“When Eruption hit the radio waves that changed everything” – Interview with Annihilator’s Jeff Waters

Amerikan Kaos is the secret love child of guitar virtuoso Jeff Waters, best known from Annihilator, which he has been working on since COVID hit in 2019. Amerikan Kaos marks a significant shift in the musical journey of Jeff, the mastermind behind the renowned metal band Annihilator. With a career spanning decades and numerous albums, Jeff embarks on a new project that promises to blend a variety of musical influences, transcending the boundaries he experienced with Annihilator.

Amerikan Kaos was born from Jeff’s lifelong passion for diverse music genres, ranging from blues, punk, thrash, and heavy metal to pop, classical, and jazz. The global shutdown provided the perfect opportunity for Jeff to delve into this creative endeavor, aiming to explore beyond the familiar territories of Annihilator.

The challenge for Jeff was to create a unique sound, distinct from his influences and past works. The idea of writing music outside the thrash and heavy metal domain was daunting yet exciting. The project began to take shape with an eclectic mix of songs, each reflecting different musical styles, from pop to heavy metal, and everything in between.

Jeff’s vision for Amerikan Kaos expanded into a trilogy, each album showcasing different styles and featuring diverse line-ups and vocalists. This ambitious plan stemmed from his desire to write across multiple genres without being confined to a single style.

Album 2, “All That Jive,” will be released in 2025, and Album 3, “The Sheeple Swing,” in 2026.

“Armageddon Boogie” marks the first chapter of Jeff Waters’ “Amerikan Kaos” trilogy and it will be released on April 26th via Metal Department. This ambitious series progresses with “All That Jive” in 2025 and wraps up with “The Sheeple Swing” in 2026. Each album offers a unique sound, embodying Waters’ exploration of musical diversity.

Chaoszine sat down with Waters via Zoom recently for a lenghty chat and discussed the upcoming “Armageddon Boogie” album as well as what does the future hold for his main band Annihilator. You can check out the full over hour long interview below:

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