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Anthrax (American band)

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For the disease, see Anthrax.
Anthrax
File:Anthraxphoto.jpg
Background information
OriginNew York City, United States
Years active1981 –
MembersScott Ian ,
Joey Belladonna ,
Charlie Benante,
Dan Spitz ,
Frank Bello

Anthrax is a New York City-based heavy metal band, who released their first full-length album in 1984.

Anthrax was one of the most popular bands of the 1980's thrash metal scene, and are notable for combining metal with rap, hard core and alternative music. They are generally classified among the "big four" of thrash metal alongside Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth.

They have made several appearances on television shows such as Married... with Children, WWE RAW and NewsRadio and have appeared in movies such as Run Ronnie Run (performing as the fictional band Titannica) and Calendar Girls. Their song, "Madhouse", even appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the radio station V-Rock.

History

Early career (1981-1986)

Anthrax was formed in the early 1980s by guitarist Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Dan Lilker, guitarist Dan Spitz and vocalist Neil Turbin. The band signed with Megaforce Records, they released their first full-length album, Fistful Of Metal, in 1984. This was an inauspicious debut for a band that would soon rise to the forefront of the thrash metal scene. Anthrax went through a significant lineup change in 1985 prior to recording their second album, Spreading the Disease. After Dan Lilker left to join Nuclear Assault, he was replaced with Frank Bello, Charlie Benante's nephew and a former roadie for the band. It was a vocalist change which would have the greatest impact on the band's overall sound. Joey Belladonna brought a much wider vocal range and style and the band altered it's writing style to include a more melodic sound they hadn't explored in the past.

Breakthrough and rising to success (1987-1991)

Among The Living album cover

Almost immediately Anthrax morphed from a simple Power metal band into their own unique brand of thrash metal style that would garner them so much fame. Mixing equal doses of punk and speed metal along with a generous dose of humor quickly shot them to the forefront of the burgeoning thrash movement. The other major thrash bands, Slayer, Metallica, and Megadeth had more serious lyrical tones. Anthrax wrote songs about movies, comic books and Stephen King novels which helped them gain a wider demographic in their audience. With a popular style and an ever-growing fanbase Anthrax rode their new wave of popularity back into the studio to record a new album.

In 1987, Anthrax released their third album titled Among The Living. To this day the album remains a fan favorite and is considered by some to be their best. Lyrically the album contains all the typical elements Anthrax fans had come to expect. "I Am The Law", a tribute to comic book hero, Judge Dredd. "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)", is a song written about comedian John Belushi's drug addiction and death. The politically correct "Indians" and the mosh pit anthem "Caught In A Mosh" are all considered Anthrax classics today. The band continued their success, sticking to the thrash metal genre of Among... with albums State of Euphoria in 1988, and reached their all-time commercial peak around the release of Persistence of Time in 1990. "State of Euphoria" single "Anti-Social" (orginally by French heavy metal band Trust was a staple on MTV in regular rotation as well as "Headbanger's Ball."

Anthrax was always a band prone to experimentation, and in 1987 they appeared on the title track of Rap group, U.T.F.O.'s album "Lethal." Then, in 1991 they collaborated with pioneering Rap artists Public Enemy on a joint version of PE's "Bring Tha Noise." While Run-DMC had worked with Aerosmith back in 1986, "Bring The Noise" is widely regarded as the very first Rap Rock hybrid. (though this was not the first time a Rock band had fully incorporated Rap into a song. Anthrax actually claims that credit with an earlier song, 1987's "I'm The Man", a comedic song originally slated to be played with the Beastie Boys, although they did not actually get to play this song with Anthrax until 1991's remake.) "Bring Tha Noise", however, was a hit, and the band had a successful joint tour with Public Enemy. Within a few years, bands such as Rage Against the Machine, KoЯn, Limp Bizkit, and a host of others had picked up the rap/rock or rap/metal mantle and gone on to various degrees of success.

