Re: Anthrax Complete Discography
Hedy Madrid
Fistful of Metal (1984)
Fistful of Metal is the debut L.P. from Anthrax. Released in February 1984, on Megaforce Records, this album is possessed by the same spirit that is present on such albums as Kill 'Em All, Show No Mercy and Killing Is My Business. The main difference is that this record is, primarily, speed metal with only bits of Thrash tossed in. Along with this, it is the only album to feature the vocals of Neil Turbin (and the bass-work of Dan Lilker), which gives it a unique feeling among the band's discography.
Growing up in the 80s, Anthrax was one of the many bands that I was exposed to, in a passive manner. However, the first time I really paid attention to them was due to an appearance on "Married With Children", in February 1992. Unfortunately, the first album I purchased by them was Sound of White Noise, which was not what I was looking for. I soon ran across Fistful of Metal, on cassette, and nearly wore the thing out after so many repeated listens. For many, the Belladonna years are what defines the band's character, but I find this L.P. to be just as important and it is always the first one that I go for, when in the mood for Anthrax.
Musically, the album is quite varied. It is not high-speed all the way through, but offers a decent amount of mid-tempo tracks as well. The tone of the songwriting seems more serious than many of the other Anthrax releases, which may have a little to do with the lyrics, too. As a result, the music is a little darker, by comparison. Turbin's vocals suit the music quite well, with a lot of high-pitched screams thrown in. He actually has a good range, able to do the high stuff and to add a bit of a snarl when needed. On occasion, his voice is reminiscent of the old KISS material, which probably helped him land the job in the first place. The lead solos are also worth mentioning, as this album is full of killer solos and they really help the album along. Benante's drumming is excellent, also, showcasing his skill while keeping within the boundaries of what each song needs. The flow of the album is pretty decent, with the faster songs spaced out and arranged so that they hit right when they need to, but the vibe never becomes repetitive. They even manage to make an Alice Cooper song sound natural, among the rest of the tracks. Overall, there is still a good measure of NWOBHM influence, mixed with Speed and Thrash.
The sound of the album is not the best. The production is not quite as strong as that found on the debut albums of Metallica and Slayer, and the master tapes possessed flaws that have been retained throughout the years, never removed from cassette or CD re-releases. Fistful of Metal has that old school early 80s sound that truly fits the music. If the production was any clearer or more polished, the album would lose a lot of its charm. This is one of those cases where the fact that something sounds dated actually works to the benefit of the atmosphere. Everything is clear enough and the mix is quite good, with the guitars driving the album forward yet taking nothing away from the vocals and drums.
Fistful of Metal is a classic speed metal album, one that should be in the collection of any old school metalhead. It offers a different perspective on a band that many people consider to be somewhat 'fun' or 'comical'. One has to wonder just how the band would have sounded had they not abandoned this approach. Either way, this is essential for speed/thrash fans.
(9 Nov. 2011)
Armed and Dangerous (1985)
Some months after the release of their debut album, Fistful of Metal, Anthrax parted ways with vocalist Neil Turbin and recruited Joey Belladonna. To help their fans (and, maybe, themselves) get better acquainted with the new line-up, they recorded an E.P. Armed and Dangerous, released in February 1985, is more of a collector's item than anything else.
The album cover does nothing to help the band, nor does the fact that the first song starts out with about two minutes of, what sounds like, a ballad. Poor song arrangement aside, this E.P. does include an interesting song that can be found nowhere else, "Raise Hell". It is an average, mid-paced thrash metal track, though the production helps make it more enjoyable. The sound is still a little more on the less-produced side, offering the grittier pre-1986 atmosphere. As for the rest, there is not much to say. Two "live" songs that were merely recorded in the studio, like Slayer's Live Undead or Metallica's Jump in the Fire. Joey does a decent job on these, but does not quite surpass Turbin's performance on Fistful of Metal. There is also a cover of "God Save the Queen", which is pretty out of place.
All in all, Armed and Dangerous is not particularly interesting. At least later versions include the Soldiers of Metal 7". It is clear why this was released at the time, but it became much less relevant the moment Spreading the Disease was released, and it probably something that only hardcore Anthrax fans would be interested in. (9 Nov. 2011)
Spreading the Disease (1985)
The sophomore effort from Anthrax, Spreading the Disease, represents the moment when the band transitioned to thrash metal, with only one holdover from their speed metal days. It was also the first full-length to feature Joey Belladonna on vocals, which marked another change in their sound and was their major label debut, having signed to Island Records. The L.P. was released in October 1985.
