Customer Reviews

Schizo Deluxe

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a killer album. I LOVE it! No sell out, no market-driven shift. Simply pure thrashy good-ol' Annihilator stuff, just with a more modern production. These songs remind me the "Never Neverland" era with a slight twist for "Set the World on Fire". Jeff Waters' riffs are as tighter as ever and Dave Padden delivers a hell of a vocal performance. "Drive", "Plasma Zombies", "Invite It" and "Weapon X" (bonus track) bring the classic Annihilator sound back -- though also pushing some borders at the same time.

On the other hand Waters also gave himself some room for bolder experimentation. Every song starts or ends with weird sounds or loops -- and I think it was a great idea. He also uses a wide palette of stylish moves without compromising attitude. For example, "Claire" (an explicit quote to the past?) and "Something Witchy" are peppered with some "grungish" parts which, far from spoiling them, give them a daring progressive edge. Other places on the album sometimes go more hard rock, sometimes go heavier, but definitively they never go to the wrong place. Of course, Padden's vocal capabilities were of a big help with this. His versatility is awesome!

So, this is definitively an amazing release that will please to old fans (the so-called Jeff's "schizos" ;-)) while attracting new ones to the Annihilator world -- well, I sincerely hope so. I almost dare to place this album up there with both the sacred "Alice In Hell" and the "proggish" "Never Neverland". I like the riffs, the overall pace, the concise-but-explosive guitar solos, the smart lyrics and even the booklet. I strongly recommend "Schizos Deluxe" as an example of what guitar-driven thrash metal should be in the 21st Century. I don't think it gets much better than this, really. Unarguably a five stars release. Thanks, Jeff!

Everyone has heard the hype about this cd from Jeff Waters, after there so-so previous release, this will be a full speed ahead cd with no slow songs, i was skeptical. thank god i was proven wrong, this cd in my opinion is one of there best, now i don't have there entire collection but i'm close, this cd reminds me of Carnival Diablos and a bit of waking the fury(minus the fuzzy production), anyway this entire cd shreds.

since i wasn't expecting to much from the cd and it came out of right field and surprised the hell out of me, Schizo Deluxe has a good chance of being in my top ten at the end of the year, seriously it's that good. good ole thrash, great riffs, solos solos solos.

although pretty much every song on this cd i a great listen and there really is no need to skip any songs on this cd, but if i had to pick, this is my opinon on the top 3 songs.

1. WARBIRD - I Absolutely cannot stop listening to this song, it is one of my favorite songs of the year, right next to god forbid's "to the fallen hero" this song is addictive, i get in my car put this song on repeat and i'm good to go.

2. LIKE FATHER LIKE GUN - very catchy this song is sticking with me, i like this one a lot.

3. Maximum Satan - another great song, great way to open the cd, pretty much sets the pace for the entire cd.

you can't go wrong with this cd, dispell or erase your thoughts about what there last cd sounded like, this is nothing like there last cd, this is a great cd that any metalhead shouldn't be without.

Finally an album that comes somewhere near the magic and triumph of 'Alice in Hell'. Could be Annihalor's 2nd best album ever. Simply put Schizo POUNDS! Released a short year after the disastrous and in my view their worst album 'All For You'. How such a redound occurred with the same singer borders on miraculous. There is not a stinker track on here, even the slower tune 'Clare' is inspired. The vocals, guitars, drums, production, song writing and cover art all 10 plus!

Hands down the best thing I've heard in a long time! This thing shreds! Where the hell have I been? The new Exodus has nothing on this...in fact, this is just plain brutal face meltin' s@#T!
BUY IT NOW!

The Good
The Beast is unleashed on "Maximum Satan." Dave Padden's doubled-up, echoed vocals mixed with Jeff Waters' dark and heavy riffs help make for one evil track. "Drive" barrels along like a racecar burning down the track. The drum work is so frantic that one has to wonder how many heads were damaged. "Plasma Zombies" takes a social stance on how young kids today are hypnotized by video games and how images on television may influence their lives. It's set to a backdrop of monster riffs and powerful vocals. Annihilator continues to express their social views on "Like Father, Like Gun." The rhythms fire off in typical thrash metal style, with shaded of classic Pantera thrown in.

I would actually classify "Clare" as a dark and ominous ballad. The track leans a lot on softer tones as it builds to a distorted release during the chorus. Three bonus tracks are thrown in on this release; all are rare demo or unreleased recordings. You can hear contrasting vocal styles on "Weapon X" and "I Am Command," but both stay true to Annihilator's early days. There's also a song called "Annihilator" that was taken from a Canadian radio premier sometime in the eighties. What metal band didn't have a song titles after them back then?

The Bad
Nothing notable

The Verdict
Annihilator deliver the goods with a thrash metal album that would go down as historic, if this were 1985. Schizo Deluxe is sure to please the band's European and Japanese faithful, but how it plays out in the U.S. will probably be worse than it deserves. It hard, it's heavy, and it's metal!

I'm a ANNIHILATOR fan over the years, i got all their albums from alice in hell to present, SCHIZO DELUXE it's a great album the music has KILLER RIFFS it's like a second part from ALL FOR YOU...but the problem here it's not the album, the problem is the import version i got the albums "all for u", and "double live annihilation" import versions, both are most expensive like the others for the lines, bios, enhanced area, bonus tracks, digipack format and it's fine the price for all the bonus material do you get, but at this time Schizo Deluxe import its terrible IT'S NOT A DELUXE VERSION, first the ART printed on the CD it's black n white, the U.S.A version is in FULL COLOR, dont has more info inlay or photos, only comes whit the lyrics in japanese and a bonus track more than the U.S.A version "second to None", at this time i think the IMPORT version it's to expensive.
DONT BE ANNIHILATED!!! the U.S.A version has better price for the same.

first things first let me just say that i hated Dave Padden after All For You. I was actually kinda hopgin the old Annihilator curse would kick in and he'd be replaced like so many others have been before him. All that aside this album smokes. The production is better then All For You. Dave doesn't sound like a 2nd grader on speed this time around his vocals are more to the point with almost no Serj Tankianisms. Jeff Waters of course rules the day. Awesome riffs and awesome solos as usual. No ballads just straight out metal. Solid buy and well worth the wait.

"Nothing has been able to stop Annihilator's metal machine. Nothing. With "Schizo Deluxe", Annihilator has regained the non-stop power, aggression and guitar-driven insanity it was known for, in the late 80's/mid-90's, yet still breaks new ground." - Jeff Waters
Dare to tell this is not true after you listen to this fabulous recording! This is the best of trash metal in last 10 years!!! Killing riffs, simply perfect but well known solos, no balads, not a second wasted! To be honest I'm not able to pick between "Set the World on Fire", "King of the Kill" and this, so now you know how powerful this album is.
BUY THIS, DOWNLOAD IT, DO WHAT EVER YOU LIKE BUT
H A V E I T !!! It's a history in making!

They know how to play the guitar, but the result is stupid. Im 31 years old , i cant listen this kind of music....its sounds immature. I want melodic chorus and clear vacals (the vocals are terrible). I dont like this album at all. Their previous work All for you is better.

Dave paddens vocals kick ass, a mix of great clean and gruff vocals. The riffs are sick, Pride has a kick ass chorus , same goes with Invite it with a great pre chorus and chors. Drive is pure spped. Warbird has a sick groovy riff that never lets up. Just go buy this.