New Anthrax album... official press release

Y'all read it here first...unless it's on Blabbermouth (which it probably is already)

]ANTHRAX TO "WORSHIP MUSIC" FOR THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY
New Album, New Singer, Global Tour

Los Angeles, CA - January 26, 2009 -- ANTHRAX, one of heavy metal's all-time great acts who, along with Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth, are credited with co-founding the thrash genre, will be returning with "Worship Music," the band's first new studio album in six years and a full-on supporting world tour. "Worship Music" is set for a June release on Megaforce Records. The album marks the studio debut of new singer Dan Nelson who joins long-time members Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (drums), and Rob Caggiano (lead guitar). According to early reports, "Worship Music" is Anthrax's heaviest album to date.

In addition, 2009 marks the 25-year anniversary of the release of Anthrax' debut album, 1984's "Fistful of Metal." "I can't even process that it's been 25 years," said co-founding member Ian. "It's insane to me, because when you think about it, who does anything for that long, let alone in the same band? Start making a list
of bands that are still around 25 years after their first album, and it's going to be a pretty short list."

About Anthrax's new "Worship Music," Benante explains, "This album has been in the making for two and half, maybe three years. After the reunion tour ended, we all went our separate ways. I started to write songs again, but I had no voice for them in mind, I didn't know who would be the singer. So Scott, Frankie and I got
together and just started putting some songs together. This was pretty much the way 'Spreading the Disease' was done, too - we wrote those songs without a definite singer in mind. Then, in October of 2007, I was talking to Rob Caggiano who said he found this guy in Long Island who he thought would be really good - Dan Nelson. So I did some research, called him up, and few him out to Chicago."

According to Bello, it didn't take much time to realize that they had found their man. "Dan brought in the obligatory 'breath of fresh air,' but it really WAS. He has a killer voice and he's a good guy, and really fits Anthrax. The guy sings like nobody I've heard - I'm really proud of what he's done. This is the new Anthrax - yes, it does sound different, but it's in the same heavy/melodic vein. I don't compare it, I just see it as, 'I love the challenge of having a new Anthrax.'"

"While making this album," added Nelson, "I found that if I just tried to approach my vocals from the heart, to not over think anything, I could bring a fresh, heavier yet still melodic approach to an already brutal style of music. Being the singer of Anthrax has already proven to be a great opportunity to play with great musicians."

Shortly after the line-up was solidified, Nelson was welcomed into the
Anthrax fold via a true baptism by fire - opening up a pair of sold out
shows for the mighty Iron Maiden in California. "The second night, we're backstage," recalls Ian, "[Iron Maiden singer] Bruce Dickinson
came over to our dressing room to say hi, and he says to me, 'Your new
singer, Dan, is amazing. I was watching you guys from the side of the
stage last night - he totally fits you guys, he's perfect. His voice is
incredible and strong. I loved it!' And I was like, 'Would you come
inside and tell Dan? He'd love to hear it from you.' We walk in the
dressing room and I'm like, 'Where's Dan?' And I hear from the
bathroom, 'I'm in here, taking a crap!' It was so great - not that
we're looking for validation, but when Bruce Dickinson comes up and is
congratulating you on your new singer, it's a pretty cool moment."

With sessions just about to wrap for "Worship Music," Benante already
has a few favorite songs that he can't wait for the band's fans to sink
their teeth into. "This one song called 'Down Goes the Sun,' is
probably, for me, the most epic song that I've come up with, it has a
lot of life in it. There's a song called 'Earth on Hell,' which is a
play on the words 'hell on earth.' That could have been on our 'Among the Living'
record. There's another song called 'Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't,' which
is about zombies - who doesn't love a good zombie song?" Other standout
tracks include "Vampires" (Bello: "It's a dark, heavy groove with some
serious, amazing vocals and a great, big chorus"), "Crawl" (Bello:
"Another dark song, it's going to throw people for a loop"), "The Devil You Know" (Ian: "It's an almost AC/DC groove filtered through an Anthrax lens"), and "The Giant" (Ian: "It's so brutally in-your-face").

The release of "Worship Music" also sees Anthrax's "return home" to
their original label, Megaforce Records. "I just had a nice
conversation with Missi Callazzo [Vice President of Megaforce] about
how terrific it is to be home again. It's come around full circle.
Missi has done above and beyond for this band - including getting us on
'Married...With Children'! Missi absolutely knows how to work a record,
she is someone who believes in and lives Anthrax, and we haven't had
that in a long time. She knows the band inside and out. She's like a
sister of ours." Callazzo herself voices the same sentiment. "It is a
thrill and an honor to be releasing the new album by such a pioneering
artist. Anthrax and Megaforce always defined one another and it will be
great fun to do it again in 2009."

Thanks man. But I think I'll wait till I see the critique it gets before buying it, I'm not sold on the new singer yet.

Sounds great! I haven't heard this new singer yet though. I hope he's not just a Belladonna-clone.

Schbopo wrote:

Sounds great! I haven't heard this new singer yet though. I hope he's not just a Belladonna-clone.

