ANTHRAX - THE THREAT IS REAL 8 ALBUM REVIEW

 

Anthrax follow their worst album...with their second-worst album - 45%

By DerekB2323, January 6th, 2021

Anthrax was a band in flux in 1998. Three years had passed since they released Stomp 442, which flopped with both consumers and critics, and they lost their record deal with Elektra. A previously stellar career was suddenly hitting some serious personal and professional potholes.

And the road wasn't any smoother with Volume 8.

To be clear, Volume 8 is a better album than Stomp 442. Well, actually, that's a bit misleading—Volume 8 has better songs than Stomp 442, but it's a far less cohesive album. At least Stomp 442 had an identity and consistent tone. Volume 8 feels more like a compilation than a studio release, a confused and unfocused effort that frankly reflects the state of the band at the time.

The album gets off to a much better start than its predecessor. "Crush" is one of the best songs of the Bush Era, and especially coming after Stomp 442, its faster pace and melodic chorus are a welcome change. A big single, "Catharsis," is up next, and it's the kind of song that divides metal fans. You'll either love its simplicity and hooks or you'll vomit thrash purity all over the place, but for better or worse, it's another one of the better songs from the Bush Era.

So far, so decent, right? Well, this is where Volume 8 decides to have a schizophrenic breakdown.

The next song, "Inside Out," is one of the grooviest groove songs any thrash band ever grooved in the 1990s. A vulgar display of Pantera worship from a band that really, really wanted to be Pantera at the time. But with the next three tracks, Volume 8 goes from uninspired groove metal to awkwardly out-of-context S.O.D. thrash to a goddamn country rock song, complete with a harmonica and a fake country accent from John Bush.

I'm not making this up. I swear, this is actually, literally what's on the album.

I have no fucking idea what they were thinking. Any momentum Volume 8 might've had with its earlier tracks is completely killed by the album's identity crisis. It seems like Anthrax wanted to shift their sound after Stomp 442's poor reception, but they couldn't decide which direction to go. It comes across as a jumbled mess of ideas, like Scott Ian wrote a bunch of different genres on a dartboard, blindfolded himself and just started throwing.

Things continue in an unmemorable and generic fashion until Volume 8 comes to an unmemorable and generic close. More groove, more radio rock, more S.O.D. bursts, more confusion from a great band that shouldn't have to try so hard.

These days, Anthrax are putting out some of the best material of their career, but in 1998, these talented dudes were in a creative rut. And frankly, it was largely of their own making—the perceived obligation to shift their sound in the Bush Era resulted in a stylistic aimlessness. In that way, this album's cover is perfectly fitting. If Charlie and Scott shook a Magic 8-Ball and played whatever the hell it said, they would've gotten a more cohesive record than Volume 8.

Track List  :

1. Crush

2. Catharsis

3. Inside Out

4. Piss'n'Vinegar

5. 604

6. Toast to the Extras

7. Born Again Idiot

8. Killing Box

9. Harms Way

10. Hog Tied

11. Big Fat 05:59   

12. Cupajoe 00:46   

13. Alpha Male

14. Stealing from a Thief

15. Pieces

Line Up  :

Scott Ian Guitars, Vocals (backing), Lyrics

Charlie Benante Drums, Percussion

Frank Bello Bass, Vocals (backing), Vocals (track 15)

John Bush Vocals, Lyrics

***Disclaimer*** 

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

Copyright belongs to Anthrax  and Ignition Recordings! 

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ANTHRAX -  THE THREAT IS REAL 8 FULL ALBUM 

( Poor Quality Audio )