Anthrax were formed in mid-1981 by guitarists Scott Ian (formerly of Four X) and Danny Lilker (formerly of White Heat). They found the name in a biology textbook and claimed it because it sounded sufficiently evil. Vocalist John Connelly (Nuclear Assault) joined, as did drummer Dave Weiss and a bassist named Kenny. Kenny was replaced very early on with Paul Kahn, who was found insufficient as well, so Danny Lilker took over on bass, and Greg Walls joined as second guitarist, Then Connelly and Weiss left, being replaced by Greg D'Angelo (White Lion) on drums, and after a series of vocalists (including Scott's brother Jason), they found Neil Turbin. This lineup gigged frequently locally, featuring original songs like "Satan's Wheels" (a song about drugs), "Hunting Dogs", and more, and also covers by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kiss, and more. The lineup recorded a NWOBHM-sounding demo in July, 1982. Greg Walls left in the summer of 1983, and his replacement was Bob Berry for a few gigs. Then, Dan Spitz (formerly of Overkill) joined the band, replacing Bob Berry. With Dan, a second demo was recorded. In September, Charlie Benante replaced Greg D'Angelo on drums. This lineup recorded the 'Soldiers of Metal' 7" single, produced by Ross the Boss (Manowar). The B-side of this single has one of the old demos with Greg D'Angelo on it, the only official recording with Greg! This demo got them a recording deal with Megaforce Records, for which they recorded their debut album, 'Fistful of Metal', in late 1983. It was released in January of 1984, and a US tour followed.

SPREADING THE DISEASE (1985)  ISLAND/MEGAFORCE

Man, it has been a long time since I heard this record. Being one of the best albums, and bands, of its genre, I can't help to wonder why I hadn't bought this a long time ago. Spooky buying an Anthrax album called 'Spreading The Disease' the day before this awful disease strikes Florida! But this is all about the band, and their music. And this album was released when Anthrax were still synonymous with speed and thrash! It has this vibe only bands that don't take themselves too seriously can achieve. It's a lesson in fun and furious speed metal! A MUST!

I remember the video for "Madhouse" was frequently played on the music programs. And not only metal shows! Man the 80's were a great time! Coming home from school, seeing Anthrax and Metal Church videos being played on MTV, alongside videos of Wham and The Bangles!!

Killer tracks: Madhouse, Medusa, Gung-Ho

AMONG THE LIVING (1987) ISLAND/MEGAFORCE

Among The Living Caught In A Mosh I Am The Law Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) A Skeleton In The Closet Indians One World A.D.I./Horror Of It All Imitation Of Life

Line-up: Charlie Benante: Drums Scott Ian: Rhythm Guitar Joey Belladonna: Vocals Dan Spitz: Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar on 8 Frank Bello: Bass Guitar

'Among The Living' is hands down, the best speed/thrash metal album, EVER! Wow, what an incredible track-list! There is almost no fillers in sight, anywhere. Just good and fun speed/thrash, that only Anthrax could make. And if you think that Anthrax is only about being goofy, and writing fast riffs, just for the sake of it, then this is the album to prove you wrong. They were ahead of many contemporary bands. They even throw in some political statement in the fabulous "Indians". As a milestone in metal history, this album, together with 'Spreading The Disease', is a MUST!!!! If you can sit still during the entire "Caught In A Mosh" track, then you're probably not a metal head!

Killer tracks: Among The Living, Caught In A Mosh, I Am The Law, N.F.L., Indians

STATE OF EUPHORIA (1988) ISLAND/MEGAFORCE

Be All, End All Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind Make Me Laugh Antisocial Who Cares Wins Now It's Dark Schism Misery Loves Company 13 Fïnalë

Line-up: Charlie Benante: Drums Dan Spitz: Lead Guitar Joey Belladonna: Vocals Frank Bello: Bass Scott "NOT" Ian: Rhythm Guitar

The mosh-metal masters return with yet another killer thrash/speed metal album! I know many fans were let down by this album, but I don't think the band shows any signs of being weary. The lyrics might be less humorous this time, but the music is still no frills mosh! Scott Ian has to be one of the coolest rhythm guitarists out there, delivering riffs as if his life was depending on it. In my opinion 'State Of Euphoria' is just as good as most of Anthrax' back catalogue. "Antisocial" gave the band plenty of MTV airplay. This song is a cover by a French band called Trust. The original version was sung in the bands native language, and Anthrax recorded a French version as well. It appears on their 'Penikufesin' EP.

