ANTHRAX - STOMP 442 ALBUM REVIEW

 

Bush Era takes a wrong turn as Anthrax drops the ball 

By DerekB2323, January 5th, 2021

I'll say this. Stomp 442 definitely has a vibe. It's a fun record with a warm, appealing tone. The guitars are thick and crunchy, and as usual, John Bush sounds like a lion. You know that feeling of driving around blasting music on a summer day? That's the vibe of Stomp 442.

Unfortunately, it starts raining as soon as you start the car.

Stomp 442 is a weird album. On their previous record, Sound of White Noise, Anthrax figured out how to successfully adjust their sound for the 1990s. Songs like "Only" and "Potters Field" tamed their driving thrash into something more accessible while also, you know, not sucking. So clearly, they figured out the recipe for good mainstream metal. And that makes the fact that they decided to do something altogether different on Stomp 442 even weirder.

For its many flaws, the thing that ultimately derails Stomp 442 is the songwriting. Say what you will about Anthrax, but they know how to write a memorable song. But there's only one memorable song on Stomp 442, and aside from a handful of cool moments, the rest of the album is dull and even grating at times.

Seriously, the choruses in songs like "Random Acts of Senseless Violence" and "Nothing" will make you cringe.

For what it's worth, "Fueled" is the album's lone winner. It builds from a cool strummed riff that leads into a nice chugging verse and a big chorus. Charlie Benante also throws in a few double bass kicks, which drive up the energy, before the song ends with a modern take on Anthrax's classic mosh sections. It's one of John Bush's best songs with Anthrax and a cool slice of mainstream metal.

"King Size" is also a cut above the rest. "In a Zone" is often pointed out as another highlight, but I've always been more fond of "Tester." It has the same kind of infectious groove, but with a catchier chorus and a more dynamic structure—at least by this album's standards. In fact, its lack of dynamics is the other major issue with Stomp 442, because the rest of the album bleeds together into a long blur of choked riffs, mid-tempo beats and hooks that fall flat.

Still, as I mentioned, there's definitely a vibe. The album's general direction and tone at least give Stomp 442 an identity. They may have blown it with the songwriting, but it seems like Anthrax had an idea for the sound they wanted, and that at least gives the album something to lean on. Stomp 442 is best used as background music, when you can enjoy its rocking tone without focusing on the fact that it all sounds the same.

I often hear Scott Ian talk about how their record label, Elektra, dropped the ball with Anthrax. Perhaps there's some truth to that, but Anthrax themselves own some of the blame, too. The band's Bush Era was off to the races with Sound of White Noise, but instead of fueling that momentum, Anthrax crashed it into a ditch with Stomp 442.

Track List  :

1. Random Acts of Senseless Violence

2. Fueled

3. King Size

4. Riding Shotgun

5. Perpetual Motion

6. In a Zone

7. Nothing

8. American Pompeii

9. Drop the Ball

10. Tester

11. Bare

Line Up  :

Scott Ian Guitars, Vocals (backing)

Charlie Benante Drums, Percussion, Guitars (lead)

Frank Bello Bass, Vocals (backing)

John Bush Vocals

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Anthrax  and Elektra Recordings! 

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 ANTHRAX - STOMP 442 FULL ALBUM 

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