Greece's Rock Overdose recently spoke with Annihilator frontman/founder Jeff Waters about the band's forthcoming Triple Threat CD/DVD release, touring, the band's increased popularity, and plans for a new studio record. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Plans for the next Annihilator album

Waters: "It's too early to know but the only thing I want to make sure is, there are two things I want to do or not do on this one. The last record, you could really hear my influences, you can hear in my voice the Hetfield and Mustaine, so I let my voice, that's because I'm a big fan of them, and a couple of songs like 'My Revenge' and another one, sounded very much like Metallica and even Megadeth on another song. So, that's more the fan part of Jeff Waters coming out in the music, so, the next one I want to do more Waters' vocals, Waters' style again, because I remember that 'Alison Hell', 'Never Neverland' and 'King of the Kill' were probably the most original sounding, that really sounded like me, like Annihilator. So I want go back, a little bit to that. And the other thing I want to do is, on 'Suicide Society' I really wanted to make the choruses very very catchy. That means you hear it once and you remember it. This time I'm not going to try this. I'm going to say that even if it's a scream or something heavy, I'm not going to change and make it commercial and melodic and catchy. I'm just going to write the song and that's how I worked the early days. I didn’t really worry about how easy it was to sing the chorus or for people to raise their fists and go, ‘Hey!’. I think I’m just gonna forget about that and just write it. Even if that means it’s heavy."

On singing lead vocals on Suicide Society

Waters: "It’s not what I was planning on doing. This is the fourth CD I’m singing on. It was ‘95, ’96, ’97. Each one, every year, it was King Of The Kill, Refresh The Demon and Remains, and now Suicide Society in 2015. I simply had to sing on it because my partner in Annihilator, singer/ guitarist Dave Padden, quit very last minute on the last record. I finished all the music in the studio and I sang on all the songs, which I always do; singing all the songs to give a demo CD to Dave, to sing. It turned out he had some personal issues back where he lived. It didn’t have to do with Annihilator, or the money or me. It was something back where he lived and he resigned, he just had to quit the band. He couldn’t commit to the touring. He couldn’t tour anymore. So, for a very short time period, a couple of days, I thought Annihilator might be finished or maybe it’s time to stop. And, then, after a couple of days, I realized, 'Fuck no! This is my life and I love it! I have another great record ready to go. Let’s find another singer!' And, after a couple of weeks of looking for a singer, I said, 'Fuck it! I’m doing it!' You know, I was like, 'I am gonna do this!'"

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Annihilator recently announced the upcoming release of Triple Threat - a three-disc collection of their music based in a trio of very different scenarios. The band has posted an acoustic video for their classic "Sounds Good To Me", the very first track to be released from disc one of the set, Un-Plugged: The Watersound Studios Sessions. Watch below:

Annihilator have lacerated many senses over the years with their supreme, aggressive metal mastery, and on January 27th, their legion of loyal fans can look forward to a series of fresh sensory experiences as Annihilator present Triple Threat. A video trailer for the upcoming release can be found below.

The main disc comprises a set of Annihilator’s classics performed acoustically, with band leader/guitarist/ songwriter and vocalist Jeff Waters bringing together band members Aaron Homma and Richard Hinks, Vancouver, BC drummer and friend Marc LeFrance plus Ottawa session player Pat Robillard. Recorded and mixed by Waters (with Marty Sobb), this quintet recorded everything live, off the floor and in single takes at Watersound Studios in Dunrobin, Canada during late May and early June, 2016, giving Waters one of the most challenging, satisfying and perhaps ‘electric’ creative moments in his career.

The second disc will feature Annihilator’s vicious set from the 2016 Bang Your Head Festival, a set which illustrates the very best of what Annihilator is known for – tight, sharp, technically-excellent and melodic thrash metal music. It will also contain some exclusive inside-Annihilator off-stage perspective, courtesy of Jeff Waters’ own camera, which captures further elements, flavours and detail of the band which fans will flip over.

“This was one of the coolest things I have done in my long career. Having five people in a room, from all different backgrounds and talents, coming together to play songs from the past and to try to sound like we are one but totally live and with feel. This was one of the biggest challenges that Annihilator has faced, musically, but what impressed me the most was how you can hear all the individual styles each player has and how we were able to glue the playing and feel together. Done all in one take and with all the musical blemishes and imperfections that I would never normally let slide!

“This set covers some of the melodic songs, one even from 1984 (when a few of these guys were not even born!) and I just had to do this once in my life… to challenge myself and maybe show some others that it’s not always just about the metal and the thrash! Rock n’ Roll & and ballads are found everywhere in Heavy Metal.

“Annihilator are made up of a helluva lot of styles, mixed into one. That’s exactly what kind of musicians I put together for this set… a mixed bag of Rockers & Metalheads and they made our legacy proud!

“Enjoy… we sure love this one.” - Jeff Waters

Triple Threat will be available via UDR Music in several formats, including DVD/2CDs, Blu-Ray/2CDs, a 2CD audio-only and digital download.

Tracklisting:

Unplugged: The Watersound Studios Sessions

“Sounds Good To Me”
“Bad Child”
“Innnocent Eyes”
“Snake In The Grass”
“Fantastic Things”
“Holding On”
“Stonewall”
“In The Blood”
“Crystal Ann”
“Phoenix Rising”

Live At The Bang Your Head!!! Festival

“King Of The Kill”
“No Way Out”
“Creepin’ Again”
“Set The World On Fire”
“W.T.Y.D. (Welcome To Your Death)”
“Never, Neverland”
“Bliss”
“Second To None”
“Refresh The Demon”
“Alison Hell”
“Phantasmagoria”
“Crystal Ann”
“Phoenix Rising”

Trailer: