July 18, 2021, marked the 40th anniversary of thrash metal pioneers Anthrax. The celebration began in May of last year and culminated on July 16 and17 with a global livestream event shot at the Los Angeles soundstage/studio The Den. For two-plus hours, Anthrax performed an extensive set of hits and deep cuts pulled from its vast catalog.
The entire performance, plus never-before-seen rehearsal footage and Scott Ian’s New York City “walking tour,” pointing out the spots that played a role in Anthrax’s formation and history, will be released in North America on July 15, 2022, on Blu-ray/CD/digital (Megaforce). “Anthrax XL” also will have a European digital release on July 15 (Nuclear Blast), followed by a Blu-ray release later this year. Pre-orders for “Anthrax XL” can be placed here.
Anthrax also has served up a taste of the “Anthrax XL” celebration livestream with “Aftershock,” the Blu-ray and CD’s first single/video, which can be streamed here and viewed below.
“Forty years doesn’t feel like 40 years,” drummer Charlie Benante said. “Sometimes, I have to remind myself about how long this strange trip has been. I enjoy playing these songs, they’re such a huge part of my life, and I know for a lot of our fans, they play a big part in theirs as well.”
From the night of the livestream, bassist Frank Bello recalled, “For me, each song was like reading through a scrapbook of my life and the band’s career. Specifically, ‘Madhouse,’ one of my first recordings with the band, and then to where we are now with ‘Blood Eagle Wings.’ What a great ride it’s been. I’m very grateful.”
“Even though we were performing in a studio with just the crew there, we played that set like we were in front of 50,000 screaming fans,” vocalist Joey Belladonna said. “I felt like we made a full-on connection with everyone watching from their homes or wherever, and that they connected with us. It was quite an intense experience.”
Currently, Anthrax is about six months into its 41st year, and the band–Belladonna, Ian, Bello, Benante, and guitarist Jon Donais–doesn’t quite have its 40th-anniversary in the rear-view mirror.
“We had planned to do a big, 40th-anniversary world tour last year, but because of COVID, we couldn’t,” Scott Ian said. “So we’re doing our 40th anniversary this year, our 41st. We’re starting in America in July, going out with Black Label Society and Hatebreed, and then we headline a U.K. and European tour this fall. We’re all really looking forward to being out on the road, playing shows and some deep cuts to celebrate our 40th with our fans.”
“Anthrax XL” track listing:
Time/Fight Em ’Til You Can’t
Madhouse
Caught in a Mosh
Metal Thrashing Mad
Got the Time
I Am the Law
Keep It in the Family
Lone Justice
The Devil You Know
Be All End All
Now It’s Dark
Antisocial
In the End
Medusa
Evil Twin
Indians
Skeletons in the Closet
Blood Eagle Wings
Bring the Noise
A.I.R.
Among the Living
Credits:
Anthrax: Scott Ian/guitars, Charlie Benante/drums, Frank Bello/bass, Joey Belladonna/vocals, Jon Donais/guitars
Produced by Jack Bennett, Mike Monterulo, Anthrax
Directed by Jack Bennett
Mixed by Jay Ruston
Running time: 2h 5m 34s
Anthrax/Black Label Society/Hatebreed tour dates:
JULY
26 The Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ
28 Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV
29 The Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
30 Heart Health Park, Sacramento, CA
AUGUST
1 Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO
2 Midland Theater, Kansas City, MO
4 Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana, Gary, IN
5 Oshkosh Arena, Oshkosh, WI
6 The Fillmore, Minneapolis, MN
8 Southside Ballroom, Dallas, TX**
9 Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater, Austin, TX
11 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
12 House of Blues, Orlando, FL
13 The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
15 The Andrew J Brady Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
16 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
18 The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
19 Main Street Armory, Rochester, NY
20 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI**
22 StageAE Outside, Pittsburgh, PA
23 History, Toronto, ON CANADA
24 Amphitheatre Cogeco, Trois Riviere/Montreal, QC
26 Coney Island Amphitheater, Brooklyn, NY
28 The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA**
** Hatebreed will not appear on these dates.
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