Post-Belladonna period (1992-2004)

Sound of White Noise album cover

In 1992 Anthrax parted ways with vocalist Joey Belladonna and replaced him with ex-Armored Saint vocalist John Bush. The band left Island Records and signed with Elektra Records and released Sound Of White Noise on the label in 1993.

Though it was quite a change from their earlier work, White Noise recived mostly positive reviews. Bush's extraordinary voice lent a gravitas and weight to a collection of well thought out and technically excellent tracks. In keeping with the band's now trademark eye for unlikely collaborations, classical composer Angelo Badalamenti provided music for the track "Black Lodge." Importantly, the album demonstrated that the band had shed its sometimes cartoonish outlook in favour of mature, thoughtful songwriting.

In 1995 the band released Stomp 442, an album for which Elektra refused to provide real promotion - it quickly disappeared without trace. Obviously upset at what they felt was an attempt by the label to kill the album, Anthrax attempted to sever ties with Elektra. During the hiatus between Sound Of White Noise and Stomp 442, longtime guitarist Dan Spitz left the band, leaving Anthrax as a quartet for years.

Anthrax signed with a small independent label, and in 1998 managed to release Vol.-8 The Threat Is Real, a punishing album which had the potential to return Anthrax to the top of the metal heap. Unfortunately, almost immediately after Volume 8's release, the independent label they were signed to went bankrupt and disappeared, making the album extremely difficult to find. Regrouping the band signed with another label and released a greatest-hits album although that label soon went out of business as well. During this period a two-vocalist tour featuring both Joey Belladonna and John Bush was proposed and set to go, until Belladonna decided to pull out at the last minute.

Despite the hardships and various legal entanglements regarding who had the rights to certain albums, Anthrax managed to soldier on. In 2002 new guitarist Rob Caggiano joined the band, and the following year the band released We've Come For You All, an album hailed by the metal press as a long-awaited return to form.

In early 2004 the band returned to the studio to record The Greater of Two Evils, a rerecording of the band's early work with the then current lineup. Around the same time bassist Frank Bello announced he was leaving the band to join Helmet and was replaced on tour by former Armored Saint and Fates Warning bassist Joey Vera.

Reunion (2005-present)

On April 1, 2005, the Anthrax website announced that the Among The Living line-up of Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Dan Spitz, Joey Belladonna, and Frank Bello would be reforming. At this time it is unclear whether John Bush and Rob Caggiano have left the band and whether the "classic" lineup is permanent or just a touring opportunity. Scott Ian released a statement, saying that John and Rob are not officially gone; but the press release announcing the reunion of the "classic" lineup seems to provide evidence to the contrary. The band is also claiming to release an album featuring new material in 2006.

Miscellany

Several members have launched affiliated side projects, such as Scott Ian's Stormtroopers Of Death.

A number of Anthrax albums have featured guests, most notably Dimebag Darrell who appeared on Stomp 442, Vol.-8 The Threat Is Real and We've Come For You All.

Scott Ian is engaged to Meat Loaf's daughter Pearl Aday.

During the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, the band altered their website to provide information about the disease because many people had come there simply by entering anthrax.com in their Web browsers. Amid what could have become a PR nightmare for the band, they issued a press release on October 10, 2001 that jokingly mentioned that they were going to change the name of the band to "something more friendly, like 'Basket Full of Puppies.'" The band later put a nail in the coffin of all of the name-change rumors that erupted from the press release at a November 2001 9/11 benefit concert, when they took the stage wearing boiler suits with a different word on each one that, when they stood single-file in a specific order, spelled out the sentence "WE'RE NOT CHANGING OUR NAME". A picture of the band wearing the suits can be seen on the inner tray card of We've Come For You All.

Band members

Current members

It is unclear whether John Bush (1992-), Rob Caggiano (2002-) have left the band permanently or if they are on temporary hiatus during the reunion tour. Belladonna has said, however, that he would like to record with the band again [1].

Former members

See also

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