Killer tracks: Make Me Laugh, Antisocial, Now It's Dark, Misery Loves Company

Rock trivia: The band Trust, who originally recorded "Antisocial", once had a drummer called Nicko McBrain. He of course left for Iron Maiden. But in 2003 Nicko McBrain and Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz both became Christians, and were working on a band-project together, called 70X7. The project never really took off though.

PENIKUFESIN (1989) ISLAND/MEGAFORCE (EP)

A really cool EP, that I waited the longest time to purchase. Turns out to be quite a rare item. The French version of "Antisocial" (originally recorded by Trust), a Ten Pole Tudor cover ("Friggin' In The Riggin", I always thought it was the Sex Pistols) and a KISS cover ("Parasite") are but some of the good tunes here. The title is spelled backwards, and they also released a  OEDIVNIKUFESIN. "Sects" is also a Trust song, and "Pipeline" is a Ventures cover.

PERSISTENCE OF TIME (1990) ISLAND/MEGAFORCE

Time Blood Keep It In The Family In My World Gridlock Intro To Reality Belly Of The Beast Got The Time H8 Red One Man Stands Discharge

Line-up: Charlie Benante: Drums Dan Spitz: Lead Guitar Joey Belladonna: Vocals Frank Bello: Bass Scott Ian: Rhythm Guitar

'Persistence Of Time' was the last album Joey Belladonna would sing on. And I'm not sure if the band internal problems are what makes this album so mediocre. But I cannot say that I enjoy this album as much as I do all their previous efforts. Sure, there are some choice cuts presented here too. But too much of the material just sounds a bit dull. And with well over half of the songs clocking in at over 5 minutes, I think they tried to be a little more serious than they ought to be. They did have plenty of success with the cover of Joe Jackson's "Got The Time" though.

Killer tracks: Time, In My World, Belly Of The Beast, Got The Time

Anthrax anno 2003

SOUND OF WHITE NOISE (1993) ELEKTRA (Limited Edition w/Skull-print)

Raise your hands all of you who had written this band off, when Joey Belladonna left! I'm guilty, for sure. But I'm pleased to hear that we were all proven wrong. Because Armored Saint vocalist, John Bush, does a good job too. And best of all, this album contains some terrific tunes, the Anthrax way. Just listen to "Room For One More" and tell me that this doesn't sound like the New York loony's! And there are plenty of other examples. This album also spawned an MTV-hit, in the single "Black Lodge". I've owned this album before, then gotten rid of it. Then a friend gave me a copy, but I ended up selling it when I came across this special edition. The only thing special is an embossed print of a skull on the jewel case. What a rip off!

Killer tracks: Only, Room For One More, Invisible, Black Lodge

CLASSIC ANTHRAX - THE UNIVERSAL MASTERS COLLECTION (2001) ISLAND/UNIVERSAL

Madhouse A.I.R. Armed And Dangerous I Am The Law I'm The Man '91 Make Me Laugh Antisocial In My World Got The Time Keep It In The Family Bring The Noise Indians Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) H8 Red Pipeline

Compilation albums are so hit or miss. Anthrax were included to the Universal Masters Series in 2001, with these 15 career spanning tracks (up 'til Belladonna's exit, that is). This was the second compilation album from Anthrax, and Island Records, this year, and the following year saw even more compilation albums coming out! I'm not sure I'll even bother to go more in depth on this CD. If you're a fan you have all the songs, and the packaging isn't much to write home about either. "Pipeline" is a Ventures cover. And oh, who the heck put a picture of the Bush-era line-up on a Belladonna era compilation!!!???

