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MASTERS
OF ROCK MASTERS OF ROCK MASTERS OF ROCK
ANTHRAX
In the early 1980's a band emerged from New York, rising to become one
of the forerunners of the Thrash Metal movement. Double bass drum rhythms,
speed, precise attacking guitar chops & riffs with melodic lead breaks
and clear vocals. The voice didn't always match the force, volume and
attitude of the hardcore based music, but that combination was no exception
in the Thrash & Speed Metal days (before Death Metal matched equally brutal
vocals with the fierce nature of the music). Anthrax's
first two vocalists didn't last more than about one release each. When
Joey Belladonna joined guitarist Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist
Frank Bello and lead guitarist Dan Spitz, they went from strength to strength.
Ian and Benante (together with first Anthrax
bassist Dan Lilker, currently in Brutal
Truth) also made quite
an impact with their satirical / comical / un-PC Stormtroopers
Of Death project with
madman Billy Milano on vocals - their Live At Budokan reunion show
one of the best live videos you'll get to see (except for a Kiss
or Gwar
show, of course). This collection contains no tracks with their current
vocalist (ex-Armoured
Saint man John Bush).
With him they changed into a more mid-paced hard rock act - by no means
ball-less, just a little toned down and matured. Their current status
is not clear, but Ian & Benante released another S.O.D.
album with their old co-conspirators and toured the world. The tracks
on here represent the peak in the career of Anthrax,
when metal was still huge and the songs brilliant - as opposed to too
many young rapcore acts trying to get a piece… Speaking of which, in the
early 90s Anthrax
blended Metal and Hip-Hop with their parody rap tune I'm The Man
as well as a collaboration with Public
Enemy for the cover
Bring The Noize. Classics like I Am The Law, Indians
and Anti-Social represent the definitive middle-era (and peeked)
Anthrax
of the old days. Pipeline is a Metal-Surf cover instrumental while
all three of the first vocalists are present (more weight given to the
Belladonna days - no Bush). This Anthrax
collection is one of the first more hardcore Masters Of Rock releases,
let's hope there are more on the way. So, next time someone sends you
Anthrax in the mail, it's one hell of a bonus if it's this CD!
5 / A
- PB
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