Anthrax | |
|---|---|
 Anthrax performing atWacken Open Air 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Queens, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Works | Discography |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | |
| Spinoffs | Stormtroopers of Death |
| Members | |
| Past members | SeeList of Anthrax members |
| Website | anthrax |
| Logo | |
 | |
Anthrax is an Americanheavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by rhythm guitaristScott Ian and bassistDan Lilker. The group is considered one of the leaders of thethrash metal scene from the 1980s and is part of the "Big Four" of the genre, along withMetallica,Megadeth andSlayer. They were also one of the first thrash metal bands (along withOverkill andNuclear Assault) to emerge from the East Coast.[1] The band's current lineup consists of Scott Ian, drummerCharlie Benante, bassistFrank Bello, vocalistJoey Belladonna and lead guitaristJonathan Donais. Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, leaving Ian as the only constant member of the band. Ian and Benante (who replaced one-time drummerGreg D'Angelo in 1983) are the only two members to appear on all of Anthrax's albums, while Bello has been a member of Anthrax since 1984, replacing Lilker.
After cycling through a number of members, Anthrax released their debut album,Fistful of Metal (1984), with singerNeil Turbin. Turbin was replaced byJoey Belladonna later that year, stabilizing the band's lineup. Anthrax's third albumAmong the Living (1987), which brought the band mainstream success for the first time, is recognized as one of the greatest thrash metal albums.[2][3][4][5] The band's next two albums,State of Euphoria (1988) andPersistence of Time (1990), further cemented their reputation as one of the most successful thrash metal bands, with the latter giving Anthrax their firstGrammy Award nomination.[6][7] In 1992, Anthrax signed toElektra Records for $10 million and Belladonna was replaced byJohn Bush ofArmored Saint. Bush's first album with Anthrax,Sound of White Noise (1993), reached number seven on theBillboard 200 chart (their greatest chart success) and spawned the radio hit "Only". Anthrax's subsequent albums with Bush would experience less critical and commercial success; the band would part ways with Elektra following the release ofStomp 442 (1995) due to a lack of promotional support, andVolume 8: The Threat is Real (1998) suffered from the bankruptcy of their record label.
Bush left Anthrax in 2005, after which the band reunited with Belladonna and lead guitaristDan Spitz. After Belladonna and Spitz's departure in 2007, Anthrax recruited singerDan Nelson and commenced work on a new album, although Nelson would part ways with the band in 2009. Following a short-lived reunion with Bush, Belladonna rejoined the band for a third time in 2010. Anthrax's first studio album in eight years, and first with Belladonna in 21 years,Worship Music (2011) was released to critical and commercial success, reaching number twelve on theBillboard 200. Their most recent album to date,For All Kings, was released in 2016. The band is expected to release their twelfth studio album in 2026.[8]
Anthrax has released 11 studio albums, several other albums, and 26 singles, including collaborating ona single with Americanhip hop groupPublic Enemy. Four of the band's studio albums (Among the Living,State of Euphoria,Persistence of Time andSound of White Noise) have also achieved gold certifications by theRIAA.[9] According toNielsen SoundScan, Anthrax sold 2.5 million records in the United States from 1991 to 2004, with total worldwide sales of ten million.
Anthrax was formed inQueens, New York City, on July 18, 1981,[10] by guitaristsScott Ian andDan Lilker, with Ian's friend Dave Weiss on drums. The band was named after the diseaseof the same name which Ian saw in a biology textbook, chosen because it sounded "sufficiently evil".[11] Lilker originally intended for Scott Setari to play bass in the band, during their early phases as a cover band.[12] Anthrax's initial lineup was completed by singerJohn Connelly, and bassist Paul Kahn. Kahn was briefly replaced by bassist Kenny Kushner before Lilker took over on bass. FutureHittman singer Dirk Kennedy replaced Connelly for a few months and the band brought in lead guitarist Greg Walls. Weiss was then replaced early on by drummerGreg D'Angelo, who was recommended to the band by Walls. Ian's younger brother Jason Rosenfeld had been a temporary vocalist until Ian's former schoolmateNeil Turbin joined the band in late August 1982. Turbin joined the band partly because of guitarist Walls, who Turbin later said was "the best guitarist Anthrax ever had".[13] The band recorded its first demo tape during this time.
