CD Review

When Anthrax changed lead singers in 2002, replacing Joey Belladonna with Armored Saint’s John Bush, there was talk this change might suggest the end for the New York speed metal kings. As history proves, it certainly wasn’t the end, as the band’s 1993 comeback album, Sound of White Noise with Bush’s scratchy vocals, gave Anthrax a revamped sound and made them relevant amongst the Helmets and Tools emerging in the rock scene. Now celebrating their 20th anniversary, Anthrax is the rare example of a metal band that has withstood the tumultuous changes in the industry by just being themselves.

Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991), features 30 re-mastered tracks personally chosen by the band amongst their groundbreaking metal albums: Spreading The Disease(1985), Among The Living (1987), State Of Euphoria (1988), Persistence Of Time (1990), I'm The Man EP(1987), and of course "Bring Tha Noize" with Public Enemy from 1991’s EP Attack Of The Killer B's. As one of the first to mold hip hop and metal, Korn, Limp Bizkit and modern day metal rap bands certainly owe their respects to Anthrax.

Although die hard fans would much rather see each of these four full-length Belladonna era Island records re-mastered in all their glory to eliminate omissions, the two discs are no doubt wealthy in early era material. Re-mastered versions of "Caught In A Mosh," "Among the Living," "Be All, End All," "Belly of the Beast" and "Antisocial" are enough to prove that the east coast had enough fire to compete with the west coast metal titans of Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth back in the day. If you can't grab the CD, at least catch Anthrax on their 20th anniversary tour opening for the original Judas Priest featuring Rob Halford.