Tag: anthrax (Page 1 of 3)

The beginning of the 80’s was such a great time for rock and metal, it was one of the best times for music. In the UK, NWOBHM was bringing a whole bunch of new bands to public attention with a heavier and raw sound. There was a killer bunch of bands coming out of the US that were influenced by Van Halen. And, NWOBHM kids were pushing that influence further and harder to create Thrash. This is where Anthrax really took off.

Fistful Of Metal was full of youthful exuberance but lacked that something. With the addition of Joey on vocals and Frank on bass, they were the missing pieces in the Anthrax machine. I love every note on this album and I can vividly remember hearing it for the first time and head banging like a loon. I could pick any track as my favourite but today the pin has landed in Stand Or Fall. A full on thrash assault and even by Anthrax standards it’s fast.

Killer album released at such a fun time when it felt as though you were seeing a band play everyday.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

Album number seven for one of thrash metal’s best bands. This is their second album with John Bush on vocals, and it was the first album without Dan Spitz. Also, they left/dropped the label after this claiming they gave them no support as the sales weren’t great. Maybe a lot of fans preferred the Joey fronted version?

This may be my favourite Bush era album as the groove that the “Frax” put into most of their early tunes was back on this record. Yep, it sounds raw but that’s what this version was all about. Random Acts Of Senseless Violence is a monster opening tune putting those cards clearly on the table. Couple that with the single Fueled and that’s one hell of an opening.

My favourite track is Riding Shotgun. Killer opening from Paul Crook on guitar who wasn’t credited on the cover, and that bass groove is awesome. Scott Ian was still obsessed about the whole hardcore thing and the tracks Nothing and American Pompeii reflect that, somewhat. It’s amazing that with all the anger and rage in the music on this album that a track as fragile as Bare can be on the same album.

Decent enough record.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

This is album number nine from New York’s finest, released in 2003 and the last to feature John Bush, and the inevitable return of Joey Belladonna. It took them four albums to get it right with John Bush and then when they do, they pull the plug.

This is one of the heaviest albums the band have done and the ferocity in Bush’s vocals fit perfectly. What Doesn’t Die is just brutal and Charlie’s drumming is unreal. Why they never released Superhero as a single is beyond me. Superb riff and groove, and that spoken vocal has a great crossover appeal. Same goes for Refuse To Be Denied, another killer tune that should have been pushed more. Love the intro to Any Place But Here, and if this doesn’t get you bouncing around the room with that riff and groove then your groove muscle needs a tune up. It’s my favourite song. The big surprise on this album is Taking The Music Back, there is a guest appearance by none other than Roger Daltrey.

If you were to only own one of the John Bush albums then this has to be it.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the last of the initial burst of Joey albums before he was unceremoniously dumped from the band – for reasons that I’m not sure anybody knows. Other than Among The Living, this is my favourite Thrax album. Not a bad moment to be heard on any of the grooves. After State Of Euphoria, which didn’t go down too well with the critics, I think this is a big F-U to all the haters – it’s a very heavy and superb record.

The opening of Time is crushing, with that relentless beat of the snare and killer riff – this is one of the best openings on any Anthrax record. Quickly followed by Blood, which has a monster intro before it settles down into that classic Anthrax blast. A monster rendition of Joe Jackson’s Got The Time, which was a surprise hit as a single, and was the surprise of the album. Discharge has to be one of the fastest most hardcore songs the band ever did. Keep It In The Family is my favourite track – it has one of those riffs that only Anthrax throw out that just makes you want to mosh. I love the pick up to this as the riff builds, and this is one of the best thrash tracks.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.