- Among the Living · 1987
- Attack Of The Killer B's · 1991
- Among the Living · 1987
- Among the Living · 1987
- Persistence of Time · 1990
- For All Kings · 2016
- State of Euphoria · 1988
- I'm the Man - EP · 1987
- Among the Living · 1987
- Spreading the Disease (Deluxe Edition) · 1985
- Spreading the Disease · 1985
- Among the Living · 1987
- For All Kings (Deluxe Edition) · 2016
Essential Albums
- On Among the Living, Anthrax worship speed and fury, but they also love stuffing eccentric ideas and sounds into their attack. The title track opens with a riff that sounds ripped from a horror flick, and "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" features vocalist Joey Belladonna striking a dramatic balance between hardcore bark and neo-Halford operatics. Then there’s “Medley: A.D.I./Horror of It All” and all of its delirious prog changes. Far beyond thrash, Anthrax’s quirkiness played a central role in the development of alternative metal.
- Despite its classic album art—surely one of the best hand-drawn covers in heavy metal history—Anthrax’s 1984 debut is typically regarded as an aberration in the band’s catalog. It’s the only album they made with vocalist Neil Turbin and founding bassist Danny Lilker, which separates it from the rest of the band’s career. Guitarist and bandleader Scott Ian maintains that the album's poor production makes it unlistenable, a view that many fans share. Nonetheless, Fistful of Metal has its followers, and for good reason. It’s a seething display of early thrash, verifying that the band had learned well from the holy trinity: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Motörhead. “Deathrider,” “Subjugator,” and “Howling Furies” are terrific rock songs, played with an old-world grit that would soon be subsumed by metal’s all-consuming need for speed. Though midtempo songs like “Anthrax” made it clear that Anthrax had much love for classic rock outfits like AC/DC and Alice Cooper (whose “I’m Eighteen” gets a worthy cover), the band introduced their own blueprint with “Metal Thrashing Mad,” the song that would give the emerging genre of thrash its name.
- 2022
- 2016
- 2016
Artist Playlists
- A tight-knit quintet put New York thrash metal on the map
- Metal, rock, punk, and rap have all played key roles in shaping the band's thrash.
- Their concerts seethe with the feral energy of hardcore's tribal underground.
- Taking notes on the relentless riffage of the East Coast's definitive thrash band.
Singles & EPs
- 2013
Compilations
Appears On
- Charlie Benante
More To Hear
- The thrash metal drummer talks Anthrax and his latest solo EP.
- Joe Walker joins Julie to talk about UK Represent artist Ray BLK. Plus, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack.
About Anthrax
Anthrax founder Scott Ian became obsessed with heavy metal after hearing Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite” playing in his parents’ station wagon. ∙ Their debut single, the underground hit “Soldiers of Metal,” was recorded with Manowar guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman. ∙ The term “thrash metal” originated in a review of the Anthrax track “Metal Thrashing Mad.” ∙ In 1987, Anthrax released their breakthrough LP, Among the Living, their first of four consecutive Gold albums. ∙ Their single “I’m the Man” is one of the first rap-metal songs, featuring samples of Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, and Metallica. ∙ Anthrax’s collaboration with Chuck D on “Bring the Noise” brought rap-metal to the mainstream and led to a coheadlining tour with Public Enemy. ∙ In 1992, they appeared in an episode of Married... with Children, titled “My Dinner with Anthrax.” ∙ Their album Sound of White Noise contains “Only,” which Metallica frontman James Hetfield once called the “perfect song.” ∙ Anthrax and longtime singer Joey Belladonna reunited in 2010 to play seven festival shows with fellow thrash-metal icons Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. ∙ They have been nominated for six Grammy Awards, including one every year between 2012-14.
- FROM
- New York, NY, United States
- FORMED
- 1981
- GENRE
- Metal