Anthrax | Worship Music
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer —
It’s been eight years and three singers since We’ve Come for You All hit the shelves, and considering all of the drama that went down during that time, it’s almost surprising that Worship Music is actually available. Maybe not Chinese Democracy surprising, but still, many fans weren’t sure this record would ever see the light of day. But sure enough, just in time to mark the 30th anniversary of the band, Worship Music has arrived in stores and hard drives, and unlike Axl’s disappointing misfire, this one was well worth the wait.
After a brief intro in the form of “Worship,” “Earth on Hell” kicks things off with a blast beat reminiscent of Charlie’s S.O.D. work, and the song never relents from there. The band has certainly returned to its thrash roots and has, with a few well-placed exceptions, mostly ditched the groovier de-tuned grunginess of its last few albums. This is the high-speed, moshtastic Anthrax of old, albeit with a few new tricks to keep this from sounding overly retro.
Considering the quality of the material, a song-by-song breakdown seems pointless. Many are touting “In the End” as perhaps the best song of the band’s career, and while great (especially lyrically), it’s hard to place it above classics like “Earth on Hell,” “Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t,” or “Crawl.” Wait, those are all from Worship Music, you say? Damn straight—this album is full of new classics (if there is such a thing). Minus “Hymn 1” and “Hymn 2,” there really isn’t any filler material, a claim few bands can make this claim this long into their career.
Perhaps the most notable change here is the addition of melodic, sing-along-chorus melodies, something the band isn’t necessarily known for. The integration of these choruses into the general thrashiness creates a record that is as heavy as anything the band has done in the past, but with an accessibility that will help conquer fans of more melodic fare.
With many approaching Joey Belladonna’s return with a bit of hesitation, it should be noted that he sounds as good as he ever has. Joey’s range has not faded at all, which is a bit of anomaly among “high” singers. While he may not have the snide toughness of John Bush (or, to a lesser degree, Dan Nelson), Joey delivers the new tracks with an aggression surpassing even that heard on Persistence of Time. While it’s unlikely to bring Team Bush fans to the Belladonna side, it will certainly make it difficult for them to complain.
Not counting the aforementioned “Hymns,” the only other less-than-exceptional track here is the cover of Refuse’s “New Noise” that comes on various pressings of the album. While not terrible by any standards, Joey’s rapping is sup-par, and the track really sounds uninspired after the previous 13 songs. It would have been better saved for an Attack of the Killer B’s 2 compilation. But hey, nobody’s perfect.
So in summation, in case it hasn’t been clear, Worship Music is not only a great album, but potentially could be considered the best of Anthrax’s career. That’s saying a lot considering how near-perfect Among the Living, Persistence of Time and Sound of White Noise all were. If anything, it definitely proves that they are worthy of a much longer set at the Big 4 shows. Worthy of praise, indeed.
Genre: Thrash Metal
Band:
Joey Belladonna (v)
Scott Ian (g)
Frank Bello (b)
Rob Caggiano (g)
Charlie Benante (d)
Track Listing:
1. Worship
2. Earth on Hell
3. The Devil You Know
4. Fight ‘em ‘til You Can’t
5. I’m Alive
6. Hymn 1
7. In the End
8. The Giant
9. Hymn 2
10. Judas Priest
11. Crawl
12. The Constant
13. Revolution Screams
14. New Noise
Label: Megaforce Records
Website: www.anthrax.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.6/10