In the wake of Metallica's game-changing "Black Album," virtually every major thrash band toned down their music and adopted new styles, hoping to maintain relevance in a post-Sandman metal world. Megadeth conjured Countdown to Extinction, Testament practiced The Ritual, Exodus delivered us Force of Habit and the list goes on and on and on.
For some bands, the change was a disaster.
For Anthrax, it was a triumph.
Sound of White Noise was a pivotal record for Anthrax. Not only was it their Black Album, it was also their first album with their new singer, Armored Saint's John Bush. A transitional album is one thing, but a transitional album with a new singer? There was every chance this album would be a wreck, and for thrash purists, it was. But for those open to a band trying new things, Sound of White Noise was a creative rebirth and revitalization with songs that are just too good to deny.
The album starts with—what else—but some white noise and a voice preparing you for "a journey into sound." The static breaks with Charlie Benante's snare as the band launches into "Potters Field," and the tone is immediately set. This song has an infectious, stomping post-thrash riff that, while slower than the band's prior work, somehow sounds exactly like Anthrax. The "darker" vibe of Persistence of Time has also been maintained, as John Bush laments that while he "was born to save you," he was also "born to die."
Speaking of which, John Bush sounds phenomenal on this record. Personally, I'm a much bigger fan of the Belladonna Era, but Bush's thicker, grittier voice is a perfect match for the tone Anthrax is going for on Sound of White Noise.
"Potters Field" goes right into "Only," which Metallica's James Hetfield has described as a "perfect song." It's an absolute heavy metal anthem, its driving riff giving way to one of the band's most memorable choruses. And again, as much as I love Joey Belladonna, it's hard to imagine his over-the-top voice working as well on a song as serious and heartfelt as "Only." John Bush really shines here, erasing any doubts new listeners might've had about the new guy.
"Room for One More" kicks in next, giving Sound of White Noise a nearly flawless 1-2-3 punch. And from there, the album just keeps hammering you with hook after hook. "Hy Pro Glo" has a fun start/stop riff that builds up to a chugging break, before "1000 Points of Hate" comes in with a riff that wouldn't sound out of place on Persistence of Time. This underscores something that's often overlooked about Sound of White Noise—yes, it's a different sound, but it's a fairly faithful evolution of what they'd been doing for years. It's an evolved sound, but not a changed sound.
Well, except for "Black Lodge."
Another one of the album's highlights, this is a dark, somber ballad with a beautiful vocal performance from Bush, gradually escalating to a crescendo of chugging riffs and guitar harmonies. This is exactly the kind of material Anthrax could never pull off in the past, as their good-time thrash didn't translate to darker melodies as well as their peers. Just a beautiful song, and it's brilliantly followed by the album's fastest track in "Burst," an apparent peace offering to the thrashers.
Sound of White Noise is a divisive album among metal fans, as most of these pseudo-Black albums are. If you're a thrash fan who only wants to hear thrash from thrash bands, you're going to hate Sound of White Noise and that's cool. You might not like the style personally, but to deny its craftsmanship would frankly be disingenuous. The songs are honed to perfection, the performances are flawless and unlike the next few Anthrax albums, the stylistic change is clearly inspired. As a mainstream heavy metal album, this is almost as good as it gets.
Track List :1. Potters Field
2. Only
3. Room for One More
4. Packaged Rebellion
5. Hy Pro Glo
6. Invisible
7. 1000 Points of Hate
8. Black Lodge
9. C11 H17 N2 O2 S Na
10. Burst
11. This Is Not an Exit
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