The band's first performance with Neil Turbin was at Great Gildersleeves, a New York club, in September 1982. This lineup played regularly in the New York–New Jersey area over the next several months. Anthrax was also on the same bill as then-up-and-comingMetallica for several shows in the spring of 1983. Guitarist Walls left Anthrax that summer because of friction with Ian, and drummer D'Angelo left a month later. Turbin said he was seriously considering leaving because of the loss of Walls and D'Angelo, but he stuck it out for another year.[13] Walls was replaced by Bob Berry, who was recommended to Turbin byRhett Forrester ofRiot. Berry was in turn soon replaced byDan Spitz, who was previously a member of the New Jersey thrash bandOverkill.
DrummerCharlie Benante replaced D'Angelo in September 1983 after a several-month courtship by Ian. By this time, Ian and Lilker had befriended New Jersey record store ownerJon Zazula, to whom they had given their demo tapes to critique. Zazula's new record labelMegaforce Records had recently released Metallica's debut albumKill 'Em All to great success. In late 1983, Zazula agreed to sign Anthrax and the band recorded the "Soldiers of Metal" single, which was produced byRoss the Boss ofManowar. The B-side was the song "Howling Furies" which was taken from a previous demo with Greg D'Angelo on drums (his only Anthrax recording).
Anthrax released their debut albumFistful of Metal in January 1984. Former guitarist Walls said he was shocked that the album was released without giving credit to Walls as the primary songwriter on "Panic" and "Metal Thrashing Mad", as well as smaller songwriting contributions throughout the album.[14] Tensions were building between Lilker and Turbin for various reasons, eventually leading to Turbin firing Lilker without informing the rest of the band.[15] He would soon form the bandNuclear Assault with former Anthrax roadie / vocalist John Connelly.[16] Lilker was replaced by Benante's nephew and roadieFrank Bello. The band then went on a successful US tour opening forRaven and others to supportFistful of Metal.
In August 1984, Turbin and Anthrax went their separate ways after long-standing personal issues. In his bookEddie Trunk's Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, music journalistEddie Trunk admits pressuringJon Zazula, Scott Ian and Anthrax into firing Turbin because of his personal taste in vocals.[17] SingerMatt Fallon was briefly hired in late 1984, but he and the band soon parted ways. The remaining members decided to play live shows as a four-piece billed as "The Diseased" with Scott Ian on vocals, performinghardcore punk covers until a permanent singer could be found.
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In 1984,Joey Belladonna was chosen as the new vocalist.[18] TheArmed and Dangerous EP marked Belladonna's recording debut with Anthrax.[18] The 1992 reissue of the EP included the two songs from the "Soldiers of Metal" single that had Neil Turbin performing on them.
Anthrax's second albumSpreading the Disease was released in October 1985.[18] It was well-received as both a technical leap forward fromFistful of Metal and as a more original effort, and remains one of the band's most highly regarded albums.[19] With leftover studio time from these sessions, Ian, Benante and former bandmate Dan Lilker collaborated with vocalistBilly Milano to form the side projectStormtroopers of Death,[18] and recorded the albumSpeak English or Die in three days. It was released in August 1985 and is now considered a pioneeringcrossover thrash release, featuring one of the earliest examples of ablast beat on record. Afterwards, the project was put on hold as Ian and Benante turned their focus back on Anthrax.
