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Anthrax Members2009 - Frank Bello (bass), Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie Benante (drums), Rob Caggiano (guitar), and Dan Nelson (vocasl)
Band Lineup 2007: Scott Ian (guitar), Dan Nelson (vocals), Rob Caggiano (guitar), Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (vocal)
John Bush (vocals) 1992–2005.
About Anthrax
May 2009 - Press Release
NEW ANTHRAX ALBUM BEING MIXED BY DAVE FORTMAN
Los Angeles, CA - May 21, 2009 -- Dave Fortman, a member of Ugly Kid Joe, who has also worked with artists such as Mudvayne, Evanescence, and Slipknot, began mixing the new Anthrax album, Worship Music, late last week in a New Orleans studio. The album, now set for a Fall release, is the band's first studio effort in six years and marks the recording debut of new lead vocalist Dan Nelson.
Commented Fortman, "In 1986, I saw two shows at Jed's in New Orleans that changed my life, one of those was Anthrax. Not long after, I packed up and headed out to make a career in music. Twenty-three years later, it's an absolute pleasure and an honor to work with these guys. They are and always have been one of the great forces in metal."
According to Anthrax - longtime members Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (drums), and Rob Caggiano (lead guitar). and Nelson - confirmed tracks include "Vampires," "Crawl," "The Devil You Know," "The Giant," "Fight 'em 'Til You Can't" and "Earth On Hell." The album was produced by Caggiano and Anthrax.
"I've always looked at the songs we write like our kids," admitted Scott Ian. "And you wouldn't want to let just anyone take care of your kids, right? Dave is helping us raise really f**king heavy kids."
From the band's point of view, having a true and personal understanding of the music you're mixing is the most important thing, and even more important with Worship Music as none of the Anthrax members would be present during the mixing process. "Dave Fortman not only understands the music, he lives it," added Benante. "I was so happy when he sent over the first mix, it was all there, it was as if he put himself behind the kit, the mic, the bass. He listens to the song and sees what the song needs, and then he starts building it. We're all confident that Dave will dial it all in and make a monster for us. Like us, Dave worships music, and we like that."
Anthrax heads to Europe in June to play a series of major summer rock festivals, then returns to the U.S. to headline the first night of the third-annual, four-day Rocklahoma festival on July 9 in Prior, OK.
Anthrax is one of metal's all time great acts. Along with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth, they are credited with originating the thrash genre and the band has gone on to sell over 10-million albums worldwide and play to countless fans across the globe. The band has created such genre-defining albums as Among the Living, State of Euphoria, and Sound of White Noise, and such legendary tracks as "Metal Thrashing Mad," "Indians," "Caught In A Mosh," "Among the Living," "I Am The Law," "Only," and of course the Public Enemy collaboration that went on to spawn a new genre - "Bring the Noise."
Two thousand and nine marks the 25th anniversary of Anthrax's debut release, Fistful of Metal. To celebrate, Megaforce Records released a limited edition (only 2,000 copies were made) vinyl release of the album last week, on May 12, 2009. The package is spread over three 10-inch records in a tri-fold die cut jacket, and includes the group's 1985 EP, Armed and Dangerous. The Fistful of Metal vinyl limited edition reissue retails for $39.98 and is available at Anthrax's official website - www.anthrax.com - amazon.com and record stores across the U.S.
March 2009
ANTHRAX TO HEADLINE OPENING OF 3RD ANNUAL ROCKLAHOMA MUSIC FESTIVAL
"After we're done, 'Rocklahoma' will have to change its name to 'Metalhoma.' I mean 'Oklametal.' 'Oklaheavyometala.' You get the idea." -- Scott Ian, Anthrax
Los Angeles, CA - Thursday, March 26, 2009 -- The celebration of Anthrax's 25th anniversary is about to begin in earnest, as Anthrax, recognized as one of the founders of thrash metal, with worldwide sales in excess of ten million copies, will bring its brand of New York metal to Oklahoma when they kick off the third annual, four-day Rocklahoma Festival set for July 9 - 12 in Pryor, Oklahoma. Anthrax will headline the festival's July 9 opening night.
"We want to start the HEAVY DAY at Rocklahoma," said Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, "and after we play nothing but heavy f%#*ing metal, Oklahoma will never be the same."
Anthrax's Rocklahoma Festival appearance will be in support of the band's first new studio album in six year Worship Music, scheduled for a summer release, and the May 12 release of the limited edition, three-record vinyl reissue of the band's first album, Fistful of Metal, which originally came out twenty-five years ago. Worship Music will mark the studio debut of new singer Dan Nelson who joins long-time members Benante and Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass) and Rob Caggiano (lead guitar).
