Carnival Diablos

Carnival Diablos is a work on which, around Jeff Waters’s sharply biting riffs and technical guitar, the strong drive of thrash metal is widened into more varied developments. Welcoming the new vocalist Joe Comeau, his powerful voice adds a new appeal to the band. While holding complex, high-level construction, its distinction is a balanced build in which the songs never lose memorable hooks. From the aggression of the opener “Denied” and the drama of the title track “Carnival Diablos” to cuts like “The Perfect Virus,” “Battered” and “Time Bomb,” every song is engaging. Even in fast songs, a sure groove remains, and the lead guitar powerfully moves the very developments, not merely flamboyantly decorating the songs. Its appeal is that Annihilator’s outstanding skill in beautifully coexisting high playing technique and catchy accessibility in one and the same frame shines throughout. Jeff Waters’s talent as a composer is fully displayed. Letting you savor the appeal of technical thrash at high polish, it is a fulfilling record — a work with varied faces.