The US tour to supportSpreading the Disease opening forBlack Sabbath was canceled after four dates due to Sabbath singerGlenn Hughes' voice problems. In April 1986, Anthrax attempted its first tour of Europe beginning in Bochum, Germany, supported byOverkill andAgent Steel.[20] The tour included a show near Chernobyl, Ukraine, immediately after theChernobyl disaster.[21] Later that year, Anthrax toured Europe with Metallica.[18] The tour began on September 10 atSt David's Hall and ended on September 26 in Solnahallen, Sweden. The Swedish show was Anthrax's last performance before the bus accident the following day, which killed Metallica bassistCliff Burton.[20]
The band's third studio albumAmong the Living was released in March 1987, and is often considered by both the band and critics to be a major breakthrough for Anthrax.[18] Produced byEddie Kramer, it showcased the band's humorous, experimental side and began a lyrical trend focusing on movies, politics, comic books andStephen King novels. The album was dedicated to Cliff Burton's memory. Propelled by the singles "Indians" and "I Am the Law", the success ofAmong the Living not only turned Anthrax into a household name (along with the remaining "big four" of thrash metal–Metallica,Megadeth andSlayer), but eventually earned them one of their firstcertified-gold records by theRIAA.[9] "I Am the Law", which was released as the album's second single, was backed with a rap-metal hybrid "I'm the Man" as its B-side.[18][22] Anthrax further indulged its appreciation for rap by appearing on the title track ofU.T.F.O.'s album,Lethal, and their worship for the genre was also attributed to Ian wearing a t-shirt ofPublic Enemy both on stage and for publicity photo shoots; in response, Public Enemy name-checked Anthrax in the lyrics to their 1988 single "Bring the Noise".[23] Anthrax toured for over a year to promoteAmong the Living, touring Europe again with Metallica, the United States withMetal Church,Testament,D.R.I.,Exodus andCeltic Frost, and supportingKiss on theirCrazy Nights tour.[20]
Anthrax released their fourth albumState of Euphoria in September 1988, and it was produced byMark Dodson, who had previously worked withJudas Priest,U.D.O. andMetal Church.[18] While the album was not quite as well-received asAmong the Living, owing to its "rushed"[24][25] finish,State of Euphoria was certified gold about five months after its release,[9] and one of the singles "Antisocial", originally by French heavy metal bandTrust, became an MTV staple as part of the rotation onHeadbangers Ball. By 1989, Anthrax was starting to play at arenas as a headlining or opening act, first supportingOzzy Osbourne on hisNo Rest for the Wickedtour in North America, and then headlining European tours withLiving Colour,Suicidal Tendencies andKing's X, and the U.S.Headbangers Ball Tour withExodus andHelloween.[20] Also in 1989, MTV sponsored a contest in which the winner had her home trashed by the band. This would later inspire Anthrax's 1992 appearance on the television seriesMarried... with Children, in which the Bundys win a similar TV contest.[21]
Anthrax returned to the studio at the end of 1989 to work on their fifth album, again with Dodson as the producer.[26] Released in August 1990,Persistence of Time was written and recorded during a period of turmoil for Anthrax, as Ian had recently been divorced from his first wife, and the middle of the recording session was interrupted by a fire that caused the band to lose more than $100,000 worth of gear and their rehearsal studio.[18][26] The band members also claimed it was during this period that there were talks of potentially working with a different singer, a situation that Belladonna was unaware of at the time. Considered by fans to be their serious effort,Persistence of Time was darker, more technical and more progressive than the band's previous work, striking a chord with metal fans wary of Anthrax's "silly" side.[26] The most successful single from the album was a cover ofJoe Jackson's "Got the Time",[18] which Jackson said he enjoyed.Persistence of Time was certified gold by the RIAA in early 1991,[9] and the band toured for nearly two years to promote the album, opening forIron Maiden on theirNo Prayer for the Dyingtour in Europe and North America, and appearing on theClash of the Titans tour with Megadeth,Slayer and opening actAlice in Chains.[26]
In 1991, Anthrax collaborated withPublic Enemy on a version of "Bring the Noise".[18] This was a hit, and a successful tour with Public Enemy followed.[18] "Bring the Noise" has been a live staple for Anthrax since they first played it in concert in 1989. The compilationAttack of the Killer B's was released in 1991,[18] and featured three tracks from their 1989 EPPenikufesin, a new version of "I'm the Man" and a cover of "Bring the Noise" on which Ian did some vocals.