The Rocklahoma festival will be Anthrax's only North American concert appearance until they launch their own major trek here later this year. The Rocklahoma organizers will announce the full July 9 talent lineup next week.
January 2009
ANTHRAX TO "WORSHIP MUSIC" FOR THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY
New Album, New Singer, Global Tour
Los Angeles, CA - January 26, 2009 -- ANTHRAX, one of heavy metal's all-time great acts who, along with Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth, are credited with co-founding the thrash genre, will be returning with "Worship Music," the band's first new studio album in six years and a full-on supporting world tour. "Worship Music" is set for a June release on Megaforce Records. The album marks the studio debut of new singer Dan Nelson who joins long-time members Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (drums), and Rob Caggiano (lead guitar). According to early reports, "Worship Music" is Anthrax's heaviest album to date.
In addition, 2009 marks the 25-year anniversary of the release of Anthrax' debut album, 1984's "Fistful of Metal." "I can't even process that it's been 25 years," said co-founding member Ian. "It's insane to me, because when you think about it, who does anything for that long, let alone in the same band? Start making a list of bands that are still around 25 years after their first album, and it's going to be a pretty short list."
About Anthrax's new "Worship Music," Benante explains, "This album has been in the making for two and half, maybe three years. After the reunion tour ended, we all went our separate ways. I started to write songs again, but I had no voice for them in mind, I didn't know who would be the singer. So Scott, Frankie and I got together and just started putting some songs together. This was pretty much the way 'Spreading the Disease' was done, too - we wrote those songs without a definite singer in mind. Then, in October of 2007, I was talking to Rob Caggiano who said he found this guy in Long Island who he thought would be really good - Dan Nelson. So I did some research, called him up, and flew him out to Chicago."
According to Bello, it didn't take much time to realize that they had found their man. "Dan brought in the obligatory 'breath of fresh air,' but it really WAS. He has a killer voice and he's a good guy, and really fits Anthrax. The guy sings like nobody I've heard - I'm really proud of what he's done. This is the new Anthrax - yes, it does sound different, but it's in the same heavy/melodic vein. I don't compare it, I just see it as, 'I love the challenge of having a new Anthrax.'"
"While making this album," added Nelson, "I found that if I just tried to approach my vocals from the heart, to not over think anything, I could bring a fresh, heavier yet still melodic approach to an already brutal style of music. Being the singer of Anthrax has already proven to be a great opportunity to play with great musicians."
Shortly after the line-up was solidified, Nelson was welcomed into the Anthrax fold via a true baptism by fire - opening up a pair of sold out shows for the mighty Iron Maiden in California. "The second night, we're backstage," recalls Ian, "[Iron Maiden singer] Bruce Dickinson came over to our dressing room to say hi, and he says to me, 'Your new singer, Dan, is amazing. I was watching you guys from the side of the stage last night - he totally fits you guys, he's perfect. His voice is incredible and strong. I loved it!' And I was like, 'Would you come inside and tell Dan? He'd love to hear it from you.' We walk in the dressing room and I'm like, 'Where's Dan?' And I hear from the bathroom, 'I'm in here, taking a crap!' It was so great - not that we're looking for validation, but when Bruce Dickinson comes up and is congratulating you on your new singer, it's a pretty cool moment."
With sessions just about to wrap for "Worship Music," Benante already has a few favorite songs that he can't wait for the band's fans to sink their teeth into. "This one song called 'Down Goes the Sun,' is probably, for me, the most epic song that I've come up with, it has a lot of life in it. There's a song called 'Earth on Hell,' which is a play on the words 'hell on earth.' That could have been on our 'Among the Living' record. There's another song called 'Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't,' which is about zombies - who doesn't love a good zombie song?" Other standout tracks include "Vampires" (Bello: "It's a dark, heavy groove with some serious, amazing vocals and a great, big chorus"), "Crawl" (Bello: "Another dark song, it's going to throw people for a loop"), "The Devil You Know" (Ian: "It's an almost AC/DC groove filtered through an Anthrax lens"), and "The Giant" (Ian: "It's so brutally in-your-face").
The release of "Worship Music" also sees Anthrax's "return home" to their original label, Megaforce Records. "I just had a nice conversation with Missi Callazzo [Vice President of Megaforce] about how terrific it is to be home again. It's come around full circle. Missi has done above and beyond for this band - including getting us on 'Married...With Children'! Missi absolutely knows how to work a record, she is someone who believes in and lives Anthrax, and we haven't had that in a long time. She knows the band inside and out. She's like a sister of ours." Callazzo herself voices the same sentiment. "It is a thrill and an honor to be releasing the new album by such a pioneering artist. Anthrax and Megaforce always defined one another and it will be great fun to do it again in 2009."
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