This was the last of the old Anthrax albums that I obtained, as it was never in stock during my frequent visits to the local record stores. The time period was a little darker, and thus the music here took on a little darker tone for me, as opposed to Among the Living or State of Euphoria. Part of this may also be a result of the more serious approach, since the band had not yet become labeled as 'fun' thrash metal with the goofy lyrics and horrible sleeve photos.
The music still includes some faster riffs, but the mid-paced sections dominate many of the tracks. Nearly all of the riffs are very memorable and quite easy to headbang to. Joey's voice suits the material well and he sounds more natural here than he would on the following release. The guitars possess more of a crunch and this helps to accentuate the heaviness of the songs. Tracks like "A.I.R.", "Aftershock" and "Gung-Ho" retain the more aggressive spirit that was present on Fistful of Metal. "Madhouse" and "Medusa" are quite catchy, though not as intense. Still, they rank among the most memorable songs on the whole album. As for the rest of the tracks, they fit more into traditional metal territory, or even edging too close to Hard Rock. "The Enemy" comes off almost as a ballad, as does the first part of "Armed and Dangerous". There is certainly a lot of variety on this record and it is enough to satisfy different tastes. However, Spreading the Disease would have only benefited from more songs like "Gung-Ho", one of the final tracks to have been written by Turbin, Ian and Lilker.
The overall production is really good, without sounding overdone. The guitars retain a sharp edge and seem to be the primary focus. Joey's vocals are mixed in well enough, high enough to be effective but not too prominent. On the following album, it would seem that his voice would become too disjointed from the rest of what was going on. The drumming is about the same as on the previous record, though a bit more relaxed in general. Benante's work is at the right place in the mix, never overpowering the drums and with the double-bass parts keeping to the background, where they belong.
Spreading the Disease may be the best of the Belladonna-era Anthrax albums, as it comes off as more natural and serious as well. Following this, the band would do a lot of things to tarnish their credibility, while expanding their fanbase despite everything. This album is highly recommended to anyone that is looking to explore this era of the band's discography, as it is very solid and really captures the spirit of the time period. (10 Nov. 2011)
Among the Living (1987)
After spending several weeks exploring Fistful of Metal, Among the Living was my next acquisition from Anthrax's back-catalogue. My first impression was that this was a horrible album. The vocals absolutely killed it, as well as ridiculous lyrics such as, "I'm the walking dude", which just made matters worse. Belladonna's performance in "Imitation of Life" is about as wretched as it gets and left a bad taste in my mouth. This L.P. was returned within a couple days, as it seemed unbearable. After a month or so, I ended up giving it another chance and putting forth effort to appreciate it for what it was.
Released in March 1987, Anthrax's third L.P. was dedicated to the memory of Cliff Burton, who had died about six months earlier. Among the Living was the band's second release on Island Records and would go on to become their defining opus. One way or another, this is the sound that people identified with Anthrax and the record became somewhat iconic as their definitive statement.
Musically, this record does not live up to its potential. It contains several dark riffs, such as the intro section to the title track, yet fails to capitalize. The atmosphere is lightened by the vocals, which do not seem to fit the music too well. Too many times, it sounds as if Joey is just talking really fast, instead of actually singing. It does not help, either, that the lyrics are less serious and, oftentimes. The themes are quite stupid, at times, such as "Caught in a Mosh" and "Indians". Thrash fans do not care about the plight of Native Americans and, if they do, they need to be rounded up and exterminated as well. There are not enough high-speed songs, as most are centered on the idiotic 'mosh riffs'. A few mid-paced parts are alright, but there was no need to focus on those instead of the faster sections, during which the band sounds much more impressive. That said, Among the Living is filled with memorable riffs and vocal lines as well. While none of the songs reach the level that they could have, songs like "Efilnukifesin (N.F.L.)" and "A.D.I./Horror of It All" are not bad at all.
One of the primary weaknesses of this album would have to be the production. The drums and bass are too high in the mix and, for that matter, so are the vocals. The guitars should always be the main focus when it comes to any kind of metal, and they just do not possess the saw force as on Spreading the Disease. Had the guitars been higher and the other elements been lowered a bit, the character of this record would have been significantly altered for the better.
Among the Living is a pretty decent thrash metal album, though not Anthrax's best effort, by any means. By this point, all traces of NWOBHM influence are long gone. While it may be the one that most people think of when the band is brought up, it pales in comparison to Fistful of Metal and is just below Spreading the Disease in terms of quality and sound. It is certainly worth listening to and not bad at all. Give it a listen and decide for yourself. (10 Nov. 2011)