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In early 1992, shortly after signing a $10 million record deal withElektra Records and following their appearance inMarried... with Children, Belladonna was fired from Anthrax over creative and stylistic differences.[18][27] After firing Belladonna, the remaining members of Anthrax auditioned several vocalists including Mark Osegueda ofDeath Angel and Spike Xavier ofMind Over Four.[28] However,Armored Saint vocalistJohn Bush was the standout favorite and had in fact been floated as a potential replacement for Belladonna a few years earlier, due to questions about his reliability stemming from drug and alcohol abuse.[29] The band's first album with Bush and for Elektra,Sound of White Noise, was released in 1993.[18] Produced byDave Jerden (then-known for his work withJane's Addiction andAlice in Chains), the album marked a change from Anthrax's earlier work, with a dark sound influenced byalternative rock, and it received mostly positive reviews.[18] Critic Dave Connolley ofAllMusic wrote that Bush "has a lower-register voice than Belladonna, and the result is menacing, premeditated, and sinister."[30] The song "Only" was released as the album's first single. In the liner notes forReturn of the Killer A's, Ian said thatJames Hetfield told him it was a "perfect song".[31] In keeping with the band's eye for unlikely collaborations, classical composerAngelo Badalamenti provided music for "Black Lodge" (a nod toTwin Peaks). This album demonstrated that Anthrax had fully shed its cartoonish persona in favor of mature, thoughtful songwriting, which began withPersistence of Time. The success ofSound of White Noise dissolved any fan worries that the band would not recover from their split with Belladonna; it was certified gold by the RIAA nearly two months after its release,[9] and gave Anthrax their highest chart position to date at number seven on theBillboard 200.[32] The album also saw Anthrax continuing to headline arenas and theaters or amphitheaters, taking several bands such asSuicidal Tendencies,White Zombie,Quicksand,Fight andClawfinger out as supporting acts.[33][34][35][36]
AfterSound of White Noise longtime guitaristDan Spitz left the band to become a watchmaker, leaving Anthrax a quartet temporarily.[37] In 1995, Anthrax released their seventh studio albumStomp 442, on which Charlie Benante played most of the lead-guitar parts.[18] Benante was assisted byPaul Crook, who later became the band's touring lead guitarist for several years, andDimebag Darrell ofPantera.[18] The album's release followed a shake-up at Elektra the year before, which saw the firing of the label's president,Bob Krasnow, who was replaced bySylvia Rhone.[38][39] During a meeting with the band, Rhone told Anthrax that she wouldn't have signed their record deal.[39] Elektra did not promoteStomp 442, and it was less commercially successful than its predecessor. Frustrated by this, Anthrax severed its ties with the label.[39][40]
In late 1997, Anthrax signed with Ignition Records, anindependent label distributed byTommy Boy Records.[40] The label releasedVolume 8: The Threat Is Real in July 1998.[18][40] As onStomp 442, Benante performed lead guitar parts along with Crook and Darrell. The album also features Pantera vocalistPhil Anselmo making a guest vocal appearance. Towards the end of 1998, Tommy Boy ended its distribution deal with Ignition, after which the label went bankrupt, disrupting its distribution.[41][42] Anthrax then signed withBeyond Records, who released the greatest-hits albumReturn of the Killer A's (1999), after which Beyond went out of business as well. During this period a two-vocalist tour with Belladonna and Bush was planned, but Belladonna decided not to participate at the last minute; however, on the mentionedReturn of the Killer A's compilation, a cover ofThe Temptations song "Ball of Confusion" was recorded with the then-current lineup of the band (Ian/Benante/Bello/Bush/Crook), in addition to former vocalist Belladonna and former bassist Lilker. This is the only song to feature both Belladonna and Bush on co-vocals.[43]
Despite hardships and legal entanglements over album rights, Anthrax continued. In 2001,Rob Caggiano joined the band on lead guitar. During the2001 anthrax attacks in the United States the band changed its website, providing information about the disease after people began searching "anthrax.com" on internet search engines. Amid a potentialPR nightmare, Anthrax issued a press release on October 10, 2001, joking that the band's name would be changed to "something more friendly, like 'Basket Full of Puppies'."[44] Anthrax dispelled any name-change rumors derived from the press release at the November 2001New York Steel 9/11benefit concert, when they took the stage inboiler suits with a different word on each one which ultimately read "We're not changing our name". Bello has stated they did so after receiving support from members of the NYPD and FDNY, who believed that changing the name of the band would send the wrong message. A picture of the band in the suits is on the inner tray card ofWe've Come for You All.[21]
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In 2003, the band signed toSanctuary Records and released their ninth studio albumWe've Come for You All, praised by metal journalists as a return to form.[45] The band then spent the summer of 2003 on tour withMotörhead.[46]
In early 2004, Anthrax releasedThe Greater of Two Evils, a "live in the studio" re-recording of the earlier work with the band's then-current lineup. Bassist Frank Bello announced shortly afterwards that he was leaving the band to joinHelmet, and was replaced byFates Warning and Armored Saint memberJoey Vera.
