Anthrax- Among the Living

[DMann2003 0]

Because I've been wanting to get more into the big 4 of 80's Thrash Metal (I have everything already by Metallica from the era). I picked up Anthrax's 1987 release Among the Living. After a few spins I'm really digging it. The only other Anthrax release I had before was Sounds of White Noise with John Bush taking of lead singing, and I really like that one too. So far stand out tracks are definetely "Indians", "Among the Living" and "N.F.L". What's the opinion here on this album and if you're knowledable about Anthrax, what's one other album you'd recommend.

[AboveAverage484 0]

Well, "Among the Living" and "Sound of White Noise" are probably their two best studio releases. After that I'd recommend "Spreading the Disease", "Persistence of Time", and "Fistful of Metal", in that order. Then get one of their greatest hits CD's to pick up the rest of the good songs, because their other albums are pretty lackluster.

 

Yeah, ATL has four really good songs (title track, Indians, Caught in a Mosh, I Am the Law) and a couple pretty good ones (N.F.L. and Skeleton in the Closet) all in all making for a pretty damn good metal album. Too bad it was the only true classic that Anthrax ever released.

[DMann2003 0]

What made the band unique (during the 80's I'd guess at least), was with Belladonna, they had an actual singer who'd hit high notes, not unlike a Bruce Dickenson or Rob Halford, which know of the other 3 (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer) could do or tried to do.

[AboveAverage484 0]

What made the band unique (during the 80's I'd guess at least), was with Belladonna, they had an actual singer who'd hit high notes, not unlike a Bruce Dickenson or Rob Halford, which know of the other 3 (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer) could do or tried to do.

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I don't know, Araya hit some pretty high notes on Slayer's early albums. Listen to the beginning of "Angel of Death." (youve probably heard it)

[Slayer 0]

I don't know, Araya hit some pretty high notes on Slayer's early albums.  Listen to the beginning of "Angel of Death."

Or half of Show No Mercy.

 

Ironically, Belladonna is one of the reasons why I don't care for older Anthrax. I love a lot of the guitar riffs, but Joey's singing would turn me off of most of the songs because I think his trebly voice doesn't work with the music at all. By contrast I thought they improved leaps and bounds in picking up John Bush, who I also liked in Armored Saint. His voice put a lot of power into the Joey-era songs that Joey just couldn't provide (listen to Music of Mass Destruction or Greater of Two Evils and see for yourself) and I was rather disheartened when Scott decided to bring back Joey.

[Rendclaw 0]

When I bought Sound of White Noise and heard John Bush, I was so blown away that I set out to learn Only on guitar. Yeah, its an easy song, but it doesn't have to be Dream Theater to be good.

[AboveAverage484 0]

When I bought Sound of White Noise and heard John Bush, I was so blown away that I set out to learn Only on guitar. Yeah, its an easy song, but it doesn't have to be Dream Theater to be good.

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It's hard for me to concentrate on the guitar work in that song because the drums are so great that's all I hear when I listen to it.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

SOD > Anthrax

 

I can't stand most 80's Anthrax because of Belladonna's voice. It makes Anthrax sound like a fucking glam rock band when their music is all thrashy, and they improved leaps and bounds sound-wise with Bush. Musically, yeah, they got worse, but that's because they did most of what they could when they were younger.