Review: Anthrax - Worship Music

 Let's be honest. Of the massive thrash collective that is The Big 4, the least recognized and popular group that forms the structure of the supergroup is NYC's Anthrax. And I'm not being judgmental for this, as I'd hate to be hypocritical. And that's a great shame really because as their new album Worship Music shows, this is a band who ten albums and thirty years into their career, this is a band who still possesses a fiery sense of passion for making music, and can really give it their all.
 I mean, they put their heart and soul into the music hear. They play their wild and gripping thrash metal as though their lives depended on it on this album. And listening to overall style and structure to these songs, one could be excused for thinking the band were in that kind of situation while recording. Jagged thrash riffs that Anthrax have come to be known for mixed with the traditional heavy metal sound, serving as a real nod to such predecessors as AC/DC, Black Sabbath and of course, Judas Priest are heard throughout Worship Music, and conjures up the kind of action packed scenes of such extremity and awesomeness where you could envisage the band fighting for their lives. Tracks like The Devil You Know and The Giant are played as though they were the soundtrack some some kind of fast and chaotic chase scene, while the more pumped up, slower paced tracks like In the End and The Constant fill listeners with a similar pumped up feeling of pure power and serve as the battle songs of the albums.
 And of course, the vocals of returning lead singer Joey Belladonna serve as the perfect battle cry. But as always, the guitar thrashing of Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano are what really create the albums sense of passion, brutality and overall insanity.
 A criticism I've seen many point out regarding the album is in the fact that it contains no standout tracks. No Madhouse or Caught in a Mosh, but when thinking of the amount of fun and awesomeness experienced when listening to the album as a whole, such a song does not feel necessary. Anyway, why complain about this with Anthrax? Everyone still adores Metallica, and Death Magnetic didn't exactly have what you'd call a standout song. I mean could you seriously imagine The Day That Never Comes being put up there as an all time Metallica classic alongside Master of Puppets and One? Exactly! Leave Anthrax alone!
 So if you need some crazy, over the top and brutal thrash that puts you completely in the mood for pretty much starting a war, then this has to be the perfect album for you.

 Anthrax's Worship Music is out now via Nuclear Blast.