In April 2005, Anthrax announced that the "classic" lineup of Scott Ian, Charlie Benante, Dan Spitz, Joey Belladonna and Frank Bello would reform. At some shows on the following tour, they playedAmong the Living in its entirety.[47] Although the lineup was expected to record a new album after the tour, in January 2007 Ian said that Belladonna had not agreed to a reunion.[48] John Bush also said he wasn't ready to re-commit to Anthrax and said he had been asked to return but had declined. Asked if he wanted to rejoin the band when Belladonna left, Bush said that he "just didn't feel right to do that."[49][50]
In December 2007, it was announced that the band's new vocalist would beDan Nelson, formerly of Devilsize,[51] and Rob Caggiano would return as lead guitarist. In May 2008, Anthrax played its first show in 19 months atDouble Door in Chicago.
In his monthly Food Coma column posted in December 2008, Scott Ian wrote that he had "been in the studio working on the new Anthrax album", promising to be "giving birth to a really pissed off, loud, fast and heavy child."[52] He later wrote that the album was being mixed byDave Fortman, who had worked withEvanescence andSlipknot.[53]
In early 2009, Anthrax began a brief tour opening forIron Maiden in South America. In July, band manager Izvor Zivkovic confirmed the departure of Dan Nelson due to illness. Nelson denied this, saying that he was fired.[54] All subsequent performances were canceled except the August UK Sonisphere Festival, which featured John Bush on vocals. Fan response after his performance led to a "Bring Back Bush" campaign, which was endorsed by Ian.[55]
Soon afterwards, Benante said that Bush had rejoined the band. In February 2010, Anthrax performed five shows as part ofSoundwave in Australia. After the Australian shows, Bush said the band intended to re-record the vocals of several tracks from the upcoming album.[56]
In late 2009, Anthrax confirmed their participation in several "Big Four" concerts with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer as part of the 2010Sonisphere Festival dates in Europe. John Bush decided that he did not want to commit to the band full-time, and left Anthrax for the second time. Joey Belladonna returned to the band in early 2010 for the Sonisphere dates as well as committing to record a new studio album with the band.[57] In June 2010 Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer performed on the same bill for the first time ever at sevenSonisphere shows.[58] TheSofia, Bulgaria show was broadcast in cinemas and laterreleased on DVD and Blu-ray.[59] The bands would also play a few shows in the U.S. the following year, including a concert atYankee Stadium in September 2011.[60]
In April 2011, Anthrax headlined in the Philippines for the first time at the annual Pulp Summer Slam with Death Angel and Hellyeah. The band also headlined the Jägermeister side stage at theMayhem Festival of 2012, co-headlined bySlayer andSlipknot,[61] and toured withTestament andDeath Angel.[62][63][64] In June Anthrax released the single "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't" from the then-upcoming new album on their website as a free download to thank fans for their patience in waiting several years for new material.Worship Music was released on September 12, 2011, and debuted at No. 12 on theBillboard 200, their highest chart position sinceSound of White Noise in 1993.[65]
In January 2013, Anthrax announced that lead guitarist Rob Caggiano had left the band to joinVolbeat.[66] It was announced shortly afterwards thatJonathan Donais ofShadows Fall had been hired as the band's touring lead guitarist. Donais was confirmed as an official member in August of that year.[67] In March, Anthrax released theAnthems EP featuring cover versions of 1970s rock songs as well as two new versions of the song "Crawl" fromWorship Music.[68] According to Ian, the band began working on its next studio album in late 2013.[69][70] They released a live DVD,Chile on Hell in 2014 which featured the band's 2013 performance at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile.[71] In early 2015, the band confirmed that they had recorded new material and embarked on a tour with Volbeat.[72]