THE COLLECTION (2002) SPECTRUM

A.I.R. Armed And Dangerous Bring The Noise Anti-Social Metal Thrashing Mad - Live Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) - Live Parasite Gung-Ho Misery Loves Company Out Of  Sight, Out Of Mind Make Me Laugh Keep It In The Family In My World Got The Time I'm The Man '91 Madhouse

This is a strange compilation album, the Joey Belladonna years. For some reason, this saw the light of day in 2002, over 10 years after Belladonna left the band. And the reunion in 2005 was not yet even a rumor. Even so, this is a decent retrospect of the bands back catalogue. I like the fact that they've added the cover of Kiss' "Parasite", as this shows an important side of the band. Also got to love that they've managed to put a track originally sung by Neil Turbin, here in a live version with Joey behind the microphone. If you look at the official Anthrax page, this album is not in the discography. Thus this have to have been released without their consent. The artwork for the compilation doesn't exactly fit either. But the write-up in the booklet is pretty cool.

Anthrax anno 2003

WE'VE COME FOR YOU ALL (2003) SANCTUARY/BMG

It doesn't come as a surprise that the John Bush-era of this band is not exactly my favorites. So I've owned this album for years already (boy, does time fly!), without coming up with anything in particular to write about it. OK, so the drumming in "Nobody Knows Anything" is crazy wicked, and the hooks on "Safe Home" (incidentally the single chose from this album) are super catchy, and the production on the album is top notch. But other than that, this is just yet another album from the boys from Queens. In all fairness, this might be the bands most diverse album to date. A song like "Black Dahlia" even sports some super fast, black metal-ish breaks(!!), whilst "Cadillac Rock Box delivers a throw back to the bands all time heroes, Kiss. And what is then more natural then to have Ace Frehley's biggest fan, "Dimebag" Darrell (Pantera) to do the leads? But mostly 'We've Come For You All' delivers that groovy, chunky, meaty metal they did so well with Bush behind the mic. It's not a bad thing, and this is certainly not a bad album at all. I guess it's mostly just not my thing. I think they could have stripped away maybe 5 or 6 songs, and the album would've been a lot better. But at least it's heaps better than the crap one of the other bands from the Big Four released this year.... After some minutes of silence during the last track, the album ends with someone playing the maracas and humming some weird rhythm! Anthrax used to have such great humor.

Rock trivia: This album was released not long after the incident with the anthrax-letters being discovered all over the US. This gave the band some unwanted attention, and in the trey card picture, we see them on stage in white dresses, each painted with a word, saying WE'RE NOT CHANGING OUR NAME. I wonder why Scott's not the one with NOT on his dress. That's been his nickname for ages!

Killer tracks: What Doesn't Die, Refuse To Be Denied, Safe Home, Any Place But Here, Strap It On

THE GREATER OF TWO EVILS (2004) SANCTUARY/BMG

Getting this CD after I know that Anthrax just months later reunited with Joey Belladonna and Dan Spitz is a bit weird. Because what we get here is re-recorded versions of some of the greatest hits from the Turbin/Belladonna era of the band. And let me tell you right away; these are some of the most successful re-recordings of any bands old material. John is doing a phenomenal job singing these classics, and the band rips through theses songs like a cannonball through a wall! They've manage to update the songs, playing them heavier then ever before, without really altering the songs too much, but sticking rather close to the originals. "Deathrider" and "Metal Thrashing Mad" never sounded so good before! Since this CD was recorded over 2 days, it's a more or less live in the studio recording, giving the songs that raw, live feel. My only complaint would be that I'm a bit tired of the imagery Anthrax have started to use so much lately though. Pentagrams, inverted cross and goats are so uncool, it's beyond cheesy at this point. Oh, almost forgot; at the end of "Gung-Ho" there is some backward noodeling, and then they play another track, which I've been told is "Lone Justice", from 'Spreading The Disease'.

RELATED ARTISTS:

S.O.D., Fates Warning, White Lion, Overkill