Jeff Waters of Annihilator’s Top Fifteen Metal Albums of All Time
Thrash stalwarts Annihilator released Triple Threat last month, a sprawling, three-disc collection of their music based in a trio of very different scenarios. Disc one features a set of Annihilator classics performed acoustically, disc two is a live recording from the 2016 Bang Your Head festival, and disc three hosts a mini-documentary filmed over the summer of 2016.
Triple Threat is out now via UDR Music, and can be ordered here.
To celebrate, we asked Annihilator mastermind Jeff Waters to compile a list of his favorite metal albums of all time, and we asked him a few quick questions about his selections. Check out his picks — and our Q&A — below!
AC/DC – Back In Black
Saxon – Wheels Of Steel
Judas Priest – Screaming For Vengeance
Riot – Fire Down Under
Anvil – Hard N Heavy
Scorpions – Blackout
Ozzy Osbourne – Diary Of A Madman
Black Sabbath – Mob Rules
Van Halen – Women and Children First
Metallica – Master Of Puppets
Exciter – Heavy Metal Maniac
Razor – Evil Invaders
Sweet – Desolation Blvd
Exodus – Fabulous Disaster
Iron Maiden – Killers
Nice Ozzy choice. Do you prefer Ozzy’s solo material over his work with Black Sabbath?
Yes. I LOVE what he and his band did on the Randy-to-Jake records. Plus the Brad Gillis “live” record Speak of the Devil. My favorite order was Ozzy’s solo records (first three), Sabbs with Dio, and then Sabbs with Ozzy! In that order!
So you prefer Dio’s era with the band over Ozzy’s?
I might be in the minority but, as amazing and classic and influential as the Sabbath records with Ozzy were and are, Mob Rules was my #1 record by far out of them all!
Continuing on with our theme of vocalists, your choice of Iron Maiden album also doesn’t feature the vocalist for which the band is best known: what is it about Killers that’s so special for you?
Well, Bruce is one of my top five favorite singers. The Killers record was such an incredible cross between punk and the beginnings of metal. Raw, real and aggressive. Clive Burr is also one of THE most underrated drummers in history.
Ever get into the Van Hagar material, or is DLR the only Van Halen singer for you?
Always LOVED the guitar playing, tones and drum sounds during the Hagar-era… but DLR was my guy!
What’s in the cards for Annihilator in 2017?
We just released our three disc set Triple Threat, we just did 70K Tons of Metal, we have guitar clinics at Musikmesse and around the world, we’re working on a new CD, we’ve booked summer festivals… lots of fun and work at the best job in the world!
