Anthrax
We’ve Come For You All
Sanctuary
If Metallica was supposed to be hard rock’s answer to the Beatles, then I always thought of Anthrax as the answer to the Kinks: a group that was consistent and had some hits, but never reached those same levels of superstardom.
Hell, Anthrax is down with Public Enemy, so that tells you something right there.
Despite the fact that the most the band has been in the mainstream consciousness over the past few years is the result of having the same name as the deadly disease that terrorized Capitol Hill and the NBC studios, Anthrax has continued to put out its distinctive sound for listeners to rock out to.
Their latest album, We’ve Come For You All, is a rocker all right, but from what era? At times, it sounds like the band is continuing along the same path it has been for most of its decades-long existence. Long before Korn, Anthrax was mixing head-nodding and head-banging drumming with heavy bass lines and dark-sounding guitars to create something that punches you in the gut. On We’ve Come For You All, songs like “Superhero” and “Black Dahlia” live up to this.
Unfortunately, some of the songs on the album are a bit sissified. “Safe Home” is a rap/rock/pop/thrash power ballad (what the fuck?!) that doesn’t work at all. “Strap It On,” with lines like “Take me back to a heavy time / from ‘85 to ‘89,” brings the album’s inherent weakness to the forefront. With its mediocre riffs and barked-out chorus, this sounds like something that the Crüe, or Skid Row or insert your hair band here would have done. Dudes, leave that “heavy time” behind!
On the inside case of the CD, the five band members are wearing outfits that spell out “We’re Not Changing Our Name,” which is cool. But they should definitely ditch some of that clamoring for the good ol’ days and just keep going forward as they’ve always done. If not, they may want to consider a name change. Perhaps, “Anachronism” would be more appropriate.
Anthrax: http://www.anthrax.com/ • Sanctuary Records: http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com/
