Cyberock

I was kind of surprised when I did a search on Anthrax and did not bring back anything on their live dvd/cd that came out about a month ago. I just bought it over the weekend and I love it. It just seems like a lot of the Anthrax fans jumped ship years ago ( what has it been, 10 years?) when John Bush joined the band. That's when i got on board with Anthrax. I did not like the original singer which I can't even remeber his name so that's what kind of impression he made on me. I was a huge Armored Saint fan so I had no problem pciking up Anthrax when John joined them.

Canis Firebrand

I stopped listening after the State of Euphoria album.

Mainly because my tastes in music changed at that point. I was getting away from the Heavy metal/hard rock stuff and more into alternative types of music.

Every now and then, I dig out some of my old cassettes, and listen to them. But thats getting rare as I don't have a cassette player anymore.

Flashback

Not a big fan anymore (I was listening to them since the beginning or the album with Madhouse - Fist Full of Metal???) but I try to see them when I can live-just missed a show a couple of days ago.

Bush was never a problem for me at all (I think it was Joey Belladonna that was the former singer)...I missed Spitz (guitar) when he took off, or was fired. Bush has done a great job in my opinion and was also a fan of his when I saw him w/ Armored Saint and Metallica many years ago.

I have not heard about the DVD etc. since I do not keep up with Anthrax that much.

Mordred

I'm a huge Anthrax fan. I may not have posted a thread about it but my sig has a link to my review of the Music of Mass Destruction DVD/CD set. That is one killer live album and it totally blows away Live: the Island Years.

I still can't figure out why Anthrax isn't bigger than they are right now. I know they had the worst luck imaginable with record labels, but you'd think being on Sanctuary they'd get a little more promotion than they do. WCFYA was an amazing album and really showed that the band was doing what they do best. MMD only enhances the band's reputation. Maybe things will turn around for them with Maximum Metallus Eternus though... who knows.

And you're right, John Bush is an excellent singer. I didn't hate Belladonna but I thought he made Anthrax a fun metal band, not a great serious metal band. If you've never checked out Bush's work with Armored Saint you need to. Symbol of Salvation is one of the greatest metal albums of all time.

Mordred

DVD Josh

I have a feeling they lost a large chunk of fans when they collaborated with Public Enemy. The site of scott ian rapping - priceless. I think their hardcore fans were probably anti-rap and felt they "sold out". That's silliness to me, but metalheads are a sensitive bunch.

Flashback

I never felt that at all...most metal fans (not the Poison type) I knew around NYC dug rap (RUN/Beast.Boys/PE etc)...also they did a goofy rap song I'm the Man before the PE song (I thought at least).

Poink

I just saw them last Friday. I've never really listened to them before; I just went with some friends 'cause they had an extra ticket or two. They were good, and drew a good sized crowd. But, as you guys said, it's kind of puzzling how they never got REALLY big since they're better than most metal bands out there who sell out arenas.

darqleo

Used to like them, my fave album was Persistance of Time, with Spread The Disease, Among The Living and Attack Of The Killer B's as runner's up. I even liked The Sound Of White Noise, to a point. Not a big fan of Joey Belladonna's voice, but not a huge fan of John Bush's either.... I actually liked when Scott sang! I bailed when Stomp 442 was released, just didn't sound good to me... and of course my musical tastes have changed since then. I still bust their albums out every year or so.

benedict

Yes.

Closing thread.

[j/k]

Jason

I played an old cassette copy of Spreading the Disease a few months back, and it held up pretty well. I was never a fan of the later, hardcore skater metal stuff.

Joeboo835

I love anthrax. I think they're one of the top metal bands out there right now. WCFYA is one of the best metal albums in a while, imo.

I picked up that DVD this weekend too. I love it. I wish they would have done more behind the scenes stuff, but the concert was great.

I think Mordred is right, bush makes them more serious and Belladonna made them a "fun" metal band.

Btw, SOD has to be best side band of all time.

darqleo

Oh easily the best !!!

cactusoly

I love Anthrax still, and have everything they put out, the DVD is great. I just saw them live a few months ago. The only thing I don't like is that they always play Bring The Noise for an encore and I absolutly hate that song.

edstein

Closet Anthrax fan here. I pull up a couple of their tracks on my zen every now and then.

