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Worship Music? Worship Anthrax. Legendary thrashers return to the UK in 2012 with new show

Posted: 12 years ago
Anthrax

Formed thirty years ago, yet sounding as fresh as if they'd formed thirty minutes ago, Anthrax have been a considerably noisy force during those three decades. They've worked their way through numerous combinations of band-members, particularly lead-vocalists.

Many Anthrax purists claim that their classic mid-'80s period with Joey Belladonna at the mic, to be their best. On the strength of their output at the time, you'd have to agree. Belladonna appeared on some of their most successful albums including "Spreading the Disease" in 1985, "Among the Living" in 1987 and his last album with the band, "Persistence of Time" in 1990. While replacement John Bush was a considerably capable vocalist, the tide of music was changing with the advent of Britpop and dance-music and Anthrax fell out of favour with a new generation of students. Until now, that is.

Not only has Belladonna rejoined Anthrax, the whole attitude towards classic metal and thrash has come full-circle. While many bands choose to scream their lungs out in the name of middle-class pain, true leather, denim and patches stalwarts continue to record consistent albums. Anthrax have tightened their grip on their rightful place in the Big Four metal family with "Worship Music", released a couple of months ago. Raise your horns for "The Devil You Know", the track on the embedded player above - it's a belter.

Even better news - Anthrax will be performing UK shows in 2012, the first of which is at Islington's Academy on 15th March. More shows are expected to be announced in due course, but meanwhile this show goes on sale on Thursday morning at 9am, priced as £20.

Expect to hear tracks from the new album as well as classics from across their catalogue.

Paul Pledger