After waiting patiently for almost a decade, we can finally get our hands on ANTHRAX's tenth album. Entitled ‘Worship Music’, the album was released - for the pleasure of the band's numerous European fans I’m sure - yesterday, September 16th, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records, while the Americans happened to live on the better side of the Atlantic this time: Megaforce Records released the album on September 13th, 2011. The album was originally to be released in 2009 with singer Dan Nelson, but since the band parted ways with the vocalist shortly before the album's projected release, the vocals were re-recorded with Joey Belladonna who re-joined ANTHRAX in 2010.
The 11 tracks were produced by ANTHRAX, Rob Caggiano and Jay Ruston, and recorded over a four-year period at studios in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Belladonna's return to the band (whose last studio work with ANTHRAX was 1990's ‘Persistence Of Time’) prompted some of the songs originally recorded to be re-crafted with fresh lyrics to better suit his overall vibe. Some of the songs were even completely replaced with brand-new ones.
“Getting Joey back in as our full-time, permanent singer solidified us as a unit like we hadn’t been in years,” [commented guitarist Scott Ian] “All of us were on the same page creatively, working together, writing together, and becoming a band again.” [Added drummer Charlie Benante:] “I get goosebumps listening to the new music. Scott and Rob's [Caggiano, guitarist and producer] guitars are absolutely on fire, Frankie [Bello, bass] kicks butt on bass, and hearing Joey sing, well, the band sounds like ANTHRAX – Joey’s back and it’s great.” [Reflected Scott Ian:] “This record is filled with not just four years of our lives, but with our lifetime in the band. It encompasses it all, and when I listen to the record, I can hear all the energy and love and hate and pain and laughter that went into this.”
Download yourselfs a free track, ‘Fight ‘Em ‘Till You Can’t’, here (Nuclear Blast) and listen to another new track by these heavy metal greats, ‘The Devil You Know’, below. Such a record had to be, of course, hurriedly reviewed by many:
“To ANTHRAX's credit, it all fits together seamlessly, resulting in arguably their finest studio album since, well, the last one that Belladonna sang on! With vintage '80s metal sounds reconnecting with the masses in the early 21st century, one of thrash metal's originators picked a fine time to unleash a strong and inspired effort,” [wrote Greg Prato for AllMusic Guide]
“We’re finally graced with the 2011 version of ANTHRAX and for the most part, they didn’t screw the pooch like many expected,” [couldn’t contain his excitement ever-so-entertaining Steel Druhm for Angry Metal Guy] “They sound older, wiser and more mature than I ever expected from those party dudes in jams shorts and high tops… It’s a good start to the next era of “Thrax” and I hope they can hold things together for a while. At the very least they can rest easy knowing this is far better than anything METALLICA has put out in the last twenty years. N.F.L.!” [Now, being of the generation that was singing ‘Indians’ with Belladonna when the song was new, I’m not quite sure what that N.F.L. stands for if not National Football League which I doubt, but read on here - if feeling so inclined]
ANTHRAX features: Charlie Benante – drums, Frank Bello – bass, Rob Caggiano – lead gutar, Scott Ian – rhythm guitar and Joey Belladonna - vocals
ANTHRAX: The Devil You Know – courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records
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