Anthrax - Volume 8 (The Threat is Real).

The 80s. Thrash walks tall. Anthrax match Metallica all the way. Well, apart from having more hits and being more fun to watch, and not unleashing anything as overlong and ultimately boring as the Justice Album. The 90s. Metallica unleash “The Black Album”, Anthrax “The Sound of White Noise”. White Noise takes a look down at Black and promptly shits all over its face. Unfortunately people don’t like being shat on, and neither do albums, so they combine together and rally around the Black. The White Noise is left in the wilderness, and eventually is left to Stomp alone. But now there’s a Real Threat, as Anthrax once more pick up the reigns were White Noise left off, and promptly shits all over a different Load.

Always did have a soft spot for this mob, which is why maybe I was looking forward to this new release a damn sight more than what the Metallic ones are doing these days. Never afraid to mix and match, move with, and usually ahead of the times. This time round their more in line, and maybe that will help. Crush opens the album, a whirl of tribal like drums and a riff that just bounces along inside everything. Groove is a word mentioned a lot in heavy music these days, and Anthrax have been able to carry it off better than most for a long time now, and Crush shows how and why.

Catharsis continues, showing that they always knew how to write a great song with a great chorus.The much loved (in these parts) silly antics are still there as witnessed in 604 and CupaJoe. But hey, music isn’t always about angst ridden y’know. And there’s the different flavours represented by the country tinge to Toast to the Extras.

There are a few Pantera guest appearances, Inside Out and Killing Box, and if anything these are what lets the album down. They’re not bad, but it just ends up sounding like Pantera rather than Anthrax, and they don’t need to do that.Big Fat is the longest track here, and it’s one of the grooviest heaviest things they’ve done. Sit back and think of Sabbath as that riff unwinds. Stealing From a Thief finishes the album on a similar note, their strongest outing since White Noise, which just in case you didn’t know, is an absolutely fucking awesome album.

Pity they spoil it with the bloody Hidden Track Syndrome. It may not be bad, but I fucking hate those things. Put Anthrax back where they belong, and get to those October gigs. Learn from the masters.