Josh-da-man

They peaked with "Spreading the Disease" and "Among the Living." Hands down, their best two albums.

"State of Euphoria" was over-produced and kind of misguided. Like a lot of metal bands of the time, after a reasonable artistic and commercial success, they lost their edge.

"Persistence of Time" was a bit better than "State of Euphoria," but once they shitcanned Belladonna, they pretty much lost their focus and became a different band.

I like John Bush with Armored Saint, but his voice just doesn't suit what Anthrax once was. I think they might've been able to get away with a new vocalist if they could've gotten someone more in tune with the style established by Joey Belladonna.

B5Erik

I've been a fan of both Anthrax and Armored Saint since the mid 80's. I was actually disappointed when John Bush joined Anthrax because it meant the end of Armored Saint.

Armored Saint's Symbol Of Salvation is easily one of the best Heavy Metal albums of all time. It was great to see them come back with an almost equally great album ten years later with Revelation.

Anthrax has put out some really good albums in the John Bush era (Sound of White Noise, We've Come for You All), but nothing that matches Symbol of Salvation or Revelation from A.S. or even Anthrax's own best albums like Spreading The Disease.

nodeerforamonth

I just don't like their attitude these days. They blame their lack of sales in the US on "stupid Americans". (blabbermouth.com, various entries)

Cyberock

I so agree with you about the Day John Bush joined Anthrax. I actually did not like Anthrax then and knew that meant the end of Armored Saint. I saw them play a Hollywood club, The Whiskey, right when John Bush joined the band since I was curious how John would sound with Anthrax and they were great. At that point I started to develop an intrest in Anthrax. I think the cd that come out after John joined was Stomp 442( I could be wrong ) which I thought was just ok. Then Sound of White Noise and We Have Come for You All and I really became hooked on these guys. I would love for the opportunity to see these guys live again. I am curious about that last Armored Saint cd, I never picked it up. I didn't realized John went back to do Revelation so now I may have to check that out, little late for me but better than never.

B5Erik

Armored Saint's Revelation is a GREAT album! Imagine a bigger, beefier, Heavier version of Symbol Of Salvation and you'll get a pretty good idea of what it sounds like. It's almost as good as Symbol.

I actually became an Armored Saint fan when they put out their original 3 track EP on Metal Blade in '83. "Lesson Well Learned" is still a great song.

Cyberock

I started listening to Saint back in 1984, March of the Saint was a great album..."Can U Deliver." Symbol of Salvation was a great album too so I'll definitely have to check out that last release of theirs.

johnbook

No i like them a bit...

My favorite 2 albums by the band and the only two i own...

State Of Euphoria...my opinion there best album...saw them open for ozzy on this tour...

Sound Of White Noise...close second...

Balah

I much prefer the newer Anthrax stuff with John Bush. A lot of the older stuff was hit or miss for me. OK cd's with some good songs on them. But I have loved everything from Sound of White Noise on.

Good to see the love for Symbol of Salvation. I actually picked it up as a blind buy after hearing John sing for Anthrax, and it was instantly one of my favorite cd's of all time.

GuessWho

I met the guys years ago at a "Sound of White Noise" release party.... VERY down to earth, fun guys that were very cool to talk to

Mordred

If you haven't checked it out Erik, AS just released a new DVD/CD set called Armored Saint Magazine: Lessons not Well Learned. It's basically a continuation of the Trip Through Red Times video comprising videos from the 1991 and 2001 tours. The video/audio quality is definitely bootleg quality so don't expect much there. However the CD that comes with it is 6 tracks from a show they did in Detroit back in '84 and sounds absolutely amazing. For a fan like yourself I can guarantee the DVD is worth buying just for the live CD. I should have a review of it linked to the bottom of my posts in a couple of days.

Mordred

Gil Jawetz

Not a HUGE fan and haven't heard anything of theirs since White Noise but we do listen to that album and Persistence of Time at the office with some frequency. Plus my coworker has become addicted to "Only" and puts it on every day. I ain't complaining. Great song.