Amoeba Music

Anthrax is a heavy metal band from New York City, often credited for inventing and popularizing thrash and speed metal along with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. Formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and Dan Lilker, the band has undergone a number of lineup changes over the years. Ian and drummer Charlie Benante are the only constant...More

Anthrax is a heavy metal band from New York City, often credited for inventing and popularizing thrash and speed metal along with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. Formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and Dan Lilker, the band has undergone a number of lineup changes over the years. Ian and drummer Charlie Benante are the only constant members who have appeared on every album. Today, Anthrax is Scott Ian (guitars), Charlie Benante (drums), Rob Caggiano (guitars), Frank Bello (bass), and Joey Belladonna (vocals).

Anthrax signed to Megaforce Records in 1983 and released their debut album, Fistful of Metal, in 1984. In 1985, Joey Belladonna and Frank Bello joined the band, and soon after released the Armed and Dangerous EP (Megaforce) and their sophomore full-length, Spreading the Disease (Megaforce/Island). The band’s next album, State of Euphoria (Megaforce/Island, 1988), featured a cover of French metal band Trust’s song “Antisocial” which became a hit for Anthrax. The members of Anthrax had diverse musical tastes and were known as supporters of punk, hardcore, and Hip-Hop. In 1987, they appeared on a track by Hip-Hop act U.T.F.O., and then took the idea of a metal/Hip-Hop fusion one step further by collaborating with Public Enemy on the song “Bring the Noise” in 1991. Later that same year, Anthrax embarked on a groundbreaking tour with Public Enemy.

The band went through a series of label and personnel changes over the next few years, and even faced the 2001 anthrax virus attacks in the US. Despite all of the bad luck, the group carried on and gained another lead guitarist, Rob Caggiano, in 2002. The new lineup signed with Sanctuary Records, and released We’ve Come for You All in 2003, which was celebrated by critics and fans. In 2005, it was announced that the Among the Living lineup of Ian, Benante, Spitz, Belladonna, and Bello would reform and tour. The tour was a massive success, spawning the CD/DVD retrospective Anthrology: No Hit Wonders 1985-1991 (Island, 2005) and a live recording from the tour called Alive 2: The Music (Sanctuary, 2005).

In September 2011, Anthrax released Worship Music, their first studio album since 2003 and it featured vocalist Belladonna making his first Anthrax album in twenty years. Since its release Worship Music was named #1 Metal Album of the Year by Loudwire and was just nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock/Metal Performance (for "I'm Alive"). Anthrax just completed a European tour with Motorhead, and is planning a North American tour for 2013.