After having an enforced stay in hospital for 10 days, hopefully my normal service is now resumed. A nice randomizer choice to start – the most controversial Anthrax release of them all. I didn’t get why they replaced Joey then, and I still really don’t get the reasoning behind it now – other than Scott Ian wanted to be loved by the NYC hardcore movement, and Joey was holding his street cred up to scrutiny. I have nothing against John Bush, as he is perfect for Armoured Saint, I just don’t think he fits into Anthrax well. The sales for the Bush albums don’t lie either, as they were nowhere near where they should have been.
Anyway, Potters Field is not a bad opening track and it’s noticeable that the sound is a lot rawer, and I guess more hardcore. Only was the first single and is not a bad track. It was the flag bearer for the new Anthrax as this was the first track released. The riffs are still there, as are the chugga’s, it’s the attitude that’s changed. Room For One More shows the new attitude and aggressive vocal style. Packaged Rebellion has a slow brooding intro as they try something a little different. This track, more than any on the record, does have that hardcore feel to it. Hy Pro Glo was another single released from the album, and IMHO, is one of the best tracks on the album – it’s the most old Thrax sounding.
Invisible, if anything, sees the band returning to their early roots with the intro and the very simplest of repeat riffs. 1000 Points Of Hate is up next, and again it’s an ok tune, it’s just everything’s getting a bit same-y by this point and variation would be most welcome. Black Lodge follows and is a homage to David Lynch, and is a true departure for the record and an attempt at writing a proper song. Don’t worry it still has its heavy moments, but it’s like a breath of fresh air. Sodium Pentathol is a pure punk burst of energy with lots of vicious strumming of chords and spat lyrics. Burst is side 3 closer and is the shortest and fastest track on the album.
This Is Not An Exit opens up Side 4 and is a full on chugga attack, but again it’s lacking that spark. Noise Gate is the penultimate track and I guess we are struggling for material when the track is named after sound equipment, but it’s one of the grooviest tracks on the album with a grunge style vocal and is one of my favourites. The album closes out with Bordello Of Blood and is a great ending to the album – the band have found their sound just as the albums ending.
Yes I know it’s down to sequencing, but the band are responsible for that and this is the problem with the album. They have loaded the new sounding tracks to the front and it’s not balanced enough. Anyway, I like it a lot more than I did when it came out as I was not impressed at all when it was released.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