From what I heard he's a Phil Anselmo clone.

It's Anthrax. I'll buy it.

ultmetal wrote:

It's Anthrax. I'll buy it.

Same here.

Sounds like things are coming together for them. I will be looking forward to it.

Dan doing I Am The Law.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwUH7ftDWbo&feature=related

detuned wrote:

Schbopo wrote:

Sounds great! I haven't heard this new singer yet though. I hope he's not just a Belladonna-clone.

From what I heard he's a Phil Anselmo clone.

goes with scott ians dime beard clone.

"Worship music is Anthrax's heaviest album to date"

I think we've all heard this one before.
Who cares if its the Heaviest,I just want a solid album from them.

Ive been sold the moment they said they were working on new songs.

It probably will be their heaviest to date. The new singer is a screamer. This will probably be a weak "post-thrash" groover. But I hope not.

as long as Charlie is playing on it, it's a definite buy for me. despite my lack of respect for the band as a whole.

Why exactly did these morons let John Bush slip through their fingers?

Nostalgia.

It's a disease that those who can't get into "new metal" spread like groupie legs.

Eyesore wrote:

Nostalgia.

It's a disease that those who can't get into "new metal" spread like groupie legs.

Translation please?

detuned wrote:

Why exactly did these morons let John Bush slip through their fingers?

i love those Bush albums. overall, better than the Belladonna era.

mc666 wrote:

detuned wrote:

Why exactly did these morons let John Bush slip through their fingers?

i love those Bush albums. overall, better than the Belladonna era.

Me as well. Persistence of Time would be the one obvious exception (as I think that's their best album).

detuned wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Nostalgia.

It's a disease that those who can't get into "new metal" spread like groupie legs.

Translation please?

It means they went back to Belladonna because fans demand such things. Then labels see money, so they convince the bands that there is money to be made. Then bands make dumb decisions (i.e. effectively replacing Bush with Belladonna), though fans are like "Hell yeah!" at first (I read all the pro-Belladonna comments at the time right along with the anti-Bush comments). But then people realize that their little dream isn't so perfect, in fact it's a bit of a joke. Fans turn, label drops band, band implodes. Then the fans (the same fans) ask why the hell they did that in the first place.

detuned wrote:

mc666 wrote:

detuned wrote:

Why exactly did these morons let John Bush slip through their fingers?

i love those Bush albums. overall, better than the Belladonna era.

Me as well. Persistence of Time would be the one obvious exception (as I think that's their best album).

Same here. That album is brilliant. I'd say their second best is Sounds of White Noise.

Thanks for the clarification. I missed out on all that "drama" at the time. Bush is one of my favorite metal vocalists, I just can't believe they let someone that talented go for a short-lived "let's make some cash tour".

detuned wrote:

Thanks for the clarification. I missed out on all that "drama" at the time. Bush is one of my favorite metal vocalists, I just can't believe they let someone that talented go for a short-lived "let's make some cash tour".

It's unfortunate, but it's also understandable. This is their job. It's art, but it's also their livelihood. How many of us have made decisions and sacrifices for our jobs? It sucks, we might not like it, but we often do it.

What can you do?

Eyesore wrote:

detuned wrote:

mc666 wrote:

detuned wrote:

Why exactly did these morons let John Bush slip through their fingers?

i love those Bush albums. overall, better than the Belladonna era.

Me as well. Persistence of Time would be the one obvious exception (as I think that's their best album).

Same here. That album is brilliant. I'd say their second best is Sounds of White Noise.

ditto. you'll note in earlier posts of mine, i listed both Time & Sound as my two fave Anthrax albums. the Bush era was the best overall. the lyrics were smarter, the music was catchier & more dynamic, & the drum work was amazing!

ditto cubed. Sound Of White Noise is another brilliant record, it might even sound better now than it did when it was first released. But I've loved it since day one...some of my metal friends at the time were bitching about it but I thought they were nuts.

The cartoonish quality that Belladonna fell into was not missed by me.

...and drumming. I always thought that Anthrax had the best rhythm section of the classic thrash bands, the interplay between Benante & Bello is incredible.

Eyesore wrote:

detuned wrote:

Thanks for the clarification. I missed out on all that "drama" at the time. Bush is one of my favorite metal vocalists, I just can't believe they let someone that talented go for a short-lived "let's make some cash tour".

It's unfortunate, but it's also understandable. This is their job. It's art, but it's also their livelihood. How many of us have made decisions and sacrifices for our jobs? It sucks, we might not like it, but we often do it.

What can you do?

Anyone that loved Anthrax in the 80's will slap ya if you tell them the Belladonna tour was "just for cash". I saw that tour and it was the most exciting show I have seen in a decade. I am proud to be a Belladonna supporter [both in Anthrax and solo]. I am not jumping into the tired Belladonna v. Bush debate. I just want to say that the reunion was absolute gold and a "breath of fresh air" to those that never got into Bush. And I make no apologies to anyone when I say that the Belladonna stuff was new, inventive, groundbreaking, and flat out kickass, unlike anything they have done since.