival Diablos is a fiercely driven slab of red-blooded metal that powerfully reconnects the band’s legacy with their modern era, reaffirming Jeff Waters’ place among the great figures of the thrash metal pantheon. Blending razor-sharp riffs, muscular grooves, and unmistakable technical flair, the album captures the band at a point where experience and aggression collide in thrilling fashion.

From the frenzied call-and-response attack of opener Denied to the darker, progressively tinged mid-tempo swagger of the title track Carnival Diablos, the record delivers a relentless stream of heavy, hook-laden metal. Waters’ signature guitar work—equal parts precision, melody, and ferocity—drives the album forward, while the band locks into grooves that balance classic thrash intensity with a more traditional heavy-metal weight.

The result is a hugely satisfying collection that leans slightly more toward heavy metal than outright thrash, yet still carries the speed, bite, and attitude fans expect. Packed with powerful riffs, memorable choruses, and sharp musicianship throughout, Carnival Diablos stands tall as a quintessential Annihilator release—steak-and-potatoes metal done right, and proof of a band continuing to hit one of their many creative peaks.

1. Denied 
2. Battered 
3. Hunter Killer 
4. Time Bomb
5. Carnival Diablos 
6. The Perfect Virus 
7. The Rush 
8. Insomniac 
9. Epic Of War 
10. Liquid Oval 
11. Shallow Grave 
12. Chicken and Corn (Hidden Track)