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Since Belladonna's return to Anthrax, the band has been nominated for three Grammys, in 2012, 2013, and 2014.[73]
The band began 2016 with a short US tour withLamb of God and released their eleventh studio albumFor All Kings on February 26, 2016.[74] The album debuted on theBillboard 200 charts at number 9, surpassing the number 12 debut ofWorship Music. In March, they opened forIron Maiden on the Latin American leg of theirThe Book of Souls World Tour. Anthrax spent the summer playing festivals in Europe before embarking on a fall US and Canadian tour withSlayer andDeath Angel. The band continued to tour within the next two years, embarking on The Killthrax Tour withKillswitch Engage twice (in 2017 and 2018),[75][76] and along withLamb of God,Behemoth,Testament,Napalm Death andObituary, they supported Slayer ontheir final world tour from May to December 2018.[77][78][79]
On February 1, 2017, the band embarked on the70,000 Tons of Metal cruise.[80] They played two sets and became the first of the "Big Four" to attend the open seas festival. During the theater set, they played a cover ofStormtroopers of Death's "March of the S.O.D." and debuted the song "Blood Eagle Wings".
In a March 2017 interview, drummerCharlie Benante revealed that there were a few unreleased tracks from theFor All Kings sessions that could serve as a genesis for the next Anthrax album, stating, "I think there are two or three that we could dust off and use as a starting point."[81]
The band's recording of "Antisocial" was prominently featured in the 2017 movieIt but was not included on its official soundtrack release.[82]
When asked in May 2018 if Anthrax had begun working on their twelfth studio album, guitaristScott Ian stated, "Very, very, very preliminary stages. There's a couple of really great riffs. Charlie's sent around some really great ideas. But we haven't actually started working on anything. We've just been too busy touring."[83] A month later, bassistFrank Bello claimed that Anthrax had intended to be back in the studio by mid-2018, but because they agreed to open forSlayer on theirfarewell tour, they were not expected to start writing their new album until at 2019 at the earliest.[84][85] The band released the live album and DVDKings Among Scotland in April 2018 which was recorded during their Glasgow, Scotland show on theFor All Kings tour.[86]
Anthrax – alongsideTestament,Corrosion of Conformity,Armored Saint,DevilDriver,John 5,Doro andMetal Church – participated inMegadeth's first-ever cruise called "Megacruise", which took place in October 2019.[87] They resumed live activity during the summer and fall of 2021, with a livestream performance that saw the band celebrate its 40th anniversary,[88] as well as appearances at U.S. festivals such asAftershock andWelcome to Rockville.[89][90]
Although 2021 marked the band's 40th anniversary, the planned global anniversary tour was delayed due to travel complications arising from theCOVID-19 pandemic; instead, the band performed a livestream concert on July 16 of that year.[91][92] The tour was delayed to 2022, with a North American leg beginning on July 16 withBlack Label Society andHatebreed as support,[93] followed by a European tour to begin on September 27 withMunicipal Waste,[92][94] and then they toured North America again in January and February 2023 with Black Label Society andExodus.[95] The band also released the full livestream setlist as a live album under the titleXL on July 15, 2022.[96]
After years of false starts and stops,[97][98] Anthrax entered the studio in the spring of 2023 to begin recording their twelfth studio album.[99] FrontmanJoey Belladonna began recording his vocals on November 5, 2023,[100] and production of the album continued within another two years.[8] Although Bello had stated the album would be in the fall of 2025,[101] it was left unfinished by the middle of the year, with drummerCharlie Benante revealing that the band had thrown "out a bunch of old tunes and made some new ones that destroy the older ones", and Belladonna claiming he had "maybe two or three more" songs left to record.[102][103] Bello confirmed in July 2025 that the album was in the mixing stages,[104] and Benante announced the same month that a new Anthrax song will be released before the end of the year.[105]
