THE annihilator YEARS 1999 – 2001
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More InformationearMUSIC continues its Annihilator catalogue revival on April 17, 2026, with fully remastered editions of the late-90s albums Criteria For A Black Widow (1999) and Carnival Diablos (2001).
Both titles will be available on 180g double vinyl (45rpm) and as CD Digipak editions, featuring refreshed artwork and new sleeve notes, based on exclusive interviews with Jeff Waters.
Founded in 1984 by guitarist Jeff Waters, Annihilator are Canada’s most successful Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal export. After their landmark debut Alice In Hell (1989), Waters guided the band through a decade of change while preserving their signature mix of speed, precision and melody.
At the turn of the millennium, Waters returned to the band’s core sound. Reuniting with Randy Rampage and Ray Hartmann, Criteria For A Black Widow marked a raw, focused comeback, reconnecting Annihilator with their thrash roots on tracks like “Bloodbath” and “Back To The Palace.”
Building on that momentum, Carnival Diablos (2001) introduced vocalist Joe Comeau and delivered a heavier, groove-driven sound. Recorded in British Columbia, the album captured a revitalised band at full force, balancing classic metal weight with technical precision.
These reissues highlight two pivotal chapters in Annihilator’s evolution; albums defined by reinvention, resilience, and uncompromising metal intensity.
CRITERIA FOR A BLACK WIDOW
(1999)
Criteria for a Black Widow was a love letter to old-school Annihilator fans. It hit record shops at the precise moment the delirium of the 90s cleared and metal was ready to get heavy again. From the pummeling attack of opener 'Bloodbath' to the classic brawl of 'Back To The Palace' and the album's searing title track, this was more than a return to form; it was the sound of Annihilator coming full circle.
Tracklist:
1. Bloodbath / 2. Back To The Palace / 3. Nothing Left / 4. Schizos (Are Never Alone) Part III / 5. Criteria For A Black Widow / 6. Punctured / 7. Loving The Sinner / 8. Double Dare / 9. Sonic Homicide / 10. Mending // Plus CD Bonus Tracks - Jeff Demo: 11. Bloodbath / 12. Back To The Palace / 13. Criteria For A Black Widow / 14. Double Dare / 15. Loving The Sinner / 16. Nothing Left / 17. Vocal Track of the Late Randy Rampage
OUT ON CD & 2LP
CARNIVAL DIABLOS
(2001)
Carnival Diablos is an album of red-blooded metal that connected Annihilator’s legacy to their present-day and re-established Jeff Waters’ place in the thrash pantheon. From the frenzied call-and-response of album opener ‘Denied’ to the progressively-edged mid-tempo sway of the title track, Carnival Diablos is a wholly satisfying offering of steak and potatoes heavy metal thrash – more heavy metal, less thrash, but 100% Annihilator at one of their many peaks.
Tracklist:
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 // Plus CD Bonus Tracks: 12. Refresh the Demon (Live In Romania) / 13. Shallow Grave (Live)
OUT ON CD & 2LP
KING OF THE KILL
(1994)
King Of The Kill was the full expression of Annihilator’s potential to enchant and to entertain. It was a comeback and rebirth of a leaner Annihilator impervious to the shifting sands of the industry, and it established Jeff Waters as a guitar-slinging/songwriting titan in a time of great uncertainty. Annihilator, finally, had arrived.
Tracklist:
1. King Of The Kill / 2. 21 / 3. Bliss / 4. Second To None / 5. Hell Is A War / 6. Annihilator / 7. Fiasco / 8. The Box / 9. Bad Child / 10. In The Blood / 11. Speed / 12. Catch The Wind // Plus CD Bonus Tracks - Jeff Demos: 13. 21 / 14. Annihilator / 15. Bad Child / 16. In The Blood / 17. King Of The Kill / 18. Second To None
OUT ON CD & LP
REFRESH THE DEMON
(1996)
For anyone just picking themselves up off the floor following the double-barreled wallop of King Of The Kill,
Refresh The Demon was just what the doctor ordered. According to Waters, it was a continuation of the same creative role that had inspired King Of The Kill and felt like a second creative lease on life.
Tracklist:
1. Refresh The Demon / 2. Ultraparanoia / 3. Syn. Kill 1 / 4. Awaken / 5. The Pastor Of Disaster / 6. City Of Ice / 7. A Man Called Nothing / 8. Innocent Eyes / 9. Voices And Victims / 10. Anything For Money / 11. Hunger
OUT ON CD & 2LP
REMAINS
(1997)
Remains was Annihilator’s boldest experiment, a daring venture into industrial-laced heaviness that defied expectations. With Jeff Waters handling nearly all aspects of the recording, the album took a more mechanical and groove-driven approach. Despite its departure from the band’s earlier thrash roots, the album still retained Jeff’s signature guitar work. Remains will be released for the very first time on vinyl.
Tracklist:
1. Tricks And Traps / 2. Murder / 3. Never Forget / 4. Reaction / 5. Human Remains / 6. I Want / 7. Dead Wrong / 8. No Love / 9. Sexecution / 10. Wind / 11. Bastiage
OUT ON CD & LP
MORE NOISE VOL. 1
More Noise offers a glimpse into Annihilator’s creative process during the King Of The Kill, Refresh The Demon, and Remains era. This collection of demo recordings and bonus tracks captures the raw energy, experimentation, and unmistakable guitar work of Jeff Waters, highlighting the evolution of the band’s sound. For the very first time, More Noise compiles all bonus tracks from these albums on one CD.
Tracklist:
1. Only Be Lonely (King Of The Kill Bonus Track) / 2. Slates (King Of The Kill Interlude) / 3. Annihilator (1985 Radio Ottawa Demo) / 4. Fiasco ("The Slate") (King Of The Kill Interlude) / 5. 21 (1994 Demo) / 6. Weapon X (2004 Demo / No Guitars / Playthrough) / 7. Bloodbath (1999 Criteria Demo) / 8. Nothing To Me (Single Version) / 9. Back To The Palace (1999 Demo) / 10. It's You (Remains Bonus Track) / 11. The Box (Live 1995) / 12. Riff Raff (Refresh The Demon Bonus Track)
OUT ON CD
Fans and collectors can look forward to more albums coming soon.
ALREADY AVAILABLE:
METAL II
The remixed edition of the 2007 album "METAL" featuring Dave Lombardo and Stu Block
