Login for FavoritesAnthrax - Worship Music
Tweet
Album Details
- Artist: Anthrax
- Album: Worship Music
- Label: nuclear blast
- Year of Release: 2011
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2013-05-21
RecommendThe big four. Anthrax's inclusion amongst the titans of American thrash (Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer being the others) always confused me to some extent. I see the early similarities, but something about Anthrax's sound always kept me from fully embracing them. I've gone over all their records multiple times, and for whatever reason, I'm ready to say that Worship Music is the best they've managed to date. Blasphemy, I know.
Hear me out. I'm sure many diehard fans can admit that the combination of Belladonna, Ian, Bello and Benante represent the core of Anthrax at their absolute best. Well, that core is reunited here for the first time in a very long time. Besides that, something has seriously changed in the band's mindset, and the majority of Worship Music reflects a distancing from some of their more cliched nuances (gang chants, punk-centric bland songwriting) and to a certain extent even abandons thrash entirely in favor of a purely traditional heavy metal foundation. This, combined with the obvious talents these veterans have come to be, makes early tracks "Earth On Hell", "The Devil That You Know" and the zombie apocalypse anthem "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't" incredibly refreshing, enjoyable and prime for a more streamlined audience. Not that that last point is worth praise in any instance, but I think appealing to the modern metalhead is possible without sacrificing your roots in the process. Anthrax are doing that here. The sequence of the mood-setting interlude "Hymn 1" and the truly monumental "In The End" represent the high water mark of the entire record. They haven't done anything this impacting since Among The Living. The rest of the record contains a fair share of excellent stuff. Songs like the obvious tribute of "Judas Priest" and the percussive assault of "Revolution Screams" are marked improvements over anything I've ever heard from the band.
Ever. I can't really make that clear enough; Worship Music is my favorite Anthrax album. If you hear it, and don't feel the same, well I imagine you enjoyed the band just the way they were 20-odd years ago. I didn't mind them, but always thought there was room for improvement. Worship Music is that improvement, and it will stand proud in my collection...maybe right between my copies of Rust In Peace and ...And Justice For All.
User Reviews and Comments
Log In or Register to Rate Albums
User Rating:
Write your own review
Tell us why this album is great or sucks ass, or correct the reviewer. If you write enough quality reviews you may find yourself on the editorial staff.
Reviews have to be over 100 words, shorter ones are classed as comments.
Tell us why this album is great or sucks ass, or correct the reviewer. If you write enough quality reviews you may find yourself on the editorial staff.
Reviews have to be over 100 words, shorter ones are classed as comments.
Log In or Register to Rate Albumson 2012-03-15 dscanland Said:
I'm outta the loop. This Anthrax album slipped right by! I'll be checking out Belladonna's return to the fray.
Not Rated
Review:
on 2011-10-08 Bertman Said:
The new Anthrax CD, Worship Music, features the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, and in more ways than one, the band sounds as if they are releasing an amazing follow up to their phenomenal 1990 release, Persistence of Time. The band is in rare form, with some of the best heavy metal recorded in a long time.
One of the most obvious things that set Anthrax apart from other thrash bands was Joey Belladonnas vocal ability and range. He no longer hits the higher notes, but refuses to dwell in the land of Cookie Monster vocals either.
The song, Judas Priest is a clever nod, both musically and lyrically, to the obvious influence the boys from Birmingham had on these Scott Ian and company. Earth On Hell and Fight 'Em Til You Can't sound like they are straight ought of 1987; it's enough to make you feel Anti-social or at the minimum like you're Caught in a Mosh.
Worship Music isn't a nostalgic trip down memory lane with one Heavy Metals most influential groups ever. This is a band refusing to buckle under to line-up changes and life's difficulties. They've re-tooled themselves into fighting shape and are looking to prove themselves every chance they get.
Rating: 8/10