On March 28, 2024, it was announced that original Anthrax bassistDan Lilker would be performing with the band for the first time in 40 years on their spring 2024 tour dates by filling in for Bello, who was unable to perform due to "personal reasons".[106][107]
Anthrax co-headlined a European tour withKreator in November and December 2024, with Testament as the opening act.[108] Along withMetallica, Slayer,Pantera,Alice in Chains andMastodon, the band served as one of the opening acts ofBlack Sabbath'sone-off reunion show atVilla Park on July 5, 2025. This gig marked the first time in nearly fifteen years, since the "Big Four" concert series, that Anthrax had shared the stage together with both Metallica and Slayer.[109] In support of their upcoming twelfth studio album, the band (along with Megadeth) will open forIron Maiden on the North American leg of theirRun for Your Lives World Tour in the fall of 2026.[110]
In 2012, Anthrax and former vocalist Dan Nelson reached an undisclosed settlement after the vocalist was fired during a 2009 tour.[111]
In October 2014, ex-vocalist Neil Turbin accused guitarist Scott Ian of "fabricating lies" about his split with the band in 1984 to "draw attention" to Ian's autobiography.[112]
In October 2015, former guitarist Dan Spitz took issue with a 2004 Guitar.com article (since offline) which suggested that the band's drummer, Charlie Benante, was responsible for laying down lead guitar on many of the group's classic songs.[113]
In a 2016 interview with Metal Voice,[114] and again in a video that he uploaded to YouTube in December 2020,[115] former guitarist Greg Walls claimed that he had contributed to the writing of the songs on the band's first album,Fistful of Metal, specifically claiming to have written all the music to "Metal Thrashing Mad" and the majority of "Panic" but the band copyrighted the songs without his credit. In the same videos, Walls also claimed that he told Scott to drop the name "Rosenfeld" and simply go by "Scott Ian".[116]
Anthrax is one of the bands responsible for the emergence ofspeed metal andthrash metal.[117] Unlike other acts from the "Big Four" of U.S. thrash metal, such asMetallica orMegadeth, the band has been described as having a "good sense to temper their often serious music with a healthy dose of humor and realism."[117] According toRolling Stone, Anthrax was one of the few heavy metal bands to receive critical praise and redefine the genre during the 1980s.[118] Original guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Spitz' styles were described as "aggressive and head pounding", withpower chords and "chugging" pedal points providing the sonic drive.[119] Author Thomas Harrison wrote that Anthrax played metal at a faster tempo because of itspunk influences.[120] It is said that many pioneering thrash musicians, such as Anthrax, were influenced equally by heavy metal and punk rock.[121] In 1989,Brad Tolinski ofGuitar World magazine noted that, "IfExodus is a speed metal equivalent ofthe Rolling Stones, then New York-based Anthrax must surely be the genre'sBeatles."[122] The band's sixth album, 1993'sSound of White Noise (its first with singer John Bush), incorporatedgrunge andalternative metal influences in a darker vein.[123][124] Critics consider the band's studio releases from the Bush era as having a more alternative metal, grunge,groove metal, and speed metal sound.[125][126][127][128][129] The albumWorship Music marked a return to thrash metal and the return of singer Joey Belladonna.[130] Although the songs are credited to the whole band, sinceSpreading the Disease the music has been written almost entirely byCharlie Benante and the lyrics byScott Ian,[131] althoughJohn Bush made some lyrical contributions during his tenure in the band.
