Anthrax's Fall from Grace

THRASH IS BACK!!! These days, it seems like thrash is getting bigger than it ever was in the 80s. This begs the question: what the hell is Anthrax doing? The last totally new album was 2003's highly-acclaimed We've Come for You All. Six years later, all you can see from these guys is the sad image of a band caught up in their midlife crisis amidst lineup hell and accepting a tour slot opening for metal posers Slipknot, a group commonly regarded by metalheads as one of the worst bands in history. How did it happen, Anthrax?!

A year after their last original album, Anthrax released an exceptional compilation called The Greater of Two Evils, featuring their 80s classics, re-recorded by their 00s lineup. Usually when a band does that, it's as if to say "we are proud of our current lineup, so here's what we can do now to make our older material sound fresh". That doesn't necessarily apply to Anthrax, however, judging by their next move. In an indecisive twist of fate, Anthrax immediately followed up said album by ejecting longtime vocalist John Bush and lea guitarist Rob Caggiano, in order to accommodate the return of Joey Belladonna and Dan Spitz, respectively. Anthrax embarked upon a successful reunion tour with their 1984-92 lineup, featuring setlists comprised exclusively or material recorded during that era, but neglected to plan for the long-term. Once the tour ended, Anthrax found themselves unable to press on, with Belladonna and Spitz were unwilling to commit to the band full-time. Without a lead guitarist and vocalist, Anthrax faded into semi-obscurity overnight. Classic metal was in demand during the mid-00s, but only those bands who proved that they had the tenactity to continue performing; in such a time, even a small lapse was enough to prove detrimental to the Anthrax's popularity.

You can't have a band without a singer, unless of course, you're a kickass instrumental-prog band (and let's face it: Anthrax would suck at that). John Bush, still reeling from his abrupt dismissal, basically gave Anthrax the finger when they asked him back. While Rob Caggiano was more than happy to return, a piece of the puzzle was still missing. After a long and arduous search, Anthrax discovered a vocalist who had been gaining fame in the local Long Island scene, and quickly enlisted him to record a new studio album. His name: Dan Nelson. His role in the band: vocalist/roadblock. Now, Anthrax claims to have been serious about making a comeback, but with an unknown singer, who's going to take them seriously? John Bush and Joey Belladonna are both loved by fans; they're not that easy to replace, and the unease was apparent in Anthrax's fanbase. Sure enough, Nelson didn't last, and exited the band this week; whether it was by choice is not yet confirmed. Due to the lineup shift, the new album Worship Music has been delayed (far from the first time). Sadly to say, it may be too late for Anthrax, as they fall behind in a thriving genre.

Metallica just released Death Magnetic, which regains all of their credibility, not to mention they are (and always have been) the best of the thrash bands when it comes to live performances. Megadeth has an album this year, which could possibly be a return to form, judging by the superb single "Headcrusher". Slayer's Christ Illusion was incredible, and they have another album out this summer. Other long-running thrash bands such as Testament, Overkill, Flotsam & Jetsam, Death Angel, and Exodus have released excellent albums within the past two years. Furthermore, there's competition from the new wave of thrash; young rockers worldwide have been embracing the beloved genre, leading to the formation of popular new bands such as Evile and Warbringer. Anthrax's past achievements in the field of thrash are laudable; they should be one of the bands ushering in the new era. It's a shame that they are not, and because of that, Anthrax is basically no longer relevant.

Now, I'm not badmouthing Anthrax. I respect them, and I'd love to see them come back to prominence. They need to do something spectacular, however, since they've been out of the spotlight for so long, and other bands are making progress while Anthrax has been promising a comeback for years, but to no avail. Worship Music has been delayed several times already, the most recent of which took place this very week, presumably because the band wants to erase Dan Nelson's vocals from the album and redo all of the songs. What can save the band at this point? Fans are amassing and clamoring for a John Bush reunion. He's scheduled to perform a one-off with his old buddies on August 1st, and if things go well, it could lead to the reunion of Anthrax's most functional lineup, giving the band the boost they need to climb back to the top. A reunion with Joey seems far less feasible, since Anthrax already tried that, and it didn't pan out. Whatever happens, the band needs to do something big, and as unlikely as it seems, Anthrax has been known for pulling through the hard time.

Hardcore Anthrax fans aren't going to stop supporting the band. We're talking about a group that has sold well over 10 million albums and caters to thrashers, some of the most unfailingly loyal music fans out there. If Anthrax proves themselves worthy of attention in the future, it will surely come back to them. It's going to take a lot of work on their part, but as a thrasher myself, I'm inclined to believe in them. They just cancelled that godforsaken tour where they were set to open for Slipknot, so already we have one big step in the right direction right there.

-Psychotic Pulse