Bloodrunner, from Illinois, USA, formed in 2004 when thrash metal was far from trendy. Especially in the U.S., traditional metal styles were pushed to the underground – quite the contrast to today. Only established bands like Anthrax or Slayer, who flirted with modern elements, gained any attention. But the newly formed Bloodrunner didn’t care. They just wanted to play their favorite music and party hard!
After a demo in 2007, their only album Total Annihilation followed in 2008 – a pure celebration of raw musical joy. Its less polished moments are offset by unbridled energy, which is worth more in heavy metal than technical perfection. Despite their youth, the musicians showed impressive skills and solid craftsmanship, including diverse songwriting that avoids constant thrash pummeling. This makes the album accessible even beyond hardcore thrash fans.
The production is organic yet powerful – showcasing the kind of sonic authenticity often missing in today’s genre releases.
Originally only available as a burned CDR and digital release, Total Annihilation has now been remastered separately for CD and LP. The CD edition includes a live bonus track.