Band:	Annihilator
Album:	Alice In Hell
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	April 17, 1989
Guest review by:	Ernis

01. Crystal Ann
02. Alison Hell
03. W.T.Y.D.
04. Wicked Mystic
05. Burns Like A Buzzsaw Blade
06. Word Salad
07. Schizos (Are Never Alone) Parts I & II
08. Ligeia
09. Human Insecticide

Since this review concerns a fast and energetic album, we'll get to the point as fast as possible. An ingenious acoustic guitar overture leads to an even better track with complex and spellbinding opening part, with clever lyrics and fine vocals. It's "Crystal Ann", the introduction to the song "Alison Hell", by far the most well-known work of the Canadian thrash group Annihilator. Yes, and this text here is about "Alice In Hell", their first album and also the one that many consider the best of their career.

This work is from the year 1989 and the style is decent Thrash with all what it takes to create a proper mood. "Alice In Hell" is in many ways a successful album. First of all, already it's concept and artwork, not to speak of the video done for the main track "Alison Hell" excels in its sinister originality. The lyrics and the way the vocalist Randy Rampage (and the mastermind Jeff Waters) give life to the music and the ideas surely make "Alice In Hell" a hell of an experience. Secondly, the instrumental development of music is grand. A lot of tracks contain long and often complex instrumental passages which are interesting to follow, take "Alison Hell" as an example with both its intro "Crystal Ann" and the intro of the song itself. Aggressive and fine music with clever guitar melodies and also some softer moments. Randy Rampage as lead vocalist does a fine job and earns his name completely by his impertinent presence and aggressive and obtrusive singing. Suits the music perfectly.

Story of a girl who went insane because of her nightmares plus the pun on the sounds of words "Alison Hell - Alice In Hell" is the basis of the brilliant song "Alison Hell". The rollercoaster ride through the other tracks has more shaking curves to offer such as "W(elcome) T(o) Y(our) D(eath)", "Burns Like A Buzzsaw Blade" and "Human Insecticide". There can't be big complaints about the album in general even though the complexity of the instrumental side definitely needs a lot of listens to catch all the nuances. All in all the album is an energetic one which can't leave anyone in apathy. "Alice In Hell" is a fast album, a merciless and fine classic of its period and of all genres in general.