Anthrax has been influenced by a variety of music, includingclassic rock andhard rock acts asRush,Cheap Trick,AC/DC,Kiss,Queen,Thin Lizzy,Boston andJourney, all of whom the band had covered on its EPAnthems.[68][132][133][134] Their other influences includeheavy metal bands such asDeep Purple,[135]Black Sabbath,[133]Iron Maiden,[136]Judas Priest,[136][137]Accept,[137][138]Motörhead,[136][137]Exodus,[139]UFO,[140][141]Saxon,[142] andRaven,[143] as well ashardcore punk bands such asBad Brains,[144]D.R.I.,[145][146]Suicidal Tendencies,[147] andGBH.[148] Anthrax is a member of the "big four" of thrash metal with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer,[149] and often credited as one of the first bands of the genre to emerge from the East Coast, along withOverkill andNuclear Assault.[1] The band has been credited for laying the groundwork forrap metal andnu metal.[22][150][151] According toNielsen SoundScan, Anthrax sold 2.5 million records in the United States from 1991 to 2004,[152] and 10 million worldwide.[153]
Anthrax has influenced multiple bands such asPantera,[154]Sepultura,[155]Cannibal Corpse,Testament,Slipknot,[156]Death Angel,Korn,Limp Bizkit,311,Papa Roach,Avenged Sevenfold,Killswitch Engage,Children of Bodom,[157]Sevendust,Terror andInsane Clown Posse.[158][159]
Anthrax has been known to reference or draw influences from numerous sources in popular culture. "I Am the Law" is about the comic book characterJudge Dredd.[160] The title track to the albumAmong the Living is based on theStephen King novelThe Stand, in particular the character of villainRandall Flagg,[161] while "A Skeleton in the Closet" is based on King's novellaApt Pupil[citation needed] and "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" pays tribute to actor and originalSaturday Night Live cast memberJohn Belushi.[citation needed] The song "The Constant" is based on an episode ofLost.[162]
The band, for a period of time, used a caricature of a bald man's face as a mascot; he was colloquially christened the "Not Man".[163] The face itself comes from a rubber kids toy called "Magic Monster".[164]
Current members
Studio albums
California Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | We've Come for You All | Outstanding Hard Rock Album[165] | Nominated |
Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Anthrax | Metal Guru[166] | Won |
Decibel Hall of Fame
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Among the Living | Decibel Hall of Fame[167] | Inducted |
| 2019 | Fistful of Metal | Decibel Hall of Fame[168] | Inducted |
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Persistence of Time | Best Metal Performance | Nominated |
| 1992 | Attack of the Killer B's | Nominated | |
| 1995 | "Bring the Noise" | Nominated | |
| 2013 | "I'm Alive" | Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance | Nominated |
| 2014 | "T.N.T." | Best Metal Performance | Nominated |
| 2015 | "Neon Knights" | Nominated |
Kerrang! Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Anthrax | Spirit of Rock Award[169] | Won |
Loudwire Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | “I'm Alive” | Cage Match Hall of Fame[170] | Won |
| Anthrax | Live Act of the Year[171] | Nominated | |
| “I'm Alive” | Metal Song of the Year[172] | Nominated | |
| Anthrax | Metal Band of the Year[173] | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Anthrax | Best live Band[174] | Nominated |
| Charlie Benante | Best Drummer[175] | Nominated | |
| Frank Bello | Best Bassist[176] | Nominated |
Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Anthrax | Best Metal Band[177] | Won |
| 2012 | Metal As Fuck[178] | Won | |
| 2016 | Inspiration Award[179] | Won |
Metal Storm Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | For All Kings | Best Heavy/Melodic Metal Album[180] | Won |
Metal Hall of Fame
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Anthrax | The Metal Hall of Fame[181] | Inducted |
Metal Edge Readers Choice
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | “Safe Home” | Song of the Year[182] | Won |
Revolver Music Awards (formerly known as Revolver Golden Gods Awards)
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Worship Music | Album of the Year[183] | Nominated |
| Anthrax | Comeback of the Year[183] | Nominated | |
| Charlie Benante | Best Drummer[183] | Nominated | |
| Frank Ballo | Best Bassist[183] | Nominated | |
| Scott Ian | Riff Lord[183] | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Anthrax | Revolver Innovator Award[184] | Won |
Nearly as much as Metallica and Megadeth, Anthrax were responsible for the emergence of speed and thrash metal.
Anthrax continued their downward spiral with Stomp 442, a generic collection of